What keeps you on the wagon?

valleemic

I'm sure many of us have tried many times to lose weight. The science/math is pretty straight forward - eat less, move more and you will lose weight. The recipe is the easy part. The hard part is sticking to it! Sometimes we succeed and get to our goals and other times, we just give up or "fall off the wagon". So, to all of you who have FINALLY succeeded, did not give up and who are maintaining, what did you do (or not do) differently this time? What kept (and keeps) you going? Was the diet plan different this time around? Did you have an "un-ha" moment? Did you join a different gym? Did you join MFP with a friend? What "clicked" for you this time around?

Thanks!

MissCarter79

I would love to hear some of those tips from success stories! I always wonder the same thing. When you have been overweight a majority of your life and tried so many times what finally clicked to succeed???

subcult

I'm too lazy to walk so I figure the wagon is fine with me.

NiSan12

Well, THIS TIME. I sought prayer more. I asked God to give me a plan, Just For Me. MFP has awakened me tremendously as to how many calories I was consuming a day and how many calories that are burned when you work out. So what's keeping me on the wagon? I would say PRAYER and checking on myself dailly, and of course MFP.

Lyssa62

For me it's MFP and the friends I've made here. I am devoted to that logging so many days in a row and am up to 170 as of now. I think as long as I keep that motivation and the size 8 pants down from a 17 is kind of helping too Sometimes something just feels "different" you know. This just really feels different this time.

and I've met a great couple of people here and we've started our own group and do challenges and have all made amazing progress. They are all kind of a big deal to me and I kind of feel like I owe it to them too .

Yanicka1

I have been doing this for 2 years. I stick with it because I found an exercise a love. It was love at first rep. Also, I eat a moderate deficit. Eat what I like, life is too short note to enjoy the food you eat.

ubermensch13

To be quite honest, it was just a decision I made. I was not willing to be out of shape in my 30's, knew what I had to do, and just did it. I use this site for information and tracking my calories.....it was just another tool for success.

stfuriada

My full body mirror.

Every time I pass by it, it shows someone whose shape isn't appealing to me.

jacksonpt

I look at myself in the mirror every day.
I see my race times from last year.
I see my lift numbers from last month.
I know how I feel on a daily basis.

If my desire to be better isn't enough to keep me going, then nothing anyone else says or does is going to make any difference. My motivation comes from within. Do I have days or weeks where I'm not as dedicated/driven/disciplined/whatever as I'd like to be? Sure. But ultimately it comes down for my desire for self improvement.

skinnybitchbarbie27

That feeling. The feeling of being in Torrid with tears in your eyes because you can't button the size 26 shorts you are trying on. The feeling of shame walking into any restaurant. The feeling of not belonging in your own healthy athletic family. Hearing fat jokes. Looking in the mirror and hoping you have a fun house mirror in your house. That can't be you staring back. Not being able to breathe. Not being able to walk. Not being able to lie on your back. Putting powder in every crease of your body because if not it smells. Taking double doses of high blood pressure medication at the age of 21. Having a skin condition all over your body that makes you look like a spotty freak. Sweating for no apparent reason. Bad sex life. That feeling when you feel like a failure and all you've done is got out of bed. Wearing sandals because shoes are uncomfortable.

When I started losing weight It was a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. I was successful at something. The feeling of sweating for a reason and feeling the surge of endorphins after exercise. Seeing 100lbs lost on the scale felt better than almost anything in my life. Running for the first time. Doing jumping jacks for 30 seconds. Being able to go a whole 55 minute cycle class. Wearing clothes without more than one X on the tag. Seeing size 14/16 in a dress I just bought. No more medication. No more breathing issues. Happiness. That's what keeps me going.

ahviendha

Hm honestly, I hate being like other people. I strive to be individual, to be different. In the case of being fit, I refuse to fail, and to be a yo-yo diet stereotype. The desire to be different is also what pushed me to begin weightlifting, to be the only girl in the weight room with a bunch of boys! Maybe I'm just stubborn to a fault?

valleemic

For me, I think these things helped it "click" for me:

1. I was at my HEAVIEST ever... it grossed me out... I had no clothes to wear and I avoided social events... I think some people call this "hitting rock bottom". I knew I had to do SOMETHING.

