How do you stick to it for more than a week?

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  • AliciaStaton
    AliciaStaton Posts: 328 Member
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    :smile: Hi yea it is very hard, but once you get your head around it, you be fine.With the snack bit, take some fruit in or low fat snacks which you can eat. Thats what I do and it helps a lot, good luck
  • butterflylady86
    butterflylady86 Posts: 369 Member
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    You need to look at the long road. If you lose this weight now. You be much better off. Maybe your not ready yet. You have to decide what you want. And then go for it
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
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    For me, it was logging the food and seeing how many calories I was actually consuming on a daily basis! That was a big eye opener. I have never looked back. I used to think I had a really slow metabolism, now I wonder how I didn't weigh a lot more than I did. I was definitely addicted within the first week. Once I added friends, this is my new social network, I rarely even get on Facebook anymore.
  • bikinibeliever
    bikinibeliever Posts: 832 Member
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    At it for 6 months now, I try to keep it something I am comfortable and satisfied with. Something I can do the rest of my life. I think

    that is key, you have to be satisfied enough to keep it up. Have I had setbacks? Yes. Then I regroup. Have a little talk with myself,

    figure out what is important, get my big girl pants back on and go forward. I also changed my mindset. I don't have to get all the

    weight off yesterday, slow and steady will win this race for me. Good luck to you.
  • erinnstreeter
    erinnstreeter Posts: 82 Member
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    What works for me:

    * Steely-eyed, unswerving focus on the goal. No more excuses, no more contrition - face the truth, and then take action.
    * Prepare more than 80% of meals at home.
    * Use a scale and/or the nutrition on the package.
    * Use the diary. Track every bit of food and drink consumed.
    * Plan ahead. Figure out how many calories a dish will be before eating it, so that the number of calories being consumed isn't a mystery.
    * If it doesn't fit my healthy food profile, I don't eat it. No ifs, ands or buts. No one controls what I put in my mouth except ME.
    * Celebrate positive moments. I reward myself with things other than food. More recent rewards: a new outfit for work, and a set of bluetooth headphones. The former celebrates my new shape; the latter supports my exercise efforts.
  • kallen02
    kallen02 Posts: 16 Member
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    You have to make sure your being realistic as well. While the goal is to live a better lifestyle and eat things that are good for our bodies. Its not realistic for some people to eat all good all the time. The only way I have done it is by having a cheat day. That way you dont feel like your depriving yourself of all the good stuff. I also found weighing in every week kept me motivated to get where I want to be. I ahve been doing this since last Jan but took a break to have a baby and just started over.
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
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    How do you stick to it for more than a week?

    You do it for one week. Then another immediately after. Set smaller goals until they become habit, then add another goal on top of it.

    It's like remodeling a house that you're already living in. You can't gut the whole thing. You have to tackle it one room at a time.

    Start by packing healthy snacks so you won't go nuts on the snacks at work. Then start eating a healthy breakfast. Then start a healthy lunch. Then a healthy dinner. Set small fitness goals, too, and add to them as you achieve them. For me, it was the ability to run a 5k, but first I had to run 1/4 of a mile, then a half mile, then a mile, and keep adding to my distance until I could complete the whole thing. Then work on endurance. And longer distances. And speed. Then weight lifting. Light at first, then heavy.

    But if I went from being a candy bar snackin' couch potato and tried to eat "perfect" and deadlift my body weight and run 10k... I'd have burned myself out and quit.

    ^^Couldn't have said it better. Making small changes in your habits is the way to make it permanent. I started off taking my boys for walks in their stroller...nine + months later I'm 60 pounds lighter and doing Insanity. I began measuring everything that I ate, and now I focus on fine-tuning my macros and making sure I eat enough. That's right, eat ENOUGH!! I still binge on occasion because that is a die-hard habit of mine, but I have one bad day and then I go back to weeks of healthy habits. One day is just that...one day. And you can make one good choice every day over one bad choice, and before you know it a year has gone by and you are making healthy choices every day. It really is that simple...but it takes dedication, consistency, and the desire to feel better and live better.
  • katevarner
    katevarner Posts: 884 Member
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    Do you really only have 9 lbs to lose, like your ticker says? If so, this may not be for you. Most fad diets can get rid of 10 lbs. pretty easily and quickly. This website is about making a lifestyle change.

    what?!?! So because she has a small amount of weight to lose you'd suggest a fad diet? That's absurd.

    I suggested it because she is having such a hard time. Logging and eating healthier require commitment. Not sure I could commit for just 9 lbs. Just being a realist. Easy to lose 9 lbs. in a few weeks if you do something crazy. If you do this program the right way, it will take a month or two, at least.

