started off with 115 lbs to lose, now its 125lbs

klacount77

I get it. I am even half way to my goal yet and some of my motivation is wanning. Find something to motivate you. For me it was races. I joined my first race on my 1 year MFP anniversay. I wont lie. I walked the whole thing. It had obstacles and I barely made it through half of them. I almost passed out. But, spending the money on the race and then telling people I was participating held me accountable. It's like I couldn't give up because I was already invested.

Money was the biggest motivator. Once a race was paid for, I was comitted. No if's and's or but's. Find what motivates you. For my cousin; it was a picture of herself in a sports bra and shorts. She saw that picture and hated it. She taped it to the bathroom mirror. she taped it to the fridge. She taped it to the visor in the car. It assulted her daily. She has lost over 50 pounds and started closer to 400.

Challenge yourself every day. Today, make it a point to walk to the mailbox and back. Tomorrow, make it to the end of the block. The next day, 1/2 down the next block. I call them big girl steps. I am not an infant, babies have far more energy and motivation than me. But, with big girl steps I could proud every time I followed through and every time I reached/conquered my challenge. Believe me ... I began with itty, bitty big girl steps. tiny ones.

Don't compare your success to anyone else's. Don't compare your goals to anyone else's. Don't compare your failure's to anyone else's. Getting heavy was personal. Gaining weight was personal. You didn't gain weight because all your friends were doing it. You didn't gain weight because BBW women were all the rage in your town. The reasons you gained weight were personal to your life, your experiences and your choices. Losing weight is EXACTLY THE SAME. It is personal.

Good luck finding your motivation. I need mean friends. The cheerleader friends are great, but I need the ones who text me privately and ask me WTF I was thinking when I chose ot eat what I did or WTH was wrong with me when I chose ot skip my workout. Mean friends motivate me. Spending money motivates. My clothes feeling huge on me motivates me. It isn't one thing ... it is a lot of little things and without all of the little things ... I wouldn't have made it this far.

I probably didn't help at all. But please at least take this piece of advice. No matter how small your success is, no matter how small your step in the right direction is ... it is progress and progress is difficult to stop once it gains momentum.

rubberbiscuit

I hear ya. I went months, years, saying to myself that I would start eating right tomorrow. Instead, all I did was gain more weight. At my highest I was 337 pounds. It took a health scare to get my butt in gear to do something about losing weight.

If you are having trouble taking the first steps, my advice is to start small. Make your first goal to log in to MFP everyday and track everything you eat. Don't worry at first if you aren't staying within your calories, just get used to logging what you eat. After a week or so, start to stay within your calories. Then add a bit of exercise. If all you can do is a 10 minute walk, then do that 10 minutes. The next day try to do 15 minutes, and the day after that do 20. Eventually, it will all click and you'll find that you enjoy eating right and exercising.

Feel free to add me.

Jennyfaye13

Don't look at the big picture if you can avoid it. Look at your first small step. Step one, is your first day. Set a goal that you will have ONE successful day in which you will do some exercise and stay in your calorie range. Track your food and go for a walk. That is one day... You will feel great and will be even more motivated for the next "one day". You can do this.

Pamela_June

I understand where you are coming from.... it is hard to 'stay' motivated - but we have to.....I want to feel good again, I want to have energy again....and I know it is only me that can make it happen. So I want to say 'welcome' to this wonderful site - the people here are very very supportive and helpful - they have pulled me out the 'dark mirky place' several times - I won't give up and I know you won't either... we are all in this together... we can do it....anyway....welcome!!!

:flowerforyou:

wildfirediva

I know where you are at. I finally had to seek professional help to deal with depression and my mental issues with food. It has involved talk/group therapy and some medication.

Don't use the word "DIET". It instills an idea of deprivation. You are getting more that you are giving away, you will see.

My next focus was on nutrition and activity. To do this I invested in a BodyMedia Fit Link. It has provided me a true output of what I am burning on a daily basis. (Just everyday average activities.) With that info I now have a baseline and try to keep my calories in 500-1000 calories lower than my daily output. [I am often eating more now than I did. As a result there are fewer binges.]

My system was plagued by Candida (lots of resources online). Using a Ketogenic nutritional regime I was able to gain some control of the Candida symptoms (clearer head, better focus, increased energy, better mood). The physical weight losses were slow in this phase (3+ weeks) . Once I developed some nutritional consistency and my energy improved, I was surprised how much more willing with little encouragement I was to get moving. As simple as walks around my neighborhood and parking further away in the parking lot.

Don't focus on the scale! Get the basics in check (nutrition and movement) and the rest will come. You will have to adjust along the way. But by then you will have more control over your body's needs.

Don't be afraid of Protein and good fats (Coconut oil, hemp seed oil, omega-3). Get at least 75-100g daily and plenty of water.

