What do you tell yourself to keep you from quitting?
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Ive realised just how much i overate "before" i've been using this site for 20 days, and I have logged everything that I have eaten, and whilst I have found it hard, I am seeing results, which is a 9.5lb loss so far! That is what is stopping me from quitting, the fact that it is working, and i am still enjoying all of the foods i love, chocolate, chinese, wine etc... just not half as much as before. You can do this, the fact that you are on here shows that you want to.
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What I tell everyone is, focus on the actions, not the results. The results are only the rewards for putting in the action. You can do it! :happy:0
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"Time will pass either way, may as well make it count."
"Even slow or minimal effort is better than the complete lack of effort you used to put in."
Also knowing that my friends here ARE here helps me. A lot. I can avoid myself for some time. Avoiding them is a little harder.0 -
Honestly the first week or 2 are the hardest. Once you get used to the routine of it, you start to feel in control of your own body. It is so worth it! Once you start to see and feel real results you won't feel as discouraged. Good Luck! And use this website to its fullest potential. It's what helped me to lose 30 lbs! :happy:0
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I try (though often fail) to focus on getting stronger rather than losing weight. I know that as I build more muscle and endurance and create healthy habits for myself, the weight will eventually follow. It's so hard to get caught up with the numbers on the scale, but I'm in this for the long-haul.0
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The first week I wanted to quit too, because the change from my old eating habits to my new ones were a shake up for me. But, it's been a month now..and I stalled out on weight loss for a week because of TOM, and I was wanting to give up because it "wasn't worth it" and then I thought to myself, aren't I satisfied with what I am eating? Haven't I felt full? Have I had a craving that I wasn't able to satisfy? And yes I've been eating things I like, I've never gone hungry, and I've eaten cookies if I want cookies, ice cream if I want ice cream..I just limit the portion and make sure it fits in my daily goal. Doing it this way I have realized there's really nothing for me to "give up" on. I'm not dieting, I'm just living...healthier.
As for exercise, don't overdo it at first. Start slow, and try to make it fun. I don't exercise just to exercise. I have a goal in mind for my cardio..which keeps me going on the C25K program. I'm not worried about how many calories it's going to burn or how much weight it'll make me lose, that'd just get me down. Instead I focus on being ready for the next week and proving to myself I can do it. For my strength I make goals for myself too, and I love doing pilates and yoga, so that's primarily what I do for that. It's been fun, I've ENJOYED every minute spent doing it, and I can already see an increase in my strength and flexibility.0 -
When I feel like that I remind myself of the alternative which is.......the scale gets higher, can't fit in my clothes, I'm uncomfortable, have heartburn, hate what I see in the mirror, jeopardizing my health, etc. All the reasons that started me on this health journey in the first place. I know it's boring and difficult sometimes but I feel so much better when I'm taking care of myself and my health. It really makes a difference. Sometimes I go into my closet and try on clothes to remind myself of how far I've come and it really helps. I do find that I frequently have to look for different ways to motivate myself whether it's trying on clothes in my closet, reading Oxygen Magazine, looking at others that don't take care of themselves, etc, Good Luck on your journey. You can do it!! :flowerforyou:0
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I know that diet and exercise work.
dont be disappointed by the results you dont get by the work you never put in!
for able bodied and mind there are no excuses
I set short term goals i.e Ive only got to keep up this strict discipline for first six weeks
then I have long term goal to be fit and slim!
My mfp pals are wonderful supportive and good examples!0 -
The first week is always the worst. Just keep going, it will get way easier.
You could get a piece of paper and write down your own reasons for why you want to lose weight. Then hang it on a wall somewhere, where you will see it a lot (or on the fridge).
My reasons are that I don't want to end up like my mom. With loads of weight-related health problems starting when she was just 40.
I want to be healthy and fit for as long as I can, so that I can enjoy my life to the fullest.
Also I want to be able to wear cute dresses
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"Losing weight is hard.
Maintaining weight is hard
Being overweight is hard
Choose your hard."
Having said that, losing weight is hard, but it doesn't have to be as hard as some people make it. Make small changes that you can live with, and then make more changes. You don't have to completely overhaul your diet overnight, or go from completely sedentary to 1000 calorie workouts. Start by meeting your calorie goal, and getting more active than you were. Go from there. This is going to be a long, slow process (which won't end once you reach your goal), so don't sabotage yourself now by creating a lifestyle that you can't sustain long-term. Baby steps. :flowerforyou:
P.S. take progress photos & measurements - they won't help now, but will be fantastic motivation a bit further down the line. Also, try to set goals that relate to what you can do, rather than what you weigh. They will keep you going too.0 -
It's just one day at a time. Not everyday is going to be perfect. (I had an affair with a bag of chocoate chips yesterday). But today is a new day and all you have to do is try to make better choices. Don't limit yourself to an unreasonalbe amount of calories either. Go to a webiste and find out your basal metabolic rate. It made me realize that I didn't have to cut down to 1200 calories to still lose weight. Remember that success comes from making this a lifestyle change rather than a crash diet. Good luck and keep on trying0
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I look at the parts of me I don't like and ask myself if it is worth it to continue eating unhealthy. We are our own biggest critics. I have chubby areas I don’t like and if I can change a few simple habits and get results, why not?
