i have absolutely no will power..

1longroad

The first step is knowing why you want to travel this journey!! For me it was to improve my health and to generally feel better! Your reason may be the same or it may be different. Write your reasons down, so you have them to look at on a daily basis, it helps!

Next, there are great resources here to help you figure out how to eat healthier and how to decide what the right plan for you is. I try to eat 4 or 5 times a day, within my calories, as I am a grazer and like to eat often. This helps me stay within my calorie range overall. That may help you, or it may not. You have to know what will work for you and often, trial and error are the only way to determine that.

Find people to be friends with here on MFP. It really helps to have the support and the knowledge of those who have been here and are losing weight successfully!!

Drink plenty of fluids, and drink some water within those fluids! Water, iced tea, black coffee, flavored waters, are good for your body and help keep you full while flushing out fat!! Water of course is the most important, but if you are not used to drinking water, start and work your way up!

Move more! There is no set amount. If you don't exercise, that's ok, but start. Start slow, to avoid injury and to keep yourself from giving up. Try walking 15 minutes a day. Don't worry about your speed, or duration. Walk for 7.5 minutes, turn around and walk back! After a week, increase that by 5 minutes Walk for 10 minutes, turn around and walk back!! I have very bad knees and a bad hip, so walking is the exercise for me!! If you have access to a pool, it may be easier at first for you to walk in the pool. Whatever works for you!

Emotional eating is a hard battle, but it is worth it. Don't be afraid to seek help! You will get encouragement here, but you may need counseling also. If you do, look in to what services are available. I find that talking to people here motivates me, helps keep me focused and makes me feel more determined not to let myself or them down, so it is easier to stick to my plan!!!

You can do this!!! Most have us have been where you are today. Knowing we want to change, having no idea how! I will be happy to join you on your journey if you would like!!!

mrscool5

I think a lot of what you're running into is you are looking at the big picture and it's completely overwhelming. That would be like going to a pizza buffet and telling yourself you HAVE to eat everything.

Start small. Pick one thing to change, one "bad habit" and work on it. Doesn't matter how small it might seem. When it's not a big deal anymore, pick another one. If that one thing still seems to be a problem, try something else. You just have to keep fiddling with stuff until something just...well, I guess "feels right."

I have done many, many things throughout the years and much of it is a pain in the rear. Though along the way I've managed to change some bad habits into better habits and gradually I feel like I'm "getting there." Some days I feel like I've done all bad, but when I look at my food diary I can SEE that I really didn't do so bad. I am eating salad pretty much every day, I only eat one carb per meal (that's a HARD one and sometimes....Sunday......it doesn't work out quite that well - corn AND potato .....but boy I sure enjoyed it a lot more than I used to!), I only drink water, I don't buy ice cream I like in any size container larger than those single ones and I (so far) never eat more than one at a time, etc. I have to stop and think about what I "would have done before" sometimes.

Try not to focus as much on what you feel like you "can't" do and find something to focus on that you "can" do. And like I tell myself every day....every damn day......"Being a little hungry isn't gonna kill me." (Unless, of course, I go crazy with it but my willpower is noway, never ever ever gonna be that good!)

spgabby86

I like this suggestion...I will try this for myself...I to am struggling so this post was Right on Time :flowerforyou:

spgabby86

Start with small goals, for week one, try to eliminate something like chips and replace it with a 20 minute walk. If that works then add to it the following week. Remember only to focus on the small goals - otherwise it can be overwhelming.

DamoniqueW

I know how you feel. I have been there. I was there last week. I had to push myself and say today I am going to work out. Once you start you feel like you have to keep going. The fact that you are here is the first step. Take small steps. Don't try to do it all at once

Mslmesq

today will be long.

Today will also not last forever. I always repeat that to myself on rough days.

First of all, a huge hug for you! I'm sorry you are having a rough day!

Second, and most importantly, try to have some compassion for yourself. You are a unique and special individual with your own unique gifts and attributes. There is absolutely no one else on this planet that is exactly like you and you cannot be replaced. The sum total of your worth has virtually nothing to do with your weight. You would be special at 500lbs or 100lbs all the same.

With that said, there is also absolutely nothing wrong with you wanting to improve your health and taking steps in that direction. It is an admirable goal. It does, however, sound like some of your impediments to that goal stem from emotional eating. You are not alone in this. It is very common and nothing to be ashamed of. Many times emotional or binge eating stems from triggers of unaddressed issues, a lot of times from childhood. Counseling to address these things can be beneficial. There are also support groups that can help as well. Meditation and mindfulness can also be applied to help alleviate the stress and triggers when they happen.