Granny07

Get to a club with a Pool, that will take a lot of stress for the bones, as will as losing the weight. My knees are so much better, after just losing 27 lbs. Good luck and get moving. Carol

junerbooner

I too have been where you are. When I stepped on the scales, it would say "E". I weighed more than it would read (303)!!:sad: :sad: I realized that I was having such a hard time just walking, not to mention climbing stairs with my knees. On June 1, 2012, I made up my mind that I was going to go on one more diet, but I call this one a life-style change. I sat down and thought about what I could do without that would not drive me crazy. I gave up sugared pop ( I drank Mountain Dew 4-5 X's a day) Hydrogenated oils like canola, and real sugar. I bought some stevia, coconut oil and lots of fruits and vegetables. I also eliminated most processed foods. 5 months later, I am 53 pounds smaller, wearing 2 sizes of jeans smaller and exercising more than I was able to at the beginning. I still have a lot of weight to lose (110 lbs) to reach my goal of 140, but the changes I made in my eating will be with me for the rest of my life. I no longer crave sweets and I drink lots of water.I know that this journey will take me at least another year or more. I get frustrated with myself and have to keep telling myself, "June, you didn't get this way over night and you can't expect it to leave that way too". It takes patience, determination, will power and support from family and friends; like you will find here on MFP. Since Aug. 12, I have documented everything I put in my mouth. Even when my computer broke down a month or so back, I took a diary and documented all my food I ate, all my drinks, my exercise and trie to stay within my BMR. This site will help you do all this. I thank God for MFP everyday.:happy:
You can do it but YOU must make your mind up to lose. You will have lots of days of "falling off the wagon" but this site is one of the best things I have found to keep you motivated. Each of us has struggled with our weight and we support each other with encouragement and praise. Don't despair! Start walking a little bit every day, think of foods that are high in calories that you can do without, and make small changes at first. If you need a friend, feel free to add me. Best of luck on your journey!

saratogaquilter

I hear you also and you have gotten a lot of great advice. Some of which I will use for myself. I have two motivators. My Darling Daughter has lost weight by counting calories and a rigorous excersise routine, at least I think it's rigorous. If she can do this, so can I. My second motivator is, I got a dog. He's a big German Shepherd and needs a lot of excersise. Just walk. To the mail box. Park a couple of parking spaces farther away from the grocery store. Park your car and do your errands on foot, that is if you live in a small town. Find a friend to walk with. Take it slow. Someone told me that is takes 21 days for something to become a habit. They were right. I'm very lucky, I have a nice woods behind my house to walk one. I love the scenery. The fresh air does wonders too. Getting started is all in your head. The best of luck to you. I'm very new to this forum, but feel free to add me as a friend.

lizziebeth1028

Everyone has posted a lot of good advice for you. Read through, form a plan, educate yourself and just do it! The motivation has to come from inside you. Your original post had A LOT of excuses in it. Sorry but that's the truth. Continue with that train of thought and you set yourself up for failure again. Sorry no warm fuzzies here...only tough love. Eat less, move more. Walking is a wonderful way to start out! Just do it!

RBXChas

I would like to echo a lot of what's been said about making small changes/taking small steps. Yes, that's great advice, and the small changes DO add up.

However, I do want to clarify something, and I'd like to add something as well.

Clarification: exercise alone may be a start, but it is often said that weight loss is 80% eating and 20% exercise. Having lost 82 lbs over a year (I'm pregnant now, so I'm on hiatus), I have found that to be 100% true, especially since I didn't exercise for the first 4.5 months of that year and saw the difference between no exercise and running or Spinning 5-6 days/week. Eating well/logging helped me lose most of those pounds, and exercise kept my losses going and really improved my body (and not just in appearance). Exercise also helped me crave foods that fueled my body rather than just fulfilled calorie requirements.

So yes, continuing to eat as-is and moving some will help, but if I had to start somewhere, I'd choose to start with eating habits first. That is not to say that you shouldn't start with exercise - it's just my honest (and humble) opinion that food is the best place to start to see results faster.

Addition to what others have said (one person kind of implied it, unless I missed something): The motivation to start really has to come from within. Nobody can want it for you; you have to want it badly enough for yourself. YOU have to tell yourself that you are worth it. On the days that are hard and you want to quit, YOU have to make yourself not quit, to tell yourself that every good choice you make adds on to the ever-increasing pile of good choices and will do you so much good in the long run.

I like to think of the desire to make healthy changes as a light switch. Your switch needs to be in the "on" position, and no one can turn that switch on or keep it on but you.

I'm sorry if any of that sounds harsh; I really tried not to sound that way, but I don't like sugar-coating this. It's just that if you don't *really* want it and aren't ready to change, then you won't succeed, and all the advice you've gotten about small changes (which is good advice) will be placed in the "didn't work" column in your mind for the next time you get fed up and want to do something about it.

In short, you have the power to do it; you just need to actually do it.