Don’t get me wrong losing weight is something you have to work towards but there are small things that can be changed to improve weight loss. It doesn’t technically mean you have to starve yourself.
Tip # 1: Cut out drink calories.
There are soooo many calories in soft drinks and juice and sweetened drinks. So its possible to cut back on a lot of extra calories switching to drinking water, "unsweetened" ice tea, and coffee if you take it black.
It doesn't mean you can’t treat yourself maybe once a week to something different but if you give it a try that’s tons of calories to be lost.
Tip#2: Don't eat in front of the TV or computer go to the kitchen to eat.
This cuts out boredom eating if you’re truly starving or hungry enough to eat you will go to the kitchen and sit down and have a snack.
Tip#3: Exercise during commercial breaks.
Do sit ups, jumping jacks, or pushups.
You don’t have to hit the gym or run yourself to death to lose weight.
Why not do a few exercises when the commercials are on? Commercials take up a lot of TV time.
You don't get that time back. Why not put that time towards getting in shape.
Tip#4: No eating two hours before bedtime.
It is just pointless calories.
It also helps if you don't eat first thing when you wake up.
Tip#5 Eat fruit before each meal.
Fruit is healthy and there aren’t many calories in fruit.
You won’t need to eat as much of the meal to fill up.
I'd recommend having a wide variety of fresh fruit in the house instead of snacking on chips eat fruit.0 -
I take a photo of myself with my phone and look at it. I have the problem of feeling way skinnier than I am, ha. But when I would see photos of myself it would always be like, "Wait, THAT'S me?" So I made a rule... whenever I feel like quitting (haven't yet, thankfully) or I want to eat something really unhealthy, I have to take a pic or look at a pic of myself and remember what I'm working toward first.
It also helps me to remember that I don't only want to look better, I want to be healthier to live a longer life with my husband and kids.0 -
"Losing weight is hard.
Maintaining weight is hard
Being overweight is hard
Choose your hard."
This gave me goosebumps. LOVE LOVE LOVE.0 -
Once you just keep at it, it will be like second nature0
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you need to make smaller goals (lose 5 lbs, lose 8 lbs, lose 12 lbs) etc. if all you want to see is the end result, it is going to feel like a daunting task.0
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This is what I tell myself. Sometimes daily.0 -
I'm only a week in and I'm SO tired of counting calories, and so defeated by how much good eating and exercise it actually takes to lose a lb... Can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I feel like just giving up. But I won't, because I'm in this for the long haul and I know there are gonna be ups and downs. My question to you is: what do you do when you feel like this? How do you pick yourself up from such a slump?
Well, you're only a week in and it takes time to change old habits. Personally, when 'm feeling discouraged I come here and log in to MFP and read all the success stories and advice. Just seeing how other people have stuck with it and made such amazing transformations is enough to motivate me.
Like this - 4 weeksin and that is what I do....0 -
I log in to MFP and read motivational reports, especially the ones with pictures. It helps me know there are so many other people that were in my position at one time (I'm 4 weeks in) and they stuck it out. These are real people making real progress. Reading the information on how to make this work really helps for me. Making small goals and then trying to achieve one of them every day. Make a few supportive friends here and read their comments every day. Hang in there!0
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And this ~
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I tell myself that the work I'm doing is worth it to get the body I want instead of the body I've had for the last 20 years. I'm not very overweight, which can make motivating myself a little bit harder. I don't have any serious health issues, and I don't have trouble fitting into clothes or walking up and down stairs. I'm just tired of looking the way that I do and not feeling confident in myself and my body. I feel much more in control when I'm exercising consistently and tracking what I eat. I know that I'm creating the body I want instead of tolerating the body I have. I picture myself the way I'd like to look -- a little bit thinner, and hot in a bikini -- and that keeps me going.0
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Your just one week into it. You will get a bit better at how to track to make it take less time. What did you expect though?
Dust yourself off and see you next week. I usually will refer to this when I need some motivation.
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Your just one week into it. You will get a bit better at how to track to make it take less time. What did you expect though?
Dust yourself off and see you next week. I usually will refer to this when I need some motivation.
