I am on the cusp...

healthy4life4mykids

....of making a permanent change. But I can't quite seem to go all the way. I am here, I log everyday, I try to get in some fitness, but I often go over my calories and make poor food choices. I still log it when I eat like crap, and the old attitude I had when I messed up diet wise (just screw it I'm going to eat whatever I want for three weeks then worry about it) has been replaced by " I will start again fresh tomorrow." So I'm getting there, but my ? is what made it serious for those of you who have succeeded? I feel like maybe I just don't want it or care enough, but yet here I am? Is there a mental trick to JUST DOING IT and sticking with it that I am missing? I feel like a crazy person off and on and I want to be the person with the awesome before and after pics, but I just have such a hard time actually doing it! Tips, thoughts, anything?

kyleekay10

I just reached a point where I was done feeling crappy about myself. I realized that almost every day I looked in the mirror and didn't like what I saw, and I didn't want to live the rest of my life that way. Didn't think I could handle being unhappy like that.

You're halfway there with logging and trying to exercise. You just have to decide now if getting a little more "strict" is worth feeling how you want to feel about yourself. Good luck.

mgobluetx12

Aren't you getting tired of there always being another tomorrow? I sure was. Something I did to help me with that was log my food the day before and then stick to it. Give yourself one meal a week to splurge and then get right back on track. You've got to recommit yourself EVERY SINGLE MORNING to this or it won't work. Don't do it half-assed or you'll get exactly those kind of results. Consistency is the key.

healthy4life4mykids

Aren't you getting tired of there always being another tomorrow? I sure was. Something I did to help me with that was log my food the day before and then stick to it. Give yourself one meal a week to splurge and then get right back on track. You've got to recommit yourself EVERY SINGLE MORNING to this or it won't work. Don't do it half-assed or you'll get exactly those kind of results. Consistency is the key.

Well put.

theoriginaljayne

You've got to recommit yourself EVERY SINGLE MORNING

Actually, I'd say that you have to exist in a state of continuous re-commitment. Don't start fresh tomorrow. Start fresh immediately.

Oh, and every time you screw up (as we all do), it helps to read this: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/16/get-over-it/

Yanicka1

When it is more painful and difficult to not lose the weight. We all have a different tipping point.

Good luck

daniellemm1

It sounds to me like you are in a great place to take the next step. The fact that you don't let yourself give up the logging when you go over on calories shows that you are ready to do this. Take small steps by adding a short walk a few times a week or eating a little less each meal. Start somewhere. Anywhere really. You've got a good routine going with logging regularly now change what you are logging. Instead of having a big bowl of ice cream try having one or even two servings which is 1/2 cup or 1 cup. Go out and buy yourself a food scale so you can learn what a real serving is and try to just eat that. You can do this!!!

jessspurr

I'm not exactly sure what happened to make myself 'just do it" but I think I just kind of imagined this lightswitch in my head that I reached up and turned on and haven't looked back since. I think I was wishing in one hand and ****ing in another and watching which one filled up faster. It was the ***t. I think for me, it wasjust the principle of enertia. Its hard to get a boulder to move, but I think its even harder to stop it once it starts. Also (this may sound like I am pretty dumb) but once I figured out that if I eat less calories than I burn (no matter where those calories come from) I lose weight I was AMAZED. I couldn't beleive it was really that simple. But it really is! Look for any success you can and just build and build and build on it. If you only stay under calories one day just DWELL on that success and be amazed at your strength. Feel free to add me if you want!

mamadon

I didn't have any magical lightbulb moment to be honest. I have tried every diet known to man for the last twenty years lol, with zero success. I simply decided to eat whatever I wanted within my calorie range. That's it for me. No low carb, no low fat etc. I just count my calories. I can do this for the rest of my life. The other ways were not sustainable for me. I also take it just one day at a time. I just tell myself that TODAY I will do it. Oh and I also have a cheat day once a month. Some people can't do this I know, but for me it helps get rid of any cravings. And.....if I do screw up and over eat cause we all do, I refuse to beat myself up and engage in self loathing anymore. That is one of the most self destructive things most of us do. We fall off the wagon, hate ourselves and give up. Now I tell myself that it was just one meal or one day and carry on. If I don't give up I cannot fail.

supplemama

I didn't have any magical lightbulb moment to be honest. I have tried every diet known to man for the last twenty years lol, with zero success. I simply decided to eat whatever I wanted within my calorie range. That's it for me. No low carb, no low fat etc. I just count my calories. I can do this for the rest of my life. The other ways were not sustainable for me. I also take it just one day at a time. I just tell myself that TODAY I will do it. Oh and I also have a cheat day once a month. Some people can't do this I know, but for me it helps get rid of any cravings. And.....if I do screw up and over eat cause we all do, I refuse to beat myself up and engage in self loathing anymore. That is one of the most self destructive things most of us do. We fall off the wagon, hate ourselves and give up. Now I tell myself that it was just one meal or one day and carry on. If I don't give up I cannot fail.

Me too, this is what I do! It works so well :flowerforyou:

ElliottTN

I think of it a bit differently than other posters. I think if you are here, logging everyday, doing your best even when you slip than you are actually doing it. Those awesome before and after pics doesn't happen overnight. That happened over months and months and for a great majority if them, years.

That said, I don't know anyone personally that has succeeded and been like "ok, now I'll just maintain." I just don't see this lifestyle as a destination but more as a journey to be honest (and completely cheesy.) Everyday you should be reaching for a new goal. If you are in here recording the good, the bad, the ugly, than that's a really important step and a great goal. Next week look at what you did and see if you can just do a little bit better. It's the small wins over time that count here and not the "I must be perfect all the time everytime." That just seems so exhausting to live your life that way. And ****, you've got to live your life bc what else are you even doing this for?

I like what another poster said, maybe your next goal should be to strive to jump back on the horse immediately after you fall off instead of waiting until the next day? You'll get there. Just keep your head down and do what you know you have to do and your dedication and patience will pay off. Best of luck to you.

healthy4life4mykids

Thank you all

feelin_gr_8

It's hard to say why I finally made the plunge. I didn't even get this serious about weight loss for my wedding (granted I was working a job from hades back then...) Honestly, my brother had told my mom he's help her lose weight and I mentioned that I need to. He re-invited me to MFP and I was hooked. A couple days later he challenged me to a sprint-triathalon next summer which is quite a lofty girl that has over 100 lbs to lose! I thrived off of that challenge and I did my 1st 5k last week, I think having a goal of that sort to work toward is something that helps me. As with many things in life, when it's time, it's time. The fact that you're logging is half the battle!

calpeachmfp

Hi, Healthy4Life4My Kids,
First, please check out your name on here . . . are you doing it for your kids, or for you? . . . That's kind of key, I think. It probably will never be a permanent thing as long as you are doing it for someone else.

Next, when you want to snack, go check the mirror. And by that I mean look yourself in the eyes. Call yourself by name and tell yourself how much you love yourself! : ) Radical, huh? I found it causes me to be honest with myself.

There are a few things that you need to do to be successful:
1. Make a plan. Write down what you will eat tomorrow, and stick to it. And write down what you will do for exercise, and do it.
2. Accountability/Social Support are really important, so stay on this site, just like you are doing.
3. Give yourself an incentive. Is it your health, your looks, something you want to accomplish? Figure out the things that stop you from reaching your goal and write down two things for each obstacle.
4. Make deadlines: Short Term ~ 4-6 Weeks and Long Term ~ 6 Months
5. Reward yourself (just not with food : ) ) each time you reach a new goal.

Hope this helps!
Take care,
Lynne : )