Struggling

jojoof4

I know that it's simply calories in vs calories out, but what do you do to keep yourself motivated? I find myself losing then gaining the same 10 to 15 lbs. I seem to do really well and lose some, then fall off the wagon and gain it all back. I desperately need to lose weight; it's affecting every aspect of my life. I feel like such a failure and want to succeed, but can't figure out why it's so hard to stay on track. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm starting the turbo fire dvds on Monday with several others; hopefully that will help me hold myself accountable since I will have others to check in with. My family isn't extremely supportive, as I'm the only one with weight issues and they don't understand how difficult it is to lose. I've been logging in to this site for several months but haven't consistently lost anything, as I mentioned before. I'm now back up to 241; the heaviest I've ever been in my life is 250. It is just maddening, as I weighed less when I was full-term with my pregnancies. Ugh! So, how do you do it? How do you push yourself? How do you keep trudging forward when it's so easy to give up? Where does your strength come from? I really need some suggestions!

jamielise2

I have to MAKE myself go to the gym some days. It's a struggle. I found that if I went home from work before going to the gym, then the gym never happened. But now I view it as "earning" my food. I'm not willing to eat as few calories as they want me to have, so I'm willing to pay the price to have more. And without fail by the time I leave the gym I'm glad I went.

And for women it's not always as simple as calories in/out. Our hormones and monthly cycle can play havoc on us. For example, per my calories in/out last week I should have lost 4 lbs, and I lost 0.2. BUT it will even out once my cycle starts.

marydude

Don't give up! Try to think of this as making small changes that you are willing to live with most of the time - so there's no wagen to fall off of! Look at what is your worst eating habit and work on changing that - replacing it with something healthier and make it your new habit! Change the way you think about it - and focus on what you are getting - not what you are giving up. Make better choices!

srp2011

I guess for me I look at it as a lifestyle change, and focus on changing little things for the better over time. I also found fitness goals that have nothing to do with the scale, and found a group of like-minded people who help keep me on track and motivated. For example, 3 years ago, I wasn't exercising at all, and I started getting on the stair-stepper in my living room or walking in place during commercial breaks... and then I decided to try a running class... and I was terrible and slow at first, but I liked to camaraderie of the group so I kept going... and then I ran a 5K (slowly)... and then I wanted to do better, so I joined a gym and kept going with the running... and now I'm addicted to 5Ks and working my way up to 10Ks and improving my time. So it was about more than the weight loss, and it really helps to surround yourself with people who also have fitness/health goals and are steadily working toward them - they serve as role models and show you it can be done. Also, I started learning more about nutrition, which has made me make better food choices - not all the time, but more often than before. It really is a journey, and I think when you look at it that way, it helps so you don't get fixated on a bad day. A lot of people lose motivation because they make this grand effort and then they don't see grand results quickly or consistently enough, and then they start backsliding in a grand way. Forget that. Small steps will get you there. Make little improvements each day.

Mommyof3texans

For me, I just started reading and researching about what foods to eat that would be healthy and help me lose weight. Then I got those foods and I eat them. Not all of them are my favorites but I found a lot that I do like. I'm not always perfect, but my slips are small and I don't let myself veer off course.

Once I started really reading about different foods and reading labels, I decided I didn't want to put all of those old foods in my body any more. I think it was like a puzzle for me. I had a calorie goal, protein, carb, fat and sodium goals and I try to fit all my foods into that puzzle and I enjoy the challenge of that. That forces me to make good choices.

Maybe setting some smaller short term goals will help. It can be daunting to think of a big number to try to lose or to just have a general goal of losing weight. I decided to give running a try and started the Couch to 5K training program and signed up for a race that was around 9 weeks out. That way, I wouldn't back out of my training routine.

I know a lot of people use the moderation technique and it works for them but for me, I just had to say this is how it's going to be and just do it. I like to look at it as one day at a time and think "It's just 24 hours, I can do this for 24 hours"

AmyW125

I'm 5'2 and hit 200. That is how I keep motivated...200. I keep saying it every time I say I'm not going to work out or I think about eating something I know I shouldn't. I'm pretty much on my own doing this too. You will get there. I'm down 30 and i cry every time I get on that darn scale and don't see a weight loss. It is a day to day, hour by hour, change you have to make for the rest of your life. Don't think of it as a diet..it's the new you!!!! I love the new me..but i know I have 45 more pounds to go...so don't worry you will do this!!!!

missbp

For me, it was the realization that dieting was never going to give me what I truly wanted. Which is a stronger fitter body and better overall health and well being. This cannot be a diet. It must be a lifestyle change. If you don't accept it as that, you will just yo yo back and forth.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to resign yourself to the fact that you just can't eat the way you once did. And, you cannot live a healthy life, without regular exercise. Sure there are a few people out there that seem to be able to eat whatever they want, never exercise and seem to not gain weight. They are the exception to the rule. For the majority of us, it just does not work like that.

I wish you success on your journey and I truly hope you achieve your goals. Friend request me if you would like support. I must warn you though, that if you are going to take week long breaks, I will unfriend you eventually. I need the support too.

