Does anyone even read these things?!

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So I have been drug kicking and screaming into this. Well, maybe that's a little dramatic, but not far from the truth! Believe me, it's not that I have any illusions that i NEED to do this, just more that I have been feeling rebellious about starting. So basically I am in a war...with myself. Part of me says, "one way or another, you are going to do this!" another part of me is more, "been down this road before and sick of it." The reality is, I had my son later in life and I really want to be here for him. If I stay this way, I won't be. Not to mention that the husband I adore seems to be in a race to catch up to me (weight-wise) and I just can't have that either.

So, here I am. Wanting so desperately to succeed (and not to) that it is driving me crazy. I am going to live the mantra, "fake it, til ya make it"...for now!

Thanks for reading :)

Replies

  • simatif
    simatif Posts: 32
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    The BEST thing about MFP for me, was tracking of food. I could NOT beleive what i used to consume in a day before coming on here. I would eat in ONE meal, what i eat now in an entire day. Even if you start with that little baby step I think you will surpise yourself with progress, and it fueling your desire to do more ( change the type of food, and adding exercise)

    Good luck! You can do this!
  • Tony_Brewski
    Tony_Brewski Posts: 1,376 Member
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    Sounds like you need to get your game face on if you want to be there for your son. You have the right idea, but you need to get dedicated to reaching that goal. "Fake it, til ya make it" is not going to do anything for you.

    No I will not sugar coat anything EVER.

    Get dedicated, get motivated, and get it going!
  • smithy85
    smithy85 Posts: 104 Member
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    Yes we do read it, i was pretty much the same its all about small changes and giving yourself time to adpat to those and then when you have making more changes...so and so on...

    Nat x
  • kgprice11
    kgprice11 Posts: 750 Member
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    Yeah I read the forum everyday and try to help people better themselves
  • seekingstrengthX2
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    Sounds like you have many reasons to do this. Why would you not want to? If you come in kicking and screaming, success is not likely. You have to WANT IT.
  • 1slimlinda
    1slimlinda Posts: 44 Member
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    You have to decide that you are ready and a positive attitude will better for you. Change the way you are thinking about this and you will be successful. Time to stop dragging yourself around, lift yourself up. Its a good thing! Why not do it for YOU!? MFP helps you to be acccountable for how you choose to eat and exercise, and the people here will help support you along the way. Good Luck. Take a leap, but this time do it for life .
  • dawnp1833
    dawnp1833 Posts: 264 Member
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    Once you get going and start seeing small victories, you're going to like it a lot more. Just set small, realistic goals. (mini goals to reach on the way to the big one). Here are some things that help me: Log your food - I knew I ate a lot of junk, but seeing it all there with the numbers really changed my mind about what I ate. Find exercises that you like, even if it's not hardcore. And if you have a day where you just can't avoid a french fry or cookie, don't beat yourself up about it. It's so easy to say "well, I ate that, I may as well just forget it." But I had to learn that if I want a cookie, I have one, and I do a few extra minutes of exercise to get rid of it (or not) and get over it and get back on track the next day. If I said I could never have a cookie or fries again, I'd be way more miserable and would have given up by now.

    If you try to do something you hate it will be harder to stick with it. If you want a cheerleader (or just someone to commiserate with) feel free to add me as a friend.
  • AliJelliBelli
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    Hey! I read it! You don't seem too excited about the challenge ahead? Is the battle within because you're doing this for someone else rather than for yourself? That way you'll just resent every calorie you deny yourself. I've found it much easier to resist overeating since I realised that I was denying myself by always being too heavy. Leaving the biscuits in the biscuit tin isn't denying myself, it's treating myself.

    I think MFP can really work. Takes a while for the old habits to die - I still have to concentrate really hard to make sure I don't inadvertently snaffle down 3 slices of leftover jam on toast. But it's definitely much easier now than it was 2 months ago.

    Doing this for your son and your husband is great. You also deserve to do it for yourself.

    Good luck!:smile:
  • jeremypollard
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    I think there is a lot of benefit to the "fake it till ya make it" strategy. What you are doing by faking it is building solid habits. There is a lot of solid scientific evidence to support the importance of building good habits. Some habits are so beneficial they extend to other areas of your life and can improve things other than what you originally set out to improve. One of those habits is keeping a food journal.

    If you keep this up for 30 days you will form the habit and keep doing it automatically without thinking about it.

    If you keep this up for 90 days you will become addicted to it and have cravings if you miss a day of using the journal.

    You can fake it for a while but it is imperative that, while you fake it, you build confidence in what you are doing. You cannot build a good habit without BELIEVING you will accomplish your goal with that new habit.

    For me, watching the biggest loser helps me BELIEVE that forming these good habits will help me lose weight. I really like seasons 7 and 8 (that is as far as I have gotten).

    I wish you luck!
  • cmsteen1
    cmsteen1 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi, I am a new member, I joined on Monday. I am in the same boat with a child I had later in life. I want to be here to see all his achievements and special moments. He just made Eagle Scout at 15 years old and I am so proud! I was thinking about just staying fat, but, that won't get me the major goal of enjoying my life to the fullest. My knees hurt all the time now, and that has to change. I wish you luck. Sending you a friend request.
  • rukus1
    rukus1 Posts: 112
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    Start slow, read success stories for motivation, check out peoples diaries for food ideas, weigh and measure everything, and have fun doing it...make it a team effort. Add me if you want.
  • MoveTheMountain
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    Ease your way into it - anything small thing that you do to help yourself that you weren't doing last week is a victory. Just stay with it. I also agree that logging/monitoring your food is the most important thing. It's more important than exercise.
  • Sinisi2012
    Sinisi2012 Posts: 333 Member
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    Welcome! It's not easy, but if you really want it, you can do it, but you have to be in it head, heart and soul for it to work. I have found plenty of support from a great group of people here, and tracking your food and exercise is so helpful. Best of luck to you :smile:
  • tistal
    tistal Posts: 869 Member
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    Yup I read them! Welcome. MFP has for me has been life changing. Not just the tracking calories, but the learning how to eat properly and portion control. And the unconditional support and motivation. I never thought I would stick it out either but 40lbs later here I am!
  • krissyd100
    krissyd100 Posts: 11
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    Thanks for the comments...I swear, I'm not a negative person! lol I know this is something I NEED, WANT, HAVE to do, it's just getting my head in the game is proving to be challenging. I absolutely believe in "fake it til ya make it" as a beginning strategy sometimes and for me that starts with logging all my food - boy has that been an eye opener! I thought I knew all there was to know about healthy eating but had NO idea how many calories I was consuming in a day!

    Your comments really made sense and made me feel good. I thank you all and look forward to reading more posts in the future.

    Kris