Tell me..

Sorrycharlie2007

What did you do to mentally prepare for your weight loss journey?

grannygethealthy1111

I looked in the mirror and no longer recognized the face staring back at me. It was an eye opener for me.


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Sorrycharlie2007

Whoa, congrats on your 117 pound weight loss, that's mind blowing!

northernbeaver

I tried to acknowledge that the battle is won in the heart and the mind. if you can dominate the battle in the mind and heart then the body has no choice but to follow. I realized that I had to be honest with myself and find a way to acknowledge my faults and bad habits and then tried to find new ways to overcome them. I know in the past that I have tried to lose weight before and have given up. but this time I realized that no matter what, if I get off track, or if I have a few bad days, it doesn't mean that I have to give up. I've done that before and it didn't make me happy. so instead of giving up, I just try something new, try something different. instead of trying to force myself into a certain path or pattern that I am obviously struggling with. (if I wasn't I wouldn't be thinking about giving up) I just try to switch it up and find a new way/path to reach my goals. trying something is better then doing nothing. Keep your mind and heart strong and you can do it!

Graciecny

I did nothing to prepare. No picking a date, no deciding what to give up. Nothing.

I got on the scale one day and saw a number I had never seen before and decided enough was enough. I searched around for an app to help me track calories and started logging that day. I had already had breakfast and lunch, was way in the red for the day, and just tried to do better from there. That was January 31st, and here I am 3 months later down over 20 pounds - who knew?!

It isn't something I think you have to gear up for. Just start! And then keep going...

Sorrycharlie2007

Thanks for the advice everyone!

myfitnessnmhoy

What did you do to mentally prepare for your weight loss journey?

Nothing. I failed an FAA medical due to blood pressure, decided to step on a scale for the first time in way too long, and decided I had enough of "dew-lap" syndrome (where my belly "dew-lap" over my belt and hide it!), and started dieting. I did it the wrong way, and the hard way, through basically starving my way down through 30 pounds in about a year. But it worked.

That was 60 pounds ago. A month or so ago, I decided I wanted to try out being in the healthy BMI range for the first time in my adult life (!!!), I found this site, and started in. No preparation, because I'd just find a way to talk myself out of it. I ate what I normally ate and logged it, started logging my exercise, and within a few days had found the foods I needed to keep me satisfied while reaching my calorie goals, then I discovered "exercise credits" and found I could eat more if I worked out harder, so I upped my exercise intensity.

Now I'm training for the Trek Across Maine (a 3-day, 180-mile bicycle ride) and losing weight.

"Do, or do not, there is no 'prepare'!"

MySweetPotato

people called me fat and i wanted to prove them how small they are. I wanted to feel strong and beautiful so one day I decided to change my lifestyle. Best decision ever! Passing it on now.

tigerlily8045

I took a day and said to myself that I was going to get healthy and fit and if I lost the 30 lbs needed then great but I needed to be healthy first. I had to say to self that this was not a "diet" this was a life change. For the first time I have actually lost weight and I can touch my toes!

SunKissed1989

This year is a year of changes for me so I decided to add another to the list - a big lifestyle change

In February, my boyfriend and I ended our 3.5 year long distance relationship (on good terms and we are still friends).
I will be moving away from home for the first time in August this year and wanted to start getting into some good habits in terms of food and exercise.
I only work at the weekends so I decided to stop being lazy and 'bored' and start moving my butt to make it smaller
My exercise regime (and new workout playlist) has been so effective I can now jog on the spot for half an hour straight and I'm thinking of going back to the gym

I'm already feeling the benefits of my changes and I love it

75Juniper

I made a list of things that were caused by my excess weight. Health issues, not being able to tie my shoes, clothes not fitting properly, etc. It was a wake up call to see how my quality of life had disintegrated without me realizing it. Now it's pretty cool when I can cross something off that list.

phillieschic

I looked in the mirror and saw nothing but FAT.
It made me nauseous.
I stopped eating crap and started moving my body.

I'm 5'4".

HW: 252
CW: 160
GW: 140 (but that may change once I get there!)

kacbldmm07

I didn't do anything to prepare. It was a choice made, and I stuck with it. If its something you really think can happen, and you really want it.... it will happen. You will do whatever it takes to make it happen.

DaBossLady24

I got on the scale and realized that the number I saw was beginning to become increasingly outrageous. My girlfriend just came off of the 17 day diet (which definitely worked for her, even though she's already lean) and I figured that it was time to change what I saw in the mirror. My grandfather was just diagnosed with cancer right before Christmas, which added to the list of family members with health issues.

