What works for you...share secrets...

drentler

Pre-Planning! I had no idea how helpful this would be and how much it fits my personality. I love to plan, make lists of things to do, etc. I use the diary to plan in the morning what I will eat during the day and then try to stick to it. It takes away any decision making about food for that day. It also keeps me from making bad food decisions. I just tell myself "that's not in the plan. If you want to add that in the plan for tomorrow, ok but for today this is the plan." It helps me to be accoutable to myself and really feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, just like a "to do" list. Even if I deviated a little, I feel better that I stayed close to a good eating plan.

LosinItAll2012

This is awesome Everyone!! Thanks a bunch!!!

LesleLu4

My thing that I keep telling myself is just "keep going". At the gym, when I feel like quitting because it's not fun, I keep going. When I feel down because I have so much to loose, I keep going. I won't lose it otherwise. Have a bad day? eat too much at one meal? Keep going, one day doesn't ruin anything as long as it stays at ONE.

And, don't weigh yourself daily...I need to take my own advice on that one. I'm a bit of psycho at times with that dumb scale.

rugbyphreak

I hate to say this, but their are no secrets. Trust me, before I found MFP, I tried every diet pill, bar, shake, tea, etc. And guess what?! They didn't work at all!

-I now watch what I eat, but it's more about portion control than denying myself the things I love. If I want a cookie, I have ONE, not a few like I used to.
-I do some sort of real exercise every day. I do the treadmill, lift weights, run stairs, go hiking, anything with the sole purpose of a workout.
-I take extra little steps to burn more calories per day. I take the stairs instead of the elevator. I park further away from the stores or I walk or ride my bike there.
-I grow a lot of my own food. I use these fruits and veggies to prepare of cook my own food so that I know EXACTLY what's in it. If I can help it, I try to do a lot of preservative and pesticide free foods, so growing my own really helps with this.

In short, do things that you know you can stick to. If you try to do extreme things all at once, you'll more than likely fail. Simple things to start will make big changes.

EAT HEALTHIER, MOVE MORE!

aweigh2go

Getting up at 3:15 to go to the gym.
I know it sounds horrible...and some mornings it feels it...but it's the only time of the day where my only possible excuse is "I just don't want to go."
Nobody needs me that early. Not work, not the wife, not the kids. Nothing ever "comes up" that early to keep me from going.

3.15?!! OMG. Is that not a little extreme?! What time do you go to bed - 7pm?!

As we know, everyone is different and if this works for you then good on you. Its a little too hardcore for me though as I always wake up tired no matter what time I get up!

What works for me? Location & climate. Hot & sunny and living by the coast I am working out, cycling, kayaking, walking, gardening etc all the time. However, at the moment I am living in a village 3 hours from a coast & it seems to rain constantly. So for me, a move back to the coast should provide motivation. If only someone would buy my house - stupid recession!

Desperate times call for desperate measures.
I've got a busy family and a very demanding special needs child. I decided I need to carve time out to take care of myself because I have people who seriously need me to take care of them.
I go a little short on sleep...but I've gotten used to it, kind of. :-)

I am slowling moving to BCOD workouts myself!

jackflak

Read this...
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12