2. I dedicate one day/week (Monday) to do meal planning, shopping, cutting... planning ahead is KEY for me!

3. Bringing my lunch to work so when I am hungry, I have the right choices/calories to eat.

4. Not cutting out anything 100%. Treating myself once in a while keeps me sane. I want this to be a lifetime thing!

valleemic

That feeling. The feeling of being in Torrid with tears in your eyes because you can't button the size 26 shorts you are trying on. The feeling of shame walking into any restaurant. The feeling of not belonging in your own healthy athletic family. Hearing fat jokes. Looking in the mirror and hoping you have a fun house mirror in your house. That can't be you staring back. Not being able to breathe. Not being able to walk. Not being able to lie on your back. Putting powder in every crease of your body because if not it smells. Taking double doses of high blood pressure medication at the age of 21. Having a skin condition all over your body that makes you look like a spotty freak. Sweating for no apparent reason. Bad sex life. That feeling when you feel like a failure and all you've done is got out of bed. Wearing sandals because shoes are uncomfortable.

When I started losing weight It was a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. I was successful at something. The feeling of sweating for a reason and feeling the surge of endorphins after exercise. Seeing 100lbs lost on the scale felt better than almost anything in my life. Running for the first time. Doing jumping jacks for 30 seconds. Being able to go a whole 55 minute cycle class. Wearing clothes without more than one X on the tag. Seeing size 14/16 in a dress I just bought. No more medication. No more breathing issues. Happiness. That's what keeps me going.

Wow, thanks for sharing! Congrats on all your accomplishments!

ziesergirl_66

Although I'm still a work in progress...I finally feel like I have my head in this...for life. I've been a yo-yo dieter for many many years....15+. That alone is very destructive....mentally and physically. Getting tired of 're-starting'. Making a commitment every day to strive towards better health...and having the desire to live healthy and be healthy. It takes time...to plan and prepare healthy meals, and a get a great workout in. That is now a priority to me. "I" am now a priority. If you want something bad enough, you will do whatever it takes....especially saying NO.

I've been working more on eating cleaner. Immediate effects of that was more energy. I've been off and on this site for over almost 5 yrs. I've had stretches of logging everything, calories and exercise. Last summer til now I have only logged my exercise. I wrote all my food down in a personal journal...something I could view instantly, and easier. Kept my calories at or above suggested by MFP. I increased my workouts, to an hour a day. I drank 10+ water a day. Lost 30 lbs during that time...but I had a lot to lose.

What keeps me going? wanting to feel healthy, ALL the time!
Diet plan? continue to eat clean, higher protein, lower carbs, sugar and sodium....lots of water
ah-ha moment? no one can do this but me. I wanted to be CEO of this body again!
Gym? never have, never will. a good variety of dvd's, increased resistance workouts, treadmill, and mostly outdoor walking/jogging.
Friend? nope. but have many here!!
what clicked? I'm not getting younger. Health. Taking care of myself inside and out...seeing and feeling the benefits. It's worth it. It really is.

LoraF83

Basically, I was just finally tired of being fat.

I also refuse to feel guilty about food, so that helps. I have none of the "Oh no! I ate a cookie and I'm freaking out" stuff you seen on the forums so much. It's food - it's an inanimate object. Totally not worth investing that much emotion over.

I eat what I want, I just eat within my calorie goal. I have no "plan" or restrictions. There is no book telling me what I can or can't do. My life is not lived within the pages of the South Beach diet handbook (or Dukan, or Adkins, or whatever plan is the trendy thing right now).....my life is all over, it's real and it can get messy. My life demands that I'm ok with eating pizza on Friday nights and with grabbing a sandwich on a busy day. Once again, no guilt.

I do exercise that I love. I refuse to do exercise that I don't love. But I've learned to love a lot of exercise - I've also learned to be competitive and to try new things.

^All of that keeps me on track. The way I feel now is worth so much that I can't even consider trading it in for fat pants again.

Jizes318

I fell off for a few months so looking forward to see what keeps you guys moving.. I got lazy but I do enjoying eating and exercising.. I just decided to drink beer and eat Spanish pastries instead for a while LOL

I refuse to buy bigger clothes!