LOL That is amazing!!0 -
Number one thing I do when I feel that way is to whine to my friends on MFP. Surprisingly it works. They are incredibly supportive and give me that extra push that I never had before. I don't link my MFP to my facebook because some of my friends would just grow tired of it, but most people here are in the same boat and are truly helpful. So get a bunch of good friends that are active and let them be your support system!!! (Feel free to add me as well!)0
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It's rough. Especially the first couple of weeks. To help keep myself focused, I constantly remind myself of why I decided to take this journey. I remind myself daily of my family's history of diabetes, and high blood pressure. I also keep pictures of Beyonce and Kim Kardashian plastered all over my computer screen. lol. While I know that I will never look exactly like them, their clothing style and 100% confidence with their bodies is something that I admire. You just have to remind yourself what you came here for and when you feel yourself reaching for that huge piece of cake of two glasses of soda, ask yourself if it's going to benefit you any.0
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I was kind of lucky in that I started in the New Year (traditionally a 'bad' time full of people reckoned to be trying to lose weight because they're 'supposed' to, but great for me because I'm usually sick of eating seasonal junk by then), and so the first two or three weeks weren't too bad. This week, I've faced out more than one urge to eat my own arm off, possibly related to TOTM. Not so good.
At times like that, I sometimes find myself thinking woefully 'It'll be (x) amount of weeks before I can shed this poundage and it seems like forever'. So then I cast my mind back the same distance in time, and it doesn't seem that long ago in the scheme of things. I'll also remind myself that from that moment in time until the moment I began my efforts, my weight stayed static. Looking forward again to the moment I eventually hit my goal, my weight is not going to stay static and jump from 'current' to 'goal' overnight - the period between now and then may have it's difficulties, but it will have plenty of joys too. It will be peppered with milestone moments where I can joyfully celebrate having seen off a quarter of the excess, half of it etc, or being able to fit into clothes that get steadily smaller.
I remind myself who I'm doing this for (primarily for me, but my kids come pretty close in my reasoning too) and why. The froggy in my forum weightloss tracker seems to think he's become one of my reasons too, and I've decided that it's in the best interests of my waistline to let him. I *will* get him out from under that cloud and have him playing in the flowers one day
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I can relate. I feel like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the mountain for my entire life. It gets tiring. I get a bad attitude and tired as well.
Few things:
- this is your first week - it will get easier and more automated as you get used to the diet and exercise routine - no longer a struggle but just something you do.
-be kind to yourself. Make sure you give yourself comfort; e.g., entertainment, friends, nice tea, good books, hot bubble baths, etc.
- PLEASE check out Judith Becks book "Becks Diet Solution' - it has a lot of helpful stuff to adjust your mindset to where it needs to be to loose weight - so you don' think, i.e., " I am depriving myself" - instead you think "I want to do this"
http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Diet-Solution-Train-Person/dp/B002PJ4I2U
Good Luck and you are not alone!0 -
I go online and save pictures I find of women whose bodies I admire. This is anyone from bikini contests, to crossfit pics, before/after photos from here, etc. I also save pics with motivational quotes/phrases on them. Then I set my desktop background and screen saver to shuffle through these pictures. My fiance thinks I might be bisexual. LOL. It's just motivating.
Sayings that I literally repeat to myself as I am working out to the point of almost vomiting:
"If you want something you've never had, you've got to do something you've never done."
"Work out like your life depends on it... Because it does."
"You're still beating everyone on the couch."
"A year from now, what will you look like?"
"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you."
Those are quotes for workout, anyway. For everyday stuff, I think about how I don't -need- that candy bar. I tell myself, "Eat to fuel your body, not please your mouth."0 -
Don't give up. Keep going. I used to tell myself the same thing. I wish I could loose it over night. You have to make yourself move and surround yourself with positive thoughts and eople. If u are not able to log on or count your calories and get tired. Write them down & come back and fill it out later. If you go over. Just think. I can do it. Keep @ positive attitude.0
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I have only been on this for one month and lost 17 pounds total. I will count calories and eat like this for the rest of my life just to keep that weight off let alone my real need to take off a total of 100 pounds to just get to a normal weight. I did this to myself and have no one else to blame. We are lucky to have such a site as myfitnesspal to count our calories and exercise (it actually makes it easy) and this is a life change, it isn't just until we lose the weight. It is so we don't gain any more weight, maintain the weight we lost so far and to continue to lose the weight if our bodies will let it come off. I have a fear that the weight will stop coming off with my current intake, that my body will grow use to the calories I'm eating and I'll stop losing. Like I said in the first sentence, I'll keep counting calories just to not gain any more. It is so easy to keep going up on that scale and scary.0
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