How did you stay motivated while trying to lose 100 pnds?

CyberEd312

The very first thing I did was got myself into therapy because I knew I had major underlying issue that needed to be addressed along with my food addictions. So I began the 12 step program and worked on the mental aspects of my addictions as well as addressing the damage that I had done to my body (560 lbs., home bound, and unable to stand for more than 30 seconds at a stretch.) Fast forward to today down 300+ lbs. I am still in therapy (only go once a month now) but have graduated the 12 step program (actually the 12th step is paying it forward, hence the reason I joined MFP). I no longer let food dictate my life. I have the control over it.... Best of Luck....

JimLeonardRN

it is far from ignorant; i was on my death bed from weight was cooped up in a hospital for 9 days with tubes and all kinds of other **** coming out of my body but i didnt take the easy way out.

so i want to know why does one need to be motivated when they have had surgery. isnt the hard part done?

Sir, with all due respect, to begin I applaud you on your loss doing it the "hard way." I had gastric bypass April of '12. It is far from the 'easy way out". There is a lot involved in the surgery. And it is a tool to use. Much like the treadmill, elliptical, free weights, or any exercise class you choose. And like any tool, if it not used correctly then you are wasting your time. I just dont see the need to denigerate anyones choices in how they lose weight. Believe me I spent many years doing it the "hard way", only to yo-yo aroud and end up heavier than I was to start off with. If I could have done without the surgery I would have. But, this was my choice. And I have chosen to extend my life by whatever means needed.

msarobix

The only way I have found to stay motivated is to participate in group challenges like the one I just started on this site a few days ago. Please stop by to check us our to see if it would be the right fit for you.

There is still time to join the current Truly Committed Boot Camp!

Today is weigh in day so you would be starting off on a brand new week. Come and Join Us!

If you are looking for motivation, support, and accountabilty to lose weight and reach your goals. Then you should check out this Boot Camp. We are a group of people who are committed to eating right, exercising, losing weight and reaching our goals for a healthier life.

This group is for everyone who wants to losing weight and needs the help, support, and motivation from others on the same journey. This will be an ongoing boot camp where you will be challenged to exercise, eat right and improve your overall health.

There will be a weekly weigh in and plenty of challenges to get you motivated to reach your goals.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12853-truly-committed-boot-camp

amann1976

the problem with this world and most of the people on this forum is everyone wants results but nobody wants to work hard.

again no offense to anyone but if you get off your butt eat a little less workout a little more you will see results. nothing anyone else says or does will ever motivate you to do anything. motivation comes from within so until you dig deep down within yourself you will not find the motivation you need.


all those childhood books your read and movies you watched the morale of the story was always to search within for the answers so now is the time for you to put you big girl panties on and search within yourself for your motivation.

you can say i am blunt you can say i am an a hole but the truth is the truth and sometