Do You Really Believe You Can Do This?
jennifer_417
Posts: 12,344 Member
I'm beginning to think that the biggest thing holding me back is the fact that I don't really believe I can do it. I've tried soooooo many times before and failed that I'm afraid to believe that this time it will work.
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I just finished my first week. it has been hard..in just that i've had to think about everything and i wondered if i could really lose eating as much as 1600 calories a day to lose weight.
I have not been perfect..but really tried to hit my calorie mark. I hopped on the scale today to see if it was working..and right according to plan i am losing. I am so inspired.
Just go through the motions and try to get that first week of staying on track and following what mfp says..and you will see the results..and be able to keep going.
I'm more resolved now to exercise ..track right..and not cheat myself. You can do it!0 -
Sounds to me like you're trying too much too quick. Long term weight loss isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. So take it one day at a time doing things you KNOW that you can do, and before you know it it'll be a force of habit that you don't mind doing. Slip up one day? No problem! Tomorrow you'll be more focused! Tempted to eat that extra piece of cake? Neh, don't need it. There'll always be more cake some other time to look forward to.
Many people fail at this because they say, "I'm going to run an hour every day, no more sweets, only salads, no more cheat meals! Then I'll be where I want in no time!" Then of course lo and behold, one piece of the puzzle falls and the whole thing collapses.
SOOOO take it one step and one day at a time! It may take a month to get into the swing of this, but I PROMISE that it gets easier!
Maybe today's goal? Realize WHY you want this, and what are reasonable goals
Tomorrow's goal: Cut out that late night snack
Next goal: walk an extra 15 minutes.
etc:
You can do it!0 -
Not sure if you saw my video, it was about this subject.
You have think more in the short term, you're thinking to much. Can you eat 1 healthier meal? Can you log 1 meal? do that. I know it's something you can do.
You have been here, so that's a good start, not sure if you're logging or not, if you're nto, get in the habit of doing it. Start small.
For example when i started MFP i couldn't walk 10mins. I would have to walk 8mins, take a break, then walk another 2. I got in to the habit of exercising 10mins a day, that's not much at all. It didn't matter if i only did 5mins, the point was to get in to the "HABIT" of doing something physical.
You can do the same thing with your diet, eat 75% good, and the rest 25% whatever you want. Then improve it over time. Doesn't matter if you start at eating 25% good, just start some where and improve.
Weight loss is about habits, anyone can starve themselves, but can they maintain the weight off in the long run? I always see it like this, if a person loses 30lbs in 1 month, and another person loses it in 6 months, who's most likely to keep it off? The one who did it the longest, the one who has stronger habits. This is one reason why quick weight loss doesn't work, it takes time.
I totally agree, one small obtainable goal at a time, it is easy to fixate on the long term and to get overwhelmed, stay in the here and now. This is a life style change, which sounds like you have to change your whole life right away, but changing life style is changing how you actually live, and it starts with day to day choices.
You can make one healthier choice every day, just one at a time. As you show yourself that you can do that, you start believing in the bigger stuff to - you may even start to believe that you really can do this.0 -
Listen to those people who have lost over a hundred pounds.0
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Absolutely.
I wish it would go a bit faster, though. On New Year's Day 2009, I weighed 207. I vowed to reverse weight gain then and there.
I've gotten down to 185.2 since then. That's what, a little over 5 pounds per year. Geesh!
I think I might be a point where my weight loss is going to be exponential, however. Some of the habits that I had until 2009 are no longer a problem. I think I'm getting the hang of this lose weight and get into shape program.0 -
Not sure if you saw my video, it was about this subject.
You have think more in the short term, you're thinking to much. Can you eat 1 healthier meal? Can you log 1 meal? do that. I know it's something you can do.
You have been here, so that's a good start, not sure if you're logging or not, if you're nto, get in the habit of doing it. Start small.
For example when i started MFP i couldn't walk 10mins. I would have to walk 8mins, take a break, then walk another 2. I got in to the habit of exercising 10mins a day, that's not much at all. It didn't matter if i only did 5mins, the point was to get in to the "HABIT" of doing something physical.
You can do the same thing with your diet, eat 75% good, and the rest 25% whatever you want. Then improve it over time. Doesn't matter if you start at eating 25% good, just start some where and improve.
Weight loss is about habits, anyone can starve themselves, but can they maintain the weight off in the long run? I always see it like this, if a person loses 30lbs in 1 month, and another person loses it in 6 months, who's most likely to keep it off? The one who did it the longest, the one who has stronger habits. This is one reason why quick weight loss doesn't work, it takes time.
^ he knows what he is talking about. copy that to your blog, or file on your computer, and re-read as necessary. you can do it!! good luck0 -
ahhhh too big, dont know how to change that.. right click and ´see in a new tab´0 -
Baby steps, i guess. I'd like to beleive I can do this long term - I lost weight once as I was told I wouldn't have children if I didn't. Now I have a 6 month old, have put a lot of the weight back on, and I want to lose the weight and keep it off. I guess I'm trying to change the way I see food, and change my lifestyle, and that's the hard part. But one bite at a time for now, and the rest will follow
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what Ducky said!!!!