SanteMulberry

Well, THIS TIME. I sought prayer more. I asked God to give me a plan, Just For Me. MFP has awakened me tremendously as to how many calories I was consuming a day and how many calories that are burned when you work out. So what's keeping me on the wagon? I would say PRAYER and checking on myself dailly, and of course MFP.

I totally agree with this. "Compulsive overeating" is an addiction like so many others and there are spiritual and physical aspects to it. The physical part is the easier part: Eliminate foods with added sugar, avoid simple carbs and substitute other grains for wheat (because there is a substance called gliaden in wheat---not gluten---that is addictive. I've grown quite fond of 100% whole rye bread. I guarantee, no one ever "pigs out" on rye bread the way I used to on fresh white bread.) Keep total daily carbs between 100-200 grams per day. It is good to view exercise as another kind of nourishment for your body and see "compulsive underexercising" as just as bad as compulsive overeating. But in order to maintain any kind of an exercise program you must be properly nourished and that means eating vegetables, lean meats and fish, healthy fats, fruit and whole grain. When you have a lot of body fat to lose, every calorie must be a nourishing one to get the greatest benefit and avoid regaining. I have followed these simple steps and so far, have lost 50 pounds--30 of them since I started on MFP. I still have another 50 to go til I am at a healthy weight but I believe I will get there if I stay on my current program. I have broken my physical addiction to sugar and simple carbs.

But then again, there is the spiritual part--the part that says--"Just this once, I'll have a piece of cheesecake and then go back on my diet tomorrow." When tomorrow comes, that nagging temptation says, "Probably I should just eat up the junk left over from Christmas and besides, I've worked really hard at losing weight so I can splurge a little this week." And after all of that, a week or so later, when the scale shows the 6 pound weight gain, that same voice says, "What a stupid loser I am---I should have stayed on my diet--now, look what I've done to myself!" Prayer works wonders against temptation to do self-destructive things. "It was for freedom that Christ set us free."

AmyRhubarb

Basically, I was just finally tired of being fat.

I also refuse to feel guilty about food, so that helps. I have none of the "Oh no! I ate a cookie and I'm freaking out" stuff you seen on the forums so much. It's food - it's an inanimate object. Totally not worth investing that much emotion over.

I eat what I want, I just eat within my calorie goal. I have no "plan" or restrictions. There is no book telling me what I can or can't do. My life is not lived within the pages of the South Beach diet handbook (or Dukan, or Adkins, or whatever plan is the trendy thing right now).....my life is all over, it's real and it can get messy. My life demands that I'm ok with eating pizza on Friday nights and with grabbing a sandwich on a busy day. Once again, no guilt.

I do exercise that I love. I refuse to do exercise that I don't love. But I've learned to love a lot of exercise - I've also learned to be competitive and to try new things.

^All of that keeps me on track. The way I feel now is worth so much that I can't even consider trading it in for fat pants again.

This!

I've been on my fitness journey for three years or so, and lost some weight, fell off the wagon a few times and gained some back, etc. This last time I just decided this was it, no more back and forth, I needed to make the changes for good. Finding this thread helped tremendously: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Much more freedom with the calories, able to eat favorite foods without guilt, like Lora said, and workouts that I enjoy and fit into my day. No temporary changes or quick-fixes for me - this is my lifestyle, and it's sustainable, and it's working.

Tomorrow I'll hit my 495th day of consistent logging at MFP - the habit of tracking my food & exercise, and the support of the friends I've got here are a big part of it as well.

mccanntj

Photos of what I know I can look like!

yayamars

You have to be ready for it (or fed up). Small, consistent changes. Talk yourself into things (like exercise and eating right), instead of out of them. Remember, it's a never-ending battle; it's gonna last a lifetime. Allowing yourself any slack is dangerous, but don't berate yourself if you slip; it's counter-productive. Just start again. Keep this in mind: If you're tired of starting over, then STOP QUITTING! This one gets me through BodyPump when I don't feel like going. If you go more than 72 hours between strength workouts, it's like starting over. Best advice from John Rohde (Biggest Loser winner Season 12): When you feel like giving up, think back to why you started.

__RANDY__

I love weight lifting and I had a lot of health problems when I was heavy, so I tell myself my life depends on it.