    Sorry to offend.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    Go ahead and eat A BIT of the junk food, within your calories. The only way this becomes a lifestyle change is if it's sustainable, so eating treats within reason is fine.
  • SmallMimi
    SmallMimi Posts: 541 Member
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    70 pounds lost tastes and looks a lot better than a bag of chips, candy bar or any other junk food you stick in front of me.
  • kepete
    kepete Posts: 268 Member
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    I stopped looking at it as work & decided I wanted this for life ... Literally it was this so I could stop the cycle of heart disease & diabetes in my family!
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
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    It has to be a lifestyle change. And the way I thought about it at first was just that I didn't have a choice. Like a meeting with your boss or a doctor's appointment. Don't make it an option just do it. Eventually you won't even think about it. And don't be so strict that you feel restricted. You have to find a balance and expect it to take a long time. There's no easy way out, it takes determination and persistance. I also recommend surrounding yourself with friends who motivate you and hold you accountable.
  • babymine55
    babymine55 Posts: 127 Member
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    I'm with the previous posters, add some more friends, 8 isn't enough to have a community of supporters.

    I watch what other people are eating, it gives me great ideas...I get to read about other people's successes, it helps keep me motivated to stay on track. And, I have some GREAT friends on here (that I've never met in person!) who consistantly give me feedback-honest feedback.

    Most of all-YOU HAVE TO WANT SUCCESS MORE THAN THE JUNK FOOD. Find what motivates you, goal clothes, photos that inspire, photos that remind you of where you DON'T want to be. Whatever TOOL you use, be it MFP, or not, you can't fake it. Numbers don't lie.

    For me, photos of what I used to look like are SUPER motivating for me. I NEVER want to be 370 pounds again, EVER!

    Hope you find the motivation you need for long term success!! :D
  • katejkelley
    katejkelley Posts: 841 Member
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    It's not easy, but I decided losing weight and getting fit was my priority. I first stopped eating processed sugar, which cut out those cravings. I can easily pass up candy and cookies others may bring into the office now. The more I eat right, the better I feel and the more energy I have, so my workouts becoming longer and more intense. But it does take some fortitude and a lot of will power. You have to take charge of what you eat and how much you exercise. It's really that simple.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    after being on here and finding all of this support, there's no place you'd rather be. I'm on this more often than Facebook, which I was totally addicted to. As soon as I lost one pound, I was back for more....
  • marthadztx
    marthadztx Posts: 337 Member
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    Losing weight is one of the hardest thing to do.
    First you have to educate yourself.
    Watch you tube weight loss community videos
    Plan ahead
    Surround yourself with positive ppl who have your best interest.
    Make small attainable goals.
    Don't look at the big picture.
    Stay on MFP
    Forgive yourself for a bad day
    Move on and
    Never quit!
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    1. You have to make the decision you are serious about losing weight and getting healthy
    2. Plan, plan, plan
    a. I plan my meals for the week on the weekend
    b. I shop on the weekend
    c. I make somethings that will last during the week so I'm not preparing too much every night (like a butternut squash soup that will last 4 days (or now that it's getting cooler, a healthy chicken/vegetable soup or chili) 2 fruit & protein smoothies with spinach or greens added; homemade hot cereal (2 servings); make 4-6 snacks in advance
    d. Pack you breakfast, lunch and 2 snacks to work every day (I even bring my own thermos of coffee sweetened with Truvia (zero calories) and 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk (15 calories)
    3. Plan to get 15-30 minutes of exercise before work, during lunch and/or after work (I have a work out plan for the week too)

    Remember if you are in it for a life time (this should be life style change not a quick fix); don't do it until you are...otherwise you're setting yourself up for failure.

    "Do or Do Not, there is no Try" --- Yoda
  • wiilko
    wiilko Posts: 1
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    Try making tasty but healthy treats to take to work. I work at a fast food place so i know how difficult it canbe. Tell everyone you don't like what's int he snack cupboard. Tell yourself you don't like it. Put thinspiration around your hosue, on the fridge, pantry, toilet door? even on your mirror or bedroom door? This way, you're constantly remnided of your goal. Even divide your pantry / fridge into calorie catogories, label them wil calories other than food names. this way you know what you can eat together and what you can't to stay below your calorie border :) Also, take your friends to the gym. Then it becomes something fun to do when you're bored, and you actually enjoy working out :)
  • Salvi30
    Salvi30 Posts: 196 Member
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    You need MAS.

    MAS= Motivation, Ambition and Support :)
  • crazygurl456
    crazygurl456 Posts: 10 Member
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    Bring some healthy snacks to work with, anything low in calories or whatever you want to limit yourself to. And you have to be able to control yourself with the amounts you eat. I have my treats everyday but I have a very small amount.

    And what keeps me going is my weekly weigh ins. I weigh myself every Friday and the amont I have lost that week is usually enough to keep me going, plus I love the support you can get from other people on MFP. We are all in this together going through the samething and it's really nice to be able to get support and feedback from so many people!!

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