Best wishes to you, honey - I really hope to see you around here and eventually posting on Success Stories :happy:

lisamarie2181

Honestly what it really comes down to is how bad your really want it. You can't fake your way through it. You just have to do it. The more you do it, the more it won't seem like a chore and the easier it will get. But you have to decide in your mind that you want it bad enough, and you won't take no for an answer anymore. When you don't want to work out, too bad, you have to. Same goes with the diet. You are allowing your head to get in your way, and that is the first thing you need to work on. If you can't do that it will be very hard to stick to it. I think this is a huge difference with most people that are finally successful at losing their weight and the ones that are constantly dieting. Your mind needs to realize that this isn't a diet, when you make this a lifestyle change, there will be room to eat things you may want, indulgences, but you will learn how to eat them in moderation so you don't feel deprived. When you set yourself up so strict and cut a lot out and you are not used to that, it will definitely lead to failure. Work everyday to change something little, cook at home, go for a walk, wash the car, etc. Find something new you can add to your daily activity or something you can omit for your diet. When you start achieving these little goals, you will be more inclined to stick to bigger ones and follow through with them

I highly suggest figuring out the right calorie allowance for you also. There is a lot of good info on here in the IPOARM group on how to figure out your cals. If you are over 300 lbs and only eating 1200 cals (just hypothetical), that most likely is way too low of cals, and could be a big reason you are struggling to stay on track.

Hang in there, part of this road to health is mental and changing your mindset is a very difficult thing, but have some faith in yourself and you can do it. You have to want it bad enough and once you do, that motivation will follow. Look at each day as a new one, if you ate like crap the day before, oh well it's in the past and work to make today a good day staying on track. No one is perfect and everyone falters at times or has bad days, but the important thing is you pick yourself up and keep going. When you eat healthy and work out the majority of the time, those little slip ups in between will not harm you like you think they might.

Good luck hun, believe you can do this, because you CAN

RBXChas

Everyone has posted a lot of good advice for you. Read through, form a plan, educate yourself and just do it! The motivation has to come from inside you. Your original post had A LOT of excuses in it. Sorry but that's the truth. Continue with that train of thought and you set yourself up for failure again. Sorry no warm fuzzies here...only tough love. Eat less, move more. Walking is a wonderful way to start out! Just do it!

Ok, so someone kind of said what I said while I was typing my novel. So yeah, this^

cindl24

Good luck with your journey. I sent you an email message.

This site is a great place of support.

bubbanene

just started a week ago, i need motivation. Way to go

marsellient

The world of weight loss is a very confusing place sometimes, but you've been given some excellent advice here to get you started. Make small changes, keep your goals simple, log what you eat, and walk or do water exercise (for your health) and you'll be amazed at the changes. Don't try to go on a low calorie "diet". Make changes you can sustain.
I'd like to add three things. Ignore the media and the latest quick fix for obesity. See your doctor and ask for a referral to a nutritionist if you think you need more help. Check out Leslie Sansone on YouTube if you don't want to walk outside.
Good luck. You can do this!

kenazfehu

I have to agree; you want to start right now, not tomorrow, not next Monday. Tomorrow has a way of never getting here; it's always "today".

Is there a pay-off for you in sticking to your old habits? Four months ago, I would have said "absolutely not; they're just bad habits." But it wasn't true. I suspected that my adult son who was living here was on drugs, and I stuffed myself to the point of misery nearly every day to avoid dealing with it. It was all I could do to deal with my own misery. One day I saw clearly what I was doing to myself and stopped doing it to the best of my ability. Do I slip up? Yes, from time to time when I'm especially tired and hungry. But I'm doing much better than I was.

It isn't easy, but it is worth it.

Now go log everything you've eaten today. Keep doing that, every day.

marshars1

Just my 2 cents
Are u ever tested for hormone imbalance, pcos and insulin resistance
I was like u 2 weeks ago, I have started metformin n it's helping my cravings
Google n talk to ur doc
Sometimes it takes more thn willingness to fight weight gain
I can relate

louiseajm

I know the feeling - I started here, lost motivation and put on 10lbs from my starting weight. I was feeling very demotivated and came back on. I know because of health reasons, Christmas, birthdays I'm going to have issues over the next few weeks. But I'm back on here, if nothing else to get back into the routine of keeping a diary. I've also started walking as much as I can (there's no way I could run at the moment).

Don't put yourself under too much pressure. And add lots of friends who can support you.

schondell

1. If you control the food in your house, stop buying unhealthy things or treats
2. Tell everyone around you about your lifestyle change so they can be a support
3. Log everything you eat
4. Check out websites that feature healthy recipes

Once you've got the healthy eating part down then you can focus on exercising and making room in your new lifestyle for snacks and treats

titi4j

As far as the moving (exercising) goes, I started at 299 lbs (a couple months ago) and can totally relate to the pain you feel just from the weight alone. I also have a bad back which hurts if I stand, sit, lay or walk for any length of time. I just started with a 7 min walk. Believe me, I was out of breath and very sore just from that 7 mins. Now I'm up to 1.5 miles in 30 mins. Granted, I'm still sore after that but I never imagined I'd be walking 1.5 miles in 30 mins. If you would have told me I'd be doing that I would have told you you're crazy. I still have a long way to go but knowing how far I've come gives me hope. Wishing you the best. You can do it!!!