self sabotage

envy09

well my cal goal is 1600 a day which isnt that bad for me and i am using visuals like taking pics and measuring and stuff too. im 3 wks into it. the first week was really good i hardly ever went over and i was actually exercising and stuff too and then all that combind i lost 8lbs going from 258 to 250. then the second wk i hardly stuck to it, i was eating whatever i wanted and not recording my meals and not doing much exercise besides walking, i gained 2lbs, this week its been a mix. I start the day out good and then i blow it. i dont know why im doing this because i really want to change the way i eat and with diabetes being such a big risk for me(alot of people on my dads side has it and his doctor said he was on the borderline of having it) i know i really need to change. I just dont know what happend to my motivation.

I'm gonna give you some tough love here, because I think at some point everyone has been where you are, starting out with good intentions and thinking that's enough to get you through.

Straight talk: it isn't. Last night I ran 2 miles in wind sprints on a hill and nearly puked. Did I feel motivated to go outside and torture myself? Well, okay... as a bit of a masochist, I guess just a little. But the point is, this has nothing to do with motivation.

If I only worked out or ate right when I felt motivated, I would be 300 lbs, sitting on my sofa drinking whiskey and eating chips, because whiskey and chips are god's handiwork. You'll never succeed if you think you have to feel it. Just decide it is important enough and do it. People would laugh if you asked how you could be motivated to brush your teeth every day. Everyone understands you don't have to feel like it. You just do it because it is good for you.

Same here. Get back on that horse. Just do it.

Agreed. I once had the cops called on me because people thought there was something wrong with me. Running in the poring rain when it's 25 degrees outside tends to make people question your sanity. Did I want to go running that day? Hell no! Thanksgiving leftovers were calling my name in the fridge. But I made myself do it, and I felt awesome afterwards! I had accomplished something a lot of people wouldn't even have attempted, and the leftovers were still there when I crawled back through my front door (they were delicious btw).

Cr01502

My suggestion is that you try to ease your way down to your calorie goal. Sometimes it is simply too difficult to just immediately cut the required calories. Maybe 50 or 100 calories less per day.

Agreed. Baby steps.

clarkeje1

Something that helps me sometimes is eating later in the day. Not skipping meals but just waiting to have breakfast later on, that way you have more calories in a shorter amount of time. I find it easier to wait to eat in the morning than to deprive myself at night.

ShreddedTweet

well my cal goal is 1600 a day which isnt that bad for me and i am using visuals like taking pics and measuring and stuff too. im 3 wks into it. the first week was really good i hardly ever went over and i was actually exercising and stuff too and then all that combind i lost 8lbs going from 258 to 250. then the second wk i hardly stuck to it, i was eating whatever i wanted and not recording my meals and not doing much exercise besides walking, i gained 2lbs, this week its been a mix. I start the day out good and then i blow it. i dont know why im doing this because i really want to change the way i eat and with diabetes being such a big risk for me(alot of people on my dads side has it and his doctor said he was on the borderline of having it) i know i really need to change. I just dont know what happend to my motivation.

I'm gonna give you some tough love here, because I think at some point everyone has been where you are, starting out with good intentions and thinking that's enough to get you through. Straight talk: it isn't.

Last night I ran 2 miles in wind sprints on a hill and nearly puked. Did I feel motivated to go outside and torture myself? Well, okay... as a bit of a masochist, I guess just a little. But the point is, this has nothing to do with motivation. If I only worked out or ate right when I felt motivated, I would be 300 lbs, sitting on my sofa drinking whiskey and eating chips, because whiskey and chips are god's handiwork.

Point is, you'll never succeed if you think you have to feel it. Just decide it is important enough and do it. People would laugh if you asked how you could be motivated to brush your teeth every day. Everyone understands you don't have to feel like it. You just do it because it is good for you.

Get back on that horse. Just do it.

Great post!

doubleduofa

Check out all the books from your local library re: emotional eating. Do the exercises that are required. Learn from it. It will not happen overnight, but little changes will begin to happen.

"Stop Eating Your Heart Out"
"The Beck Diet Solution"
"End Emotional Eating"
"Coach Yourself Thin"
"How To Make Any Diet Work" (I believe is what it is called)

You don't have to take every single lesson from the books, but I encourage you to read and at least try what they say. Each has a different approach and you need to DO THE WORK. If you want to change your habits, you need to be willing to be uncomfortable, be willing to do hard work, and be willing to KNOW that it will take a long time. But, it is possible! You need to find the approach that works for you and stick with it.

Good luck!

Kagemori

i appreciate all the advice and pep talks. some of what i read really helped me to put things in perspective and its much appreciated. One thing im really glad about this site is the ablity to connect to people who can help you through slumps and such. If i was trying to do this on my own without being able to connect to anyone i know i would fail miserably.

Fr3shStrt

^ These are all great suggestions!

It may also help to keep your food diary open for others to see.... that'll sometimes help me stay on track.

This lifestyle change is hard, so give yourself credit for every small accomplishment. I found this book: "The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person" really helpful when I lost 30lbs about two years ago. It doesn't tell you what to eat, it is more of a brain training program. I really don't know how to describe it, but it is really great, check it out.

aepdx

This book has really helped me with my motivation: http://www.drfuhrman.com/weightloss/about.aspx

It might help you too?