Mentally Fat

BooMa82

I have been on a diet rollercoaster since my first child 8 years ago. I can't seem to mentally get behind losing weight and sticking with it. My inner voice is very negative and mean to myself. If I have one slip up, then there goes my whole day. Because of that mantality, I have gained 55lbs in the last 2 years. Yes, I also went through a divorce, becoming a single mom of two, a mom being diagnoised with a chronic illness...the list could go on.

But I don't think that's a fair excuse to do this. The concept is SO simple, intake less, plus put out more equals weightloss. So why is it so hard? I've decided because I'm mentally fat. I'm hard on myself, I feel defeated, and I emotionally eat, bordem at work, because I "deserve it" at the end of the day, I'm to tired to exercise etc.

My question to you is, how do you over come this? How do you lose the mental fat?

carolinedb

For me, it's been one small change and one small success at a time. Habits are not easy to break, and new habits are not easy to form, but that's where you'll lose the "mental fat" so to speak. I've had relatively slow weight loss, but it's because I have been working more on making small, sustainable changes that I can keep up. Try just a 20 minute body circuit if you're too tired to exercise, or if you have a slip-up, make a concerted effort to not let it ruin the whole day. It's not easy, but it's worth it!

aunt_hbomb

You are the person who decides your fate. You are the only one who can make the necessary changes. You have to want to do it for the right reasons and you have to find the right combination of things that work in your favor. Don't be afraid to try new things. This year I've been on the 17 Day Diet, started running with the C25K program and have been going to Zumba class. I have enjoyed and had success with all of these things, but none of them make it easy. It will never be easy. We all have those days where we "blow it". Don't let that ruin your day, your week or any of the success you have had up to that point.

rmsrws

You have got to want it, and make it happen!

I use to think I was to tired after 9 hour shifts to work out. Then I thought hey, what about mornings! Surely I need my beauty sleep, that wont work. But I decided, I needed to exercise and quit making excuses. so 99% of the mornings I get up and hit the road, by bike, running, walking, I just make it happen. Because no on else is going to do it for me! I feel awesome after I exercise. I feel energetic and just really good that I did something for me. It makes my entire day just a little better. If I don't exercise in the mornings I sorta feel sluggish and sometimes guilty because I didn't have a good excuse not to exercise. It takes time finding a time that works for you. But ya can't make excuses. Like "Nike" just do it! It doesn't have to be long periods of time. Just start out for 15-20 minutes and work yourself up to more. You will be amazed at how great you feel, better yet you will soon see what the exercise is doing to your body! Best Wishes~Rhonda

P.S. I am still mentally fat, I think that takes time to get over!

jennahiggins

OMG honey!!!! I know exactly how you feel. I am my own worst enemy. The harder I am on myself, the more I seem to beat myself down into that "black hole". I to have been diagnosed with a "chronic" illness, and until April, it seemed like I would never get out of my long standing rut.

One morning I woke up, and things seemed different.... I took a very long walk on the spirituality road, trying to find anything that I could that would help take away the physical pain and mental illnesses from my disorder. That one morning in April when I woke up, something clicked. I had enough. My first step was changing how I thought, it was about changing my relationship with everyone around me, my home, my food, my friends, my children, and my husband. EVERYTHING. It took me 3 months to lose 25lbs, and that inner voice screamed at me the entire way. Then, a rut came, but the positive end of this, I have been able to maintain that 25 lb weight loss within a 5 lb range (I retain water very bad, so it's nothing to gain or lose the same 5 lbs in 24 hours for me).

You are not alone! And this is a process, it is a very long and tiring process for some of us. If you would like to add me as a friend, please feel free to do so. Keep your head up, and tell that inner voice to shut up and sit down, every time you hear it start to pipe in.

jonisteenhoek

I feel the same way a lot of the time. I have decided that I take one day at a time. Just because one day is bad, the next doesn't have to be. Or just because you chose to have the less healthy item in the morning, doesn't mean the rest of the day has to be that way.

This isn't a short term deal, this has to become a lifestyle. One thing that I love about this simple equation is that it is really all about us and the choices that we make. I am also a compulsive planner and that seems to help me. I have menu plans set up for weeks in advance, so I know what we will be having for supper each day. When I get home from work, I don't have to think about what's for supper, I can just get to work. That cuts out on the after work munching that I get trapped in.

The other thing that I will say, I think our parents teach us how to eat and my parents did a horrible job. I want something better for my babies and I have to do that, they aren't going to learn this anywhere but at home.

Good luck!!

Estrella30

your so right it is a mental BATTLE! but the moment i decided it was all mental... i had a better understanding of myself and owned it.

i knew that i had to mentally push not just physically or emotionally. i had to give it all i got, that was scary!

one step ive used to help unfrieghten myself is i started with baby steps. Took my bigger goals and made smaller ones towards them, so its not overwhelming. write your goal down and then below break it down with smaller goals that will help attain that. For example my get active goal, i broke it down to: having 6 work outs a week, 2 of those should be at lunch time during work. plus walk to the train (further train =P)

hope it helps!

BooMa82

Thank you everyone for the support and for making me feel not so alone, but more importantly knowing I can break the cycle. That's what this has become to me, breaking the mental cycle. I want it. I DO I want to be healthy again. I don't want to feel fat, I don't want to be exhasted and sleep poorly. I want to be fit healthy and happy. For me, for my girls.

I just need to mentally get behind the small changes, and work with what I have. I have to make that life change. It's hard, but it's dooable.

Scarlett_S

You have to get past the all or nothing mentality, for one thing. I know I did to be successful. You have to convince yourself that ONE meal doesn't mean you binge the rest of the day, or two bites of chocolate mean you have to finish the whole king sized Hershey's bar. I had the "tomorrow is a new day" attitude for twenty years and I didn't lose my weight until I got rid of it and really talked myself out of binging and throwing caution to the wind every time I went out to eat, or went out for drinks, etc. You have to get past thinking about food as a reward and realize is sustenance for your body and you are only going to get out of it what you put into it.

BooMa82

This is very inspirational. Thank you. Congratuations on your weightloss!

You have to get past the all or nothing mentality, for one thing. I know I did to be successful. You have to convince yourself that ONE meal doesn't mean you binge the rest of the day, or two bites of chocolate mean you have to finish the whole king sized Hershey's bar. I had the "tomorrow is a new day" attitude for twenty years and I didn't lose my weight until I got rid of it and really talked myself out of binging and throwing caution to the wind every time I went out to eat, or went out for drinks, etc. You have to get past thinking about food as a reward and realize is sustenance for your body and you are only going to get out of it what you put into it.