Help please

candarr

I really need some super good tips on staying motivated to lose weight as well as ways to help me lose weight I know I need to eat healthy and exercise. I have been overweight since puberty and have tried many times to los weight some successful and some failures but no matter what I always managed to gain back. I really wanna pull through this time so I can be happy for me as well as my family

Anit0122

I feel like I am in the same boat as you, I REALLY need some good motivation! I think some of the best ways to stay on the program is to keep tracking what you are eating and how much you workout. Put up little sayings around your home. One of my favorites is "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" Give yourself a motivational object. A pair of jeans you are hoping to fit into or something like that. I hope this helps...

CatRiver

Candarr,

As far as motivation goes, you just have to dig down deep and find that 1 thing that pulls at your heart. I use to maintain my weight until I got married and for whatever reason my motivation to "get back into shape," "look good for a reunion,” “a trip home," “to look good in that bridesmaid dress” in was just never enough. Now my motivation is my 1 & 2 year old children, I want to be able to get up and down off the floor without feeling 80 years old. AND the biggest of all motivators is I am just sick of hating my body and I am tired of making excuses for whatever reason got me here!

I use to be a lot more active, so after a lifetime of never worrying about food and weight (not because I was genetically blessed), I've decided that this calorie counting business is definitely the way to go, that and exercise of course.

I have been using MFP for 30 days in a row, and I have lost 10 lbs. The first 10 days (not part of the 30) I used it sporadically, then I made the choice that this was what I wanted to do. I go between snacking when bored to not eating when busy at work, so this has helped me sort of think about my daily food when I start each day. I have plantar faciitis and have been training for a 1/2 marathon, so on the days I run I know I can eat more calories. So I plan in my “JUNK FOOD” that I just don’t want to cut out yet. Damn, Girl Scout Cookies and Easter candy! One thing I have done that helps me hold myself accountable is actually added a category called “JUNK FOOD” where there are Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snack categories. So I am not depriving myself, but I am outright admitting to myself that it is crap that I am eating. Yes, I count every Hershey's Kiss, and every Goldfish Cracker as annoying as it is!

In my 30 days, I have had 2 days where I have totally gone over my calories (one day by double), boy still feeling guilty I guess! Don’t give up even if everyday isn’t perfect, do the best you can.

What is your exercise? If you don’t have something you love, keep exercising and searching for that one thing that you can’t imagine not doing forever… even if it’s walking! Walking is awesome. I used to run until about 3 years ago, I love running, without it I feel like a part of me is dead. I am actually jealous of people I see running! In January I started walking, but the pain was unbearable. By February I was running 1 - 1 1/2 miles with a lot of pain and 2-4 day recovery time in between. In March I ran 20 miles, I could almost run every other day but was learning my pain limitations. Now it's nearly the end of April and I have run 41 miles this month, 5 miles today.

Add me to your “friends” list. I will help support you, and you can help keep me motivated too!

Oh sorry if this is too much info... when you get a few days in start noticing which meals you eat keep you satisfied. Something that can in the long run help you make better food choices for yourself. For example, Breakfast for me, When I eat 1 cup cereal with 2% milk and a banana, I was hungry within 2 hours. When I eat 2 eggs scrambled with a veggie, I don't feel hungry for a long time 3-4 hours.

I also started measuring food about 2 months ago. Because I overate anything that just tasted good, which is especially easy to do if you sit down at large meals with a family!

You mentioned eating healthy. There are a lot of diets and such out there, but I feel like unless you live on Twinkies making changes in your regular meals and cutting back portion sizes is a lot easier. For example, whole grain food processes slower, keeping you fuller longer, so on spaghetti night we have whole wheat pasta instead of white noodles. Other things that have less calories but keep you satisfied longer are green vegetables like broccoli and fruits. If I don't make eggs for breakfast I make oatmeal the old fashion cooking kind because they are less processed than the microwaveable kind. If you are a reader I can tell you some good books.

I hope I didn't tell you too much information and totally turn you off. Look me up I would love to have a 3rd buddy keeping me motivated.

Thanks,
Cat