I thought the same thing and I am still at it!!! Never give up!0 -
You can sooooo do it!
When I started I had no faith in it what so ever. Really just punching into a phone what I ate can make me loose weight?! Well yes it can! You just have to have the mentality that your gona stick with it! So what if you ate a cookie? Log it! Make a better choice next time... Just be careful with eating to low. I did this & lost loads, but unfortunately I lost muscle too. Go on girl you can do it! X0 -
January 28th, 2012 I started MFP knowing that in 6 months I would be doomed to have GBSurgery (it terrifies me, so for me it was the end of the world) I knew I would fail. I hated myself every second for the first 3 weeks, had many MANY setbacks where I just wanted to give up and quit - so easy to just give up. Through last year I continued having set backs, and it wasn't until late September that I finally started believing in myself. This year I know I can finish losing what weight I have left to lose 40-70lbs. This year I know that there will be setbacks, and I will persevere. This year I know I will not fail.
Learning to trust in yourself, have faith in yourself, believe in yourself is the hardest, HARDEST thing for most people to do. So I guess I am asking you to have faith in me. You commit to this lifestyle change and you WILL be successful. I guarantee it.0 -
Small changes -- that is key.
Mental belief in yourself -- the absolute.
If you believe you can do it or you believe you will fail, you will be right. The only thing you will change is what you believe to be important to you. If it is important to you, you WILL do it. It will take time, no doubt, it will take determination, no doubt. It will even take rearranging things in your life, in the way you create food, in the way you live your every day life... but if you want it, really want it, it won't seem like you're changing anything... it will just come as a natural extension of going after your goals.0 -
just do it.0
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YES! And I think you can too!!
Research suggests for behavior modification (like stopping smoking, sustained weight loss), it takes people an average of SEVEN attempts before they see success.
Never stop trying! Even if you fall, keep it going. This is for the long haul...hard days will happen, you won't always make perfect choices, but you can win!
As others have mentioned, sometimes.... I "can do this" for just one more second. Then, another second. Then, maybe a minute... and hour... a day. It all adds up.
You've got this. Surround yourself with a great support system and with total disregard for any naysayers, go after it.0 -
You just have to take it one step at a time Im only on my third day and today I was going nuts running around the house looking in all the cuboards at the junk and thinking how much i wanted just a little bit but I changed my mind and had a pudding. Its really hard but just one step at a time and if you mess up dont get discouraged and quit just move on it happens and eventually it will stop happening. Good luck0
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I am certainly one of those people that get so close and give up. Last year I was 8lbs away from my current goal. 8!! And I gave up thinking that was the best I could do and I looked fine. I could always get back there if I wanted to, and that's the worst set of mind is to give up just when your on the path.
The path to happiness is paved with hardship, but we all get there at our own pace and that's the point. We all get there.0 -
You have to start it and stick with it. You don't have to be perfect every day, but KEEP GOING!0
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i did that too! started, gave up, started, gave up... for years! finally came to the conclusion that i was going to do it... started back seriously in september, and i havent stopped... only you can make that final decision!0
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Yes, I absolutely, beyond a doubt 100% believe I can, and keep it off too, and I think that is the most important tool you can have when it comes to weight loss. I realize it might take longer than I want, and it might not be as linear as I'd like, but I know I'll get there.0
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You can do anything you put your mind to!
God's strength will help too.......0 -
I actually did not start out thinking I could do this. I had also tried and failed SO many times.
People would say you have to "want" it. I hated that because I REALLY wanted it when I failed.
But finally it clicked, and I just kept doing it day after day and the results came 0 -
I'm a big fan of fake-it-till-you-make-it motivation. What you need to do, is just start acting like you're already successful, follow in the footsteps of those folks who have already done it and do what they do, and the belief in yourself will catch up. Luckily, you don't have to look too hard on MFP to find someone who is a few steps ahead of you in this game to follow.0
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I am roughly one week in, and I'm not sure. This is my first post on a message board, and I sit here wanting to go to the kitchen and eat something unhealthy. I'm ready for a snack, and when I look back at my food journal for the past week all my snacks have been pure crap. For meals I'm doing OK, but for snacks I keep reverting back to poor eating habits. On the weekend my husband (who is very healthy) and I cleaned out our cupboards, but of course there are always a few things left behind. As the OP asked "Do you really believe you can do this?" I'm not sure....I hope so. Being on these boards does bring me hope....!0
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Yes, I know I can and so can you. It really has to be a lifestyle change. Break down your goals into mini goals and take it one day at a time. A lot of days I have to take it one hour at a time. Forget the naysayers and make the changes for yourself. When you see progress, it motivates you to stick with it. Be positive!0
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NO. When I started here, almost a year ago, the honest answer was no, I didn't believe I could do this.. I was pushing towards 300 pounds, every recent time I tried to work out ended with a visit to my ortho, I worked a lot of hours and I had 2 kids at home to take care of. I set my goal weight but would have been ecstatic to lose just 20 pounds to keep me out of the Big and Tall store. I never thought I'd really see my goal weight.
