4 months in and struggling

lklkl5

Hi all,
I have been using MFP for 4 months and been very successful, I'm down 39#'s. I feel better than I have in a long time, love losing the weight, lots of support but am hitting a motivation wall. I haven't fallen off the cliff, just not as focused as I have been. Still tracking food, still limiting calories keep saying I'll do better tomorrow....Any suggestions for remotivation?

nczuczu

You have done an amazing job in just 4 months. You are averaging nearly 10 lbs each month...that is tremendous work! Have you set any short-term goals or just looking at the end number? May help to set a small goal and then reward yourself when you get there (just the reward shouldn't include food!). I know you can do this. Friend me! Sounds like our stories are similar, are about the same age and have about the same (overall) amount to lose.

ryzeman

You are doing great! I think we all hit the wall now and again. I have lost almost thirty pounds and then hit a wall where I lost focus a bit and was discouraged that I wasn't losing weight. This lasted about a month and a half. Now I am losing again and my wife and I have started doing workout tape. It was what I needed to get back on track.

Keep logging, it will turn around!

KathyPBiles

You have done a fabulous job thus far. 39 lbs is wonderful. Average weight loss for that time frame would be 26 pounds - so you are ABOVE average. I hope to say I have lost that amount at four months. Please feel free to add me - we will support each other!

danityree

Sounds like you're doing an amazing job, but I've been there in the past... Maybe try to mix it up? Try something new, different workouts, read a motivational book, start a blog (if you haven't already), or maybe look at pics from before and after to show yourself how far you've come. If you'd like another supporter, I'll send you a friend request. Don't give up! You can do it!

sevsmom

Pick a new goal. Maybe not weight related. Like. . . .I want to be able to walk a 5K in under 45 min. Or, maybe you want to run a 5K. Or, a strength goal. . .I want to be able to do 20# bicep curls. . . a goal that has more to do with fitness than the scale. You may find that as you work toward that goal. . .a new sense of motivation sneaks in and you are making friends with the scale again, too.

And, 39# n 4 months is AWESOME!!! It took me a YEAR exactly to lose 30!! You are doing a fantastic job!!

knowwhentoshutup

Have you written down your reasons for your lifestyle change? I find I need a visual reminder. For example, I write down my goals, sign up for a physical challenge (race/event/etc.), post pictures to help keep me motivated (mine favorite ones are on my treadmill at home), etc.

For me, once I got over the 'I'm only doing this to lose weight' the motivation became easier. I want to find other ways to succeed, not limited to weight loss. Like improving my time for a half marathon, feeling confident in my skin, upping my strength/reps, etc.

Good luck!

Melo1966

You may need a break from this craziness I did this when I just wasn't feeling it going anywhere. I changed my goals to sedentary and maintain and logged exercise in notes a few days I did not track at all. Did not gain any back. Decided that this was worth the hassel after all I reduced calories by 500 and am working out more. Good luck to you, you can do this You can friend me if you like and/or need tough love.

MinnieInMaine

sensmom & knowwhentoshu both said what I was thinking - these are both great options!

You have done an amazing job so far! I thinking refocusing on your goals and/or finding a new goal would be just the ticket. And maybe mix things up in other ways like try new recipes and/or exercises.

lklkl5

Thank you all for your responses. I didn't mention earlier that for all but 6 weeks of my !journey I have been in a cast and then boot. I am trying to add in exercise now but seem to have a lack of motivation for getting started. You're all right, I need to switch my focus. I have been so hyper focused on the scale!

eftguru

Hi Lklkl5, (funny name?)

Your progress is great and you have done it for 4 months with only a plan and will power. You have done remarkably well @ round about 10 lb per month. What makes dieting work is when you discover the drivers of your urge to eat and dissolve it - or them, to be more realistic. Once you discover this - them - or you may even already know, you require a simple way to remove them from your psyche. There is hypnotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, EMDR, or many other psychotherapies to choose from now-days. My choice for simplicity, efficacy, and the fact that it's DIY, is EFT - Emotional freedom Techniques, also known as "tapping".

All you need to do is think back to the times when the drivers were happening, and tap around 8 -15 points on your face and torso,. This is very relaxing and by calming you and your problems. As this dissolves your negative memories of the original issues you no longer have the need to eat to calm your troubles.

If you are serious about carrying on, have a look here and download the easy as pie Manual:

http://www.eftfree.net/get-the-eftfree-manual-2/



Love and energy,

John.

Rhonnie

Depending on if goals work for you, maybe set yourself either a mini-goal weight you want to reach in a week or two time frame and have some reward if you reach it (new pair of shoes, new outfit, new scale (bathroom or kitchen), new workout gear, something). Or have the goal that you really push it for one week, no 'off' days or anything, with the purpose being to remind yourself how good it feels to really control this aspect of your life.

Another option is maybe finding a friend/relative that wants to lose weight that you can help mentor and exercise with. Seeing how far we have come (remember when you were in their shoes?) can be a great motivator.

No matter what you decide - you can do this!

bcattoes

Are you exercising? Exercise can really improve your mood, and when you exercise you can eat more while losing at the same rate since you burning some of those calories off. If you are not exercising, start. If you are, maybe switch it up and try something new. Something fun.

eftguru

Hiya!

Motivation is a word people use a lot nowadays. What does it mean to you and why do you need it. Perhaps you could loo at it from another angle - Why do you think you need motivation? After all, everything you say leads the reader to believe that you are doing brilliantly (kudos), but you have reached a pint that seem to expect something to happen - or not happen. What might that be? Have you, perhaps, reached this point in the past and something has happened? Think about it, I'm pretty sure this is not your first diet, now is it? Just look into the whys and what ifs and get back to me.

Keep going and doing well!

John.

P.S. I've just notice that your original enquiry wasaround six weeks back. How have you coped?

DebbieLyn63

You have done fantastic up to this point, especially with a bum leg. I am at about the same point in my quest, and my focus has shifted a bit away from the early, driven determination to get the weight off as quickly as possible, to now more of a mindset of this becoming a way of life for me, for the rest of my life. So less 'Diet', or more 'way of eating, exercising, and thinking'. I am losing 1 pound a week fairly steady at this point, and altho I have days that I want it to go faster, I have to keep my head about me so I don't get discouraged and lose motivation.
I focus more on moderation and staying within my cals and macros, while still allowing a treat here and there. (had a piece of birthday cake yesterday with no guilt). I also am focusing more on exercise for gaining strength and health, rather than a way to burn calories.
I know that I will always have to count calories and carbs to some degree, the rest of my life, to maintain my weight loss, so I am really focusing on accepting and embracing that, while living my life to the fullest.
I am really hoping that these mental changes will be the key to continuing to lose and to maintaining once I get to goal. So far it is working.

lklkl5

Thanks for all the support! I think talking about my lack of motivation made me realize I needed a kick in the butt. I tend to not voice my struggles. Anyway, I took a weekend off- nothing crazy just not hyper-focused on the scale or logging etc... Seemed to be a nice break that kicked me back into gear. I have added in exercise now that my boot is off my foot and come to a complete standstill on weightloss for the past 4 weeks. Still sticking to plan though - this is a lifestyle for me now. Think I need to up my calories, so I am looking into my tdee etc....