Being Mentally Ready for Lifestyle Change

elbaldwin0525

I know a lot of emphasis is put on the physical aspect of losing weight and eating healthy.
(I know I know... You can eat what you want in moderation and lose weight blah blah blah)


But does anyone ever considered being mentally ready to make that change?!

The greatest challenge in losing weight is actually keeping it off at the end. Mental restraint from overally endulging in buffets and keeping on with a exercise program plays a big part in how a person can successfully keep this lifestyle going.


Opinions?

katro111

For me, just logging my food was enough of a kick in the *kitten* to make the mental change. I logged for a week before I started actively trying to lose or had set any macros. The amount of calories I was consuming was ridiculous. So, I figured out my BMR and TDEE and all that, set a goal for myself, and setup my macros. Now it's like second nature. I can honestly assess when I'm actually hungry or not, which I think is attributed to being satisfied with what I've already eaten throughout the day. Sure I still eat sweets and whatnot when I want them, but I make room for them in my calories/macros. If you're worried about going crazy at a buffet, then don't go. There are plenty of other restaurants you can eat at.

Lizzy622

The mental change is often the hardest. Most can exercise and diet if they know they will stop at point B. When you consider there is no point B, at least not until you are leaving this world, It gets much more difficult.

jbella99

The mental part is hard part. Losing weight is easy everyone knows what needs to be done. It's mentally preparing yourself for cravings, binges and habit that's hard.

seltzermint555

So far I've lost 116 lb from my heaviest and it has happened in two big waves. I apologize to those who may have seen me post about this before, as I feel like I am repeating past posts. Feel free to skip through of course.

My first "wave" of weight loss was necessary to me, and not an option. I'd always been around 260-270 lb as an adult, and with a stressful and sedentary yet much more lucrative job I quickly packed on weight and found myself at an all-time high of 307 lb with new health issues I'd never experienced before like swelling ankles, shortness of breath, and increased frequency of migraines and other minor aches & pains. I knew I was headed for a lot of health problems and that motivated me to lose 45 lb primarily through exercise. It took me quite awhile to do that.

Once I reached my "normal-for-me" weight in the 260-270 range, I honestly felt great. Despite being still very obese, I had high energy, no health issues, etc. I felt like myself and totally fine. However I was in a marriage that was lacking any passion, comfortable yet severely lacking...my then-husband had never really been that attracted to me, nor I to him. I fit perfectly into my size 20-22 plus size clothes and felt little to no motivation to work harder, eat less, and lose weight. I honestly just didn't care. So my weight stayed the same for a year or two.

Then life really changed for me, tons of changes that happened for a wide variety of reasons and included a divorce. I started dating again with the mindset that I was not going to change for anyone and feeling that there were plenty of men who are attracted to plus size ladies. That was definitely correct, too. I met my current husband and he was super attracted to me even at my larger size. However, being with him and feeling more attractive and doing so many active things together, and seeing how he had changed his own life/body with diet & exercise...it really started to motivate me to improve myself. I decided that I could be a better version of my already-great self, and that is when I started using MFP and have now lost an addition 71 lb and I am currently at my lowest adult weight of 191 lb.

For me though the mental was a huge part of it. Feeling more attractive, sexy, and active motivated me in a way that I had not been motivated in the past. There is also a part of me that is quite defiant or rebellious and always rolled my eyes at people for dieting to fit "norms" and to be a size that others considered thin and/or acceptable. I found that to be one minor hurdle - in fact I still struggle with it - because I am not doing any of this for others' approval.

Hearts_on_Fire

When I started losing weight 2 years ago, I began on the physical part. I wanted to start on that. 6 months after starting I added working on the mental aspect. Some days it's easier than others. Old habits (beating myself up, emotional eating, etc) die hard, but I work hard every day.

But to really lose the weight and keep it off, you have to "fix" both.

elbaldwin0525

Amazing Story!!!!

So far I've lost 116 lb from my heaviest and it has happened in two big waves. I apologize to those who may have seen me post about this before, as I feel like I am repeating past posts. Feel free to skip through of course.

My first "wave" of weight loss was necessary to me, and not an option. I'd always been around 260-270 lb as an adult, and with a stressful and sedentary yet much more lucrative job I quickly packed on weight and found myself at an all-time high of 307 lb with new health issues I'd never experienced before like swelling ankles, shortness of breath, and increased frequency of migraines and other minor aches & pains. I knew I was headed for a lot of health problems and that motivated me to lose 45 lb primarily through exercise. It took me quite awhile to do that.

Once I reached my "normal-for-me" weight in the 260-270 range, I honestly felt great. Despite being still very obese, I had high energy, no health issues, etc. I felt like myself and totally fine. However I was in a marriage that was lacking any passion, comfortable yet severely lacking...my then-husband had never really been that attracted to me, nor I to him. I fit perfectly into my size 20-22 plus size clothes and felt little to no motivation to work harder, eat less, and lose weight. I honestly just didn't care. So my weight stayed the same for a year or two.

Then life really changed for me, tons of changes that happened for a wide variety of reasons and included a divorce. I started dating again with the mindset that I was not going to change for anyone and feeling that there were plenty of men who are attracted to plus size ladies. That was definitely correct, too. I met my current husband and he was super attracted to me even at my larger size. However, being with him and feeling more attractive and doing so many active things together, and seeing how he had changed his own life/body with diet & exercise...it really started to motivate me to improve myself. I decided that I could be a better version of my already-great self, and that is when I started using MFP and have now lost an addition 71 lb and I am currently at my lowest adult weight of 191 lb.

For me though the mental was a huge part of it. Feeling more attractive, sexy, and active motivated me in a way that I had not been motivated in the past. There is also a part of me that is quite defiant or rebellious and always rolled my eyes at people for dieting to fit "norms" and to be a size that others considered thin and/or acceptable. I found that to be one minor hurdle - in fact I still struggle with it - because I am not doing any of this for others' approval.

Branstin

The mental change should really be the first step, anyway.

ninerbuff

Interestingly enough, one of the things I talk about with clients is the mental approach towards weight loss. What plan or approaches to they have IF there is a stall, bad day, or set back? Because in most cases, people who aren't mentally ready for it when it happens end up quitting and going back to their old lifestyle of consumption.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

seltzermint555

Amazing Story!!!!

Thank you!!

geekyjock76

From a mental perspective, one significant outcome I see from a lot of female posters who are close to their goals is the intense and crippling paranoia when thinking of increasing calories towards maintenance. What they all have in common is: a) not aware of their actual calorie needs to relatively maintain their heaviest weight; and b) try to lose weight rapidly by eating the least amount of calories. In many cases, a lot of them end up with very unhealthy relationships with food and exercise.

elbaldwin0525

Dope Perspective...didnt even think about in that way

From a mental perspective, one significant outcome I see from a lot of female posters who are close to their goals is the intense and crippling paranoia when thinking of increasing calories towards maintenance. What they all have in common is: a) not aware of their actual calorie needs to relatively maintain their heaviest weight; and b) try to lose weight rapidly by eating the least amount of calories. In many cases, a lot of them end up with very unhealthy relationships with food and exercise.