Know, you can achieve your goals. But they are simply goals you have, they do not define you or your worth as an individual.

Best wishes and prayers to to you in your journey!

1longroad

I am so with your sister. Today is the first day of sooooo many tries but I WILL NOT GIVE UP! My strategy is baby steps. Today I will concentrate on my water -- hopefully this will fill me up and I won't crave as much. My huge problems (besides portions) is eating late at night. My husband goes to bed early and I am left on my own to cheat. I haven't created a strategy for this yet -- and I would love to hear some thoughts -- but right now I'm planning on munching on carrotts or just going to bed. Lastly, as a start, try to recruit a friend to take a walk down to the end of the street with you -- it's beautiful outside this time of year and the walk goes so much fasting when your chatting. Do whatever you have to do to start a habit. YOU CAN DO IT!

I work night three nights a week, so my schedule means that I have to eat at night those days. So, on my days off, I still want to eat at night, so I save calories for that, from the calories I have allotted. It works for me, so I hope you find what works for you!!

H_Factor

if you want to get healthy bad enough....if you know WHY you don't like your current lifestyle and WHY you want to change....you will ignite the fire within you (what I call the fierce and Katy Perry calls fireworks...go listen to her song and follow the lyrics). Here is a blog I wrote. Spend time. Do the activity.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/H_Factor/view/recipe-for-a-will-power-pill-for-help-with-the-mental-part-of-the-journey-155978

sweet_blasphemy

I can really relate to you. I have struggled with emotional/disordered eating for as far back as I can remember. If you're anything like me, depression or a subpar mental state can kill your motivation to do anything - even take care of yourself. When you're depressed, everything seems pointless and not worth the effort, that's where the lack of willpower comes in so you fall into that vicious cycle of sad=eat=eat=sad. But there's still that teeny tiny logical part of your brain, way, way back in a little dark corner that's screaming "this isn't right"... that's the part that is prompting you to reach out, which I think is awesome so kudos to you for being strong enough to take that first step.

Over the past year, through CB therapy and medication (which is not the method for everyone) I have been working on my mental state. I'm finally to the point where I'm ready to do this and I want it more than I ever have. Like someone else said, there's no secret fountain of willpower, you have to find it within yourself. Sometimes you have to clear some junk out of the way before you uncover it. Getting healthy, to me, involves not just the physical but the mental/emotional aspect and they will compliment each other as you keep moving in the right direction. It's a long journey, one that I thought I just wasn't cut out for, but I'm learning to take it one day at a time, to make small adjustments here and there, and working toward giving food an appropriate place in my life so there's more room for the interests and passions that I REALLY want in my life.

Good luck, and feel free to add me

JingleMuffin

Whats the alternative?

get fatter and fatter and then die?
where do you put your foot down and go the other direction?

toutmonpossible

In all truth it's more about habit than will power. Losing weight is a journey of effort so start small. What are two things you can change? Could you start drinking more water, become more active? If you have time google Michael Mosley and watch his documentaries on exercise, weight lose and fasting. Each documentary is about 1hour.

Good advice.

OP: What are the issues?

Proximity to food?
Need to educate yourself about food?
Financial issues in regard to buying healthy food?
No emotional support?

You mentioned a weight loss drug. If going on it would help, see your doctor. You know you can't be on drugs for the rest of your life, but 319 is a high place from which to start and if it will give you a boost, consider it.

vanillacoffee

For this week, just one week, decide you will stay under your MFP calorie goals. Make a "game" of it with yourself. When you want to eat something bad, remind yourself that it's only a number of hours , and try to do something else instead. At the end of the week, see how good you feel, not even about your body yet, but about achieving that goal.

nikkylyn

I dont like fruit either. WEll grapes but thats it. But I make strawberry bannana whatever fruit I have smoothies with LF milk. Dont force yourself to eat something you dont like. Eggs for example I used to love whole eggs now you cant pay me to eat them. I used to mix 2 eggs and 1 egg white. Then 1 egg 2 or 3 egg whites. Until eventually I got used to the taste and love the new tasteof egg whites which are lower in calories and a great protein source. I eat them evey morning with some salsa on top and it is soooo good. But not at first. at first I hate egg whites. Sometimes your taste buds need time to change.

But I LOOOVE veggies. Im a veggies holic.

Have you thought about journaling/blogging. Get all those thoughts out. Obviously there is a reason you overate to begin with. All you can do is just work thru it everyday. Remember there are lots of ppl out there like that.

Allow yourself 200??? calories a day for your cravings. Then the rest is healthy foods. Hopefully over time your taste buds will change and you can replace those sweet foods for a nice smoothie made with fruits maybe some veggies.