But then a funny thing happened. I stopped thinking about it, and just did it. Every morning I planned out my meals for the day. Every day when my alarm clock went off I answered the bell and worked out. I lost that 20 pounds. But I kept my planning my meals and answering the bell and kept going. Made my goal weight and set a new, lower one.
Except this time I know I'm going to make my goal.
Commit to putting in the work. You'll believe it soon enough.0 -
I don't *think* I can. I KNOW I CAN. I guess it's different for me because I don't have a long history of failures, a string of disappointments. I have something worse...complacency. I remember right after high school my mom got on a Richard Simmons kick and took my sister and me along with her for the ride. The whole nine yards, complete with Deal a Meal and Sweatin to the Oldies. It was my 1st diet but I wasnt really invested in it, I can't remember who quit first, me or mom. Doesn't matter. I didn't even attempt another diet in that decade. Finally about a dozen years later I had a friend who's mom had lost 100 lbs on WW and she was ready to try it but not alone. So I did it with her. We started WW in the spring of 2007. My friend quit within a month but I had started seeing results and I liked it. I had hope for the first time. Over 8 months I lost 68 lbs. I quit the diet in Nov for the holidays and promised to start up again in Jan. But I didnt. For the next 5 yrs I was back to my complacent ways. All the weight came back. I injured my back and gained another 20 pounds. Last spring another friend asked me to go on a diet with her. She lasted less than 2 weeks. I had promised myself I wasn't doing this for her, but for myself. This is my diet, my success. It's been almost 7 months and I've lost almost 60 lbs. I won't let anything stop me now. I learned from my mistake in 2007. If you live each day on a diet looking forward to eating whatever you want and not working out once you get to goal YOU WILL GAIN IT BACK. I understand now that for the rest of my life I'll either be dieting to lose or at the very least, maintaining. Fitness can't ever end either. I had success before, my only failure was the decision to quit for the holidays. I have learned my lesson. I wish I didnt have to gain back every pound I lost plus a bonus 20 lbs but apparently thats what it took before it really sunk into my thick head.
This time around I haven't thought about quitting one single time. I won't quit till I reach my goal. I have a long way to go but I know I can do it. Nothing will stop me. It took me way too long to get to this point. Too many years of not caring, not trying, and just getting bigger and bigger. I'm 1/3 the way to my goal and I know if I quit this diet within 6 mos I'll probably gain it all back. If I keep going in 6 months I'll prolly be close to 2/3 the way to my goal. It's no contest. The time will pass regardless, the question is what am I going to do in that time?0 -
It's been almost 7 months and I've lost almost 60 lbs. I won't let anything stop me now. I learned from my mistake in 2007. If you live each day on a diet looking forward to eating whatever you want and not working out once you get to goal YOU WILL GAIN IT BACK. I understand now that for the rest of my life I'll either be dieting to lose or at the very least, maintaining. Fitness can't ever end either.
Congratulations on your losses, great job. If you are happier, healthier, will live longer and feel better - - then staying on a healthy diet is worth the effort!!0 -
you came here to tell us that you are standing in your own way and you know it! :drinker:0
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Not sure if you saw my video, it was about this subject.
You have think more in the short term, you're thinking to much. Can you eat 1 healthier meal? Can you log 1 meal? do that. I know it's something you can do.
You have been here, so that's a good start, not sure if you're logging or not, if you're nto, get in the habit of doing it. Start small.
For example when i started MFP i couldn't walk 10mins. I would have to walk 8mins, take a break, then walk another 2. I got in to the habit of exercising 10mins a day, that's not much at all. It didn't matter if i only did 5mins, the point was to get in to the "HABIT" of doing something physical.
You can do the same thing with your diet, eat 75% good, and the rest 25% whatever you want. Then improve it over time. Doesn't matter if you start at eating 25% good, just start some where and improve.
Weight loss is about habits, anyone can starve themselves, but can they maintain the weight off in the long run? I always see it like this, if a person loses 30lbs in 1 month, and another person loses it in 6 months, who's most likely to keep it off? The one who did it the longest, the one who has stronger habits. This is one reason why quick weight loss doesn't work, it takes time.
^ he knows what he is talking about. copy that to your blog, or file on your computer, and re-read as necessary. you can do it!! good luck
^^^ Agree 100% on both counts. Baby steps. Rome wasn't built in a day. You CAN do this!
Best of luck to you!
Sheila :flowerforyou:0 -
I never actually believed I could do this. There are still days when I feel like i'm not going to get where I want to be. You just have to take it one meal at a time, one day at a time. I set my mind to it and in 7 months i have lost 51lbs and 32 inches in 5 1/2 months.
You can do this. You have to want to do it, or you wont.0
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