Please help! I've been gone a long time. Long post, but I ne

kilime50

My failures have ALWAYS been because I simply fall off the wagon. I track my eating diligently for months at a time, and gradually stop doing so. I work out 6 times a week for a couple months, then it becomes 5 days a week, then 4, and eventually only once or twice every couple weeks. I watch portion sizes carefully, measuring everything I eat or cook, for a few months, then stop doing so, and gradually go back to my huge portion sizes. I simply haven't been able to stick with anything.

I believe I will become more optimistic and motivated if I can figure out a way to stay on the wagon long term (like for the rest of my life), and this is where you all come in. The best thing about MFP when I used it last time was the community of support. I need advice on how to make the long term motivation a reality. While I will appreciate any and all advice, statements like "just stick with it" or "work on your will power" simply won't help. I need tangible ideas.

Hi, I have a question for you. Why do you equate a lifestyle change with being on the wagon? It sounds as if you are expecting this to be a miserable long term battle, Maybe one of the steps you need to take is to re examine why being fit and healthy and happy would be so much more work than being unfit, unhealthy and unhappy.

I know for myself, that I hit a wall when I hit 50, but if I look at this as a life sentence I am never going to succeed, i will sabotage myself every time. I have made a conscious decision to make this a new life for myself, a good one and I will work hard at being successful, but I am also going to have fun doing it.

Find the fun in getting fitter, go for a walk or a bike ride with that lovely little girl of yours,take your wife for a romantic ride in a rowboat - try something new - I tried snowboarding for the first time this winter with my 12 and 16 year old god children!!! Boy is that a workout, but I was laughing so hard most of the time that I didn't notice.

You Can Do This!
Feel free to add me as a friend.

Jillian

bridgie101

Your trigger point is too high.

Most people do as you do, lose weight, and then sort of relax... and let it all slide...

but their trigger point for 'oh heck, I've stacked it back on!' is maybe five or ten kilos (or whatever) above their weight.

Yours is obviously higher.

Triggers:

clothes not fitting
unable to tie shoes
heartburn
discomfort
get puffed a lot.

Find your trigger when you get back down, this time. My incentive is tramping: i have to be able to carry a pack. My rain jacket has to fit. If I get too big for these things it becomes very unpleasant to go tramping.

Don't screw yourself up about your daughter, she's not adequate motivation anyway. don't screw yourself up about your mother either - she's ten years away.

You need something fairly now, and fairly constant. Some kind of regular family activity where you will notice losing the pounds, adn more importantly notice them going back on.

If you want help from the wife, perhaps having her remind you that you have to do this thing next week is the kind of motivation you need.

You need a trigger that is natural, real, and not contrived. You won't do this from 'support' and 'you can do it' type stuff. You need a tangible reason to continue and a tangible reward when you get there, and I can't think of anything more tangible than some kind of activity like skating, indoor soccer, rugby, tennis, climbing, tramping... you know - some physical sport where you notice what shape you are in and can see for yourself how your body is getting on.

chantryamal

I will say this. The key to losing and maintaining the loss is a full-on lifestyle change. You have to find foods you can be happy with eating at least weekly for the rest of your life. I say weekly because you don't want the same meal for every meal on a daily basis. Find what you like though, and stick with that. High protein foods. Low (er) carbs. Over 64 ounces of water every day. The biggest thing is that even when you find yourself slipping, to never give up on your goal and to reach out to your support system for help when you are lacking in your own personal motivation. It's not easy, but it can be done.

aquasw16

Find something tha tyou really like to do, that is active, to keep you in shape to be able to do that year round. Some people do 5k's, others do triathlons, some people play on a rec soccer league...whatever it may be...do it.