Its not realistic for most people to say you will never eat a cupcake or icecream again. MODERATION!!!

You can do it.

jezy_jass

Start small and work your way up. Try going for a walk, a bike ride, doing whatever active things you enjoy. I usually find that on days I am more active I make better food choices too. Best of luck, you can do this.

funkyspunky872

This is coming from a girl who weighed 300 pounds when she was 16-17 and lost 150 in a year and a half:

Start slow. Set MFP's calories recommendations to a steady 1 or even a 1/2 pound loss a week. That doesn't sound like much, but it'll give you plenty of calories to work with. If you feel like you have no willpower, you're probably not going to be able to handle a huge cut in calories (and as you'll find browsing the forums here, you shouldn't!!)

Even though you're set to lose 1/2 a pound a week, you might lose as much as 2 or 3 for a while. It's very common to lose up to 10 pounds in water weight your very first week. It's not fat loss, but it's a great motivator anyways.

As for eating, eat what you like as long as if fits your calorie goal. You'll come to learn that having 200 calories worth of candy isn't as filling as eating 200 calories of protein.

Good luck!

Maridar

You are the only one who can take your yourself, nobody else. Just decide that you are going to do it. I've been dieting since probably 15 if not earlier and I am at my heaviest weight now not counting when having a child... Every day is not a struggle but an effort and it is all in my head, I know that now. I would go to a store and think before, I am not going to buy that bag of candy, no no no.. I walk out with the bag of candy. At least I am honest and log it in the food. MFP helped me a lot, just to stay accountable to myself. Go see a nutritionist if you can, I did that and it helped me, pushed me in the right direction and made my desire to eat healthier stronger. I remember what she said and I liked it very much, we should be losing weight as we get older, not gaining! If I am 70 kg when I am 70, I'd be quite happy!

Keep a diary, love yourself. I can see you are a beautiful person, if that face was thinner, omg, watch out!:):)

scopium

it comes down to "how bad do you want it". if u want anything bad enough you will do anything to achieve it.

BelleVegan77

you can totally do this You really can. I have been there. My starter weight for MyFittnessPal was 327 and I was so sad. Just didn't see the point. Didn't think it would happen.

Here are some things I know
One...losing that first lb is hard but once it is off...you feel like a super model. You will feel so much better physically that you look more forward to losing the next lb then eatting the next cookie.

Two... People. I have a coworker who has lost 107 a friend that has lost over 100 and another casual aquaintance who has lost 284! 284!

Three...projects are inspiring. Make your diet fun! When I would get into that depressed frump that just made me want to put on sweat pants and buy cookies... I would go reward myself for trying. Even trying to try! Even trying to try to get started to try! Go out and buy yourself a FABULOUS diet journal in a ridiculously awesome color and maybe some pens or stickers or something to make it awesome and write down what you are feeling. What you are eatting and why. Write down your even tiny successes. Look for inspiration anywhere you can find it and add it to your book.

LOL one of the things that worked for me were sticker paper dolls. Every time I wanted to eat something and I didn't...I got to add something to her. New hair do, new clothes...I made her look like the me I wanted to be. I gave her pigtails (I am not me without my pigtails) and new skinny girl clothes. You need a reward system that isn't edible.

You are SO pretty. Like SO pretty...what are you wasting time being unhappy with your appearance for! If being thin will make you FEEL pretty girl get up and go for a walk...away from the fridge. You deserve happiness! No girl feels happy if they don't feel like they look good.

_HeartsOnFire_

It's a decision.
You want it bad enough you'll do it.
You realize that you matter, if to no one else, you matter to the most important person of all...YOURSELF.
You do this for yourself.
Because you want to feel good.
Because you want to live.
You realize this is a lifestyle change NOT a diet.
It's about moderation not deprivation.
There are no good or bad foods, only bad eating habits.
Write down all the reasons you want to do this.
Make a goal sheet.
To walk 30 minutes without getting winded (I used to get winded walking fast to the other side of my office.) When you hit that goal check it off.
Make lots of little small goals, start checking them off, the more you check off, the more you'll want to check off.
One step at a time.

Make the decision to do this, to do this for you, because you deserve it.

expoduck

I didn't have willpower, so I tried approaching it one day at a time. A clean slate every new day.
Messed up yesterday? Doesn't matter. Today is all that matters.

Do your best, because that's all you can do.

I started at 315lbs thinking I'd NEVER lose weight and am now 274.

I had false starts, I had bad days (I still do), I put myself down way too much... But I'm still going. You can do it too.