Michelle

Caite_S

I find a lot of motivation from this site. I love reading the success stories that people post they really keep me motivated. I also set goals for myself and reward myself when I reach them like buying a new pair of jeans or a new pair of shoes (I love jeans and shoes so this is a great motivator for me) Besides that I posted all the reasons why I want to get in shape on my closet door so every morning when I wake up I see them and read them and as a little extra motivation I bought a bikini and hung it on my wall. I can't wear it yet but I'm hoping to get into it by the end of the summer. Having support is also a big motivation. I have an extremely supportive boyfriend and family and that really keeps me going. Hope this helps...feel free to add me if you would like!

lutzsher

I did the same thing for years, and unfortunately you just have to "want it" . . . more than the taste of anything. You have to push yourself every day to be dedicated to YOU. The same way you are loyal and dedicated to your family and have taken care of them you need to turn around and do it for you for a change.
I have a sign hanging on my closet door so is the first thing I see every morning when I sit up and swing my legs over the side of my bed . . .
I create myself with the choices I make each day.
I have the courage to make permanent and positive changes to my live.

Plus I have on my fridge . . . "nothing tastes as good as slim and healthy feels!"

I had to break it down into 24 hour periods, promising myself that even I could remain dedicated to eat healthy and within my calories that day, and to get up and move for at least 30 minutes. I have a typically stressful and long days type of job so didn't actually make the time to exercise every day, but made sure I was spot on with my diet . . . and I don't mean a "temporary" diet either. I have completely changed the way I shop, cook, and eat . . . my whole outlook on food has changed. This is not just about calories in Vs. calories out . . . it is an emotional journey that you have to take.
Take 1 day at a time and know you are worth the effort.

sherrishift

It is real easy to give up. It is so much easier to tell yourself, I'll do better tomorrow. But then nothing in life worth having is ever easy. I have found great strength in my family, friends and my MFP friends. You can receive amazing support here! When it really comes down to it, you have to want this for you. Everyone around you can give you all the support in the world but if you are not in it, none of it will matter.

What has kept me on track is reminding myself everyday that I'm worth it. All the emotional eating hurt no one but me, and it certainly did not fix what was wrong. Every time you feel like "slacking" ask yourself, why. Nothing bends my elbow but me, and I make the choice of what it is leading to my mouth.

Start small, I have one of those little stationary bikes that I keep right by the couch. I honestly don't log it as exercise but when I sit down to watch TV I pull it out and keep my feet moving. It was how I started getting myself back on track.

It all really starts with believing in yourself and not just saying you deserve a healthier life but BELIEVING it!

I hope this helped some??? Feel free to add me as a friend, I will offer you all the support I can!

mjtbb

Maybe you are trying to do too much at once. Take it easy and figure out what would be the easiest thing for you to do later when you reach goal. For me, I can eat "diet" most times( I actually like salad veggies) but I like to go out to eat once a week. Also I wouldn't like to cook two meals for the rest of my life, it would never stick. So that means I have to learn portion control. I eat measured portions of whatever I cook for dinner. Make up more with the veggies and fruits during the day. I make an omelet for breakfast with one egg, some 2% cheese, mushrooms and some kind of meat protein. Since it is only one egg, can't be too much on the added stuff but it is filling and keeps me going for quite a while. I love green and red peppers so I add them to pretty much anything. I still eat bread and potatos but I have found that skipping the pasta doesn't bother me. Find out what you can't live without and try to get it in smaller portions. I found that avocado is great in a sandwich so I get my healthy fat. when I want a snack. I love fruits so I always have fruit and veggies in the fridge. My hubby is great in preparing them for me. As soon as they get bought, they get cut in slices, put on zip bags and they are ready for me anytime I need them. I love salty and crunchy stuff so I bought some stuff in the beginning that was baked, since it was a lot of calories I never seem to find place to fit it because I was eating other stuff, before i knew it, I was not missing it anymore and even when I did eat it, again, I portioned to one serving and ate just that to take the craving away. I found a cereal that is healthy that I like and at the end of the day if I have a craving I get a serving or 2 depending on the calories left. Everyone brings sweets at work all the time, the first couple of times it was hard but then I'm not much of a cake person so It was not hard, donuts is another story but if I wait long enough there are gone since we have a lot of guys who can eat plenty. Lie to yourself, tell yourself to wait a little longer. Get busy, I'm sure with 4 kids you can find somenthing else that needs doing. Find healthy snacks when you have cravings and drink water before any item of food. It fills you up.
I have RA so my excercise is limited, I try to do the best I can but most times I can't. I don't let it get to me. My portion control is working fine for now. Later as my weight comes off, I'm sure I will be able to up the excercise. For know the Wii is a godsend. I have some "games" that make me sweat. Maybe I only average 200 calories when I get to it but I figure it is better than nothing.
You can do it but you have to really make the decision this is your life. Find what works best and try it. I just hit 20 lbs lost today and I'm ecstatic. It is working and I want more! When I started my goal was to be 180 and now I'm thinking I'm going to keep going to see how far I can go.
I know you can do it. I started at 231 just like you and I'm a shortie so I really need to lose a lot but I'm tired of been tired. I'm tired of always been in pain. I just want to have as normal a life as I can and this weight is not allowing me to.
You got to do some work (it takes a lot of organizing and pre-planning) but make it your plan. Whatever is that will make you stick with it. You have to sit down and figure that out.
Good luck!

SweetTooth68

bump - want to read these later