I literally just told myself mentally that I needed to get it together. I made another Tumblr page that's all about workout inspiration, tips, recipes, etc. so that I keep myself motivated... almost 25 pounds later and I can't imagine where I would have been if I didn't start in January.

jcstanton

I decided that a few moments of pleasure while binging on my favorite comfort foods, were not worth the years of pain and suffering from being obese. There are so many things I want to do (hike the Appalachian Trail, play in a volleyball league, etc...) that require me to be healthy and fit. If I am going to turn those dreams into reality, I HAD to get up off my butt and start by getting my health back. There are several quotes that I repeat to myself when I feel like giving up:

"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
"Sweat is fat, crying in fear for its life."
"I can do ALL things through Christ, Who strengthens me."--Philippians 4:13
"Yes, I have ALOT of weight to lose, and it's not gonna be easy. But I have so much more to lose if I give up."
"Dreams become goals when action is taken toward making them a reality."

TeachTheGirl

My husband volun-told me that I was going to a gym - that he had given my name to a friend saying I was interested in losing weight. At that time, I wasn't. I was depressed and just wanted to stay in bed all day. I went to the gym for the first time the week after, nervous as heck. Now I've been going there for around two months, three times a week. I've lost 13lbs so far and I consistently wake up and enjoy my days instead of dreading even getting out from under the sheets.

mrsbrown2k1

2 years ago this month, a co-worker introduced me to a diet program that was in Texas from the UK. I had seen my co-workers melting away and I was lost at the time. Didn't know which diet program to try next. I had failed so many other times. I went to my first meeting and I knew right then and there this was the last weightloss program I was going to be on. It's been 2 yrs and it's a way of life for me. I love my program and it works for me. Over the last 2 years my eating has transformed into a much healither way of eating. I will never go back to my old habits or look at certain foods the same way again.

So, no, I didn't mentally prepare myself. It just happened.

mellabyte

I didn't prepare, it was a rude awakening. One day, I saw a picture of myself (at my heaviest 164, which is a lot for a 5'1" frame) and thought, "Wow. What's happening to me." I'd always been in denial about my weight and afterwards about the health problems I was being diagnosed with and the cocktail of meds I was being put on. So I looked at this picture and saw the false happiness and "health" I was trying to project and just woke up to the fact that I was cutting my life in half.

I started paying attention to what I ate, a friend and I joined a gym, then picked up a personal trainer. After a year and a half of working out 5 days and week and my diet morphing into a pesecatrian/mostly vegetarian one (probably what the health-trendites like to call a Mediterranean-style diet) it turned into a lifestyle change.

Now, it's all second nature - watching what I eat and staying active. In fact, I don't like sitting on my butt for long periods of time anymore (office life kills me, I want a standing desk, lol) and if I eat too much crap (I don't deny myself from indulging once in a while) I physically feel like crap. I'm not part of a gym, or work with a personal trainer anymore - but I do it all on my own. Work out 3-4 times a week. (Five if I can fit it into my schedule.)

And I'm off all the meds except one. (Working on that now with these last ~20lbs, but might be hereditary disposition. Siiiiigh.)

bcattoes

I got very tired of not likely what I saw in the mirror and not feeling like me anymore.

RobinvdM

To mentally prepare I had to fail 3 times prior. This time I looked myself straight in the face (mirror) and said, I hate clothes shopping in the fat people's section. I gave myself 2 weeks to try a different approach to losing weight, I believe I even gave myself permission to fail (thus the 2 week trial.) I set a realistic goal of 50lbs by Christmas so I could buy myself something really nice as a reward.

Then I found the MFP website and phone app, started logging my food. Got a reality check on THAT, started walking giving myself permission to keep it brief if I wanted but pushing myself each walk to go further.. then faster. Within the first 2 weeks I had lost 13lbs and that was enough to keep me going. I got myself educated (google and I are BFFs) on nutrition, use FB as my accountability meter which I KNOW I needed for the first 2 months, and just kept cruising.

Give yourself permission to have bad days, where you want to NOT go for that walk. Where you are going to have that slice of cake (only maybe just half since you don't want to blow all that hard work so far) Just don't let yourself stagnate and have friends and family around who are willing to give you some tough love and kick your butt out the door for that walk you haven't been on in a few days.

Also a big key for me. This isn't a diet I am on, I intend to live and die eating this way for the rest of my life if God is willing. The next big key: do not tell yourself EVER "I can't have that." Because you can, just not every single day or every single meal. Will power, and portion control and loving yourself enough to be firm yet flexible.

Now look at me. 3 months later, 60 lbs gone. Im still in shock.

phoenix8633

I saw a picture on FB of me when we were at a family meal and when I saw me i was absolutely horrified, I knew I had put on weight but didn't think it was that much until I saw the photo. I got very upset about it and found the picture of me at my sisters wedding where I was at my best.

So I keep the picture on some of my profiles along with another picture (profile pic) to give me the motivation to get back to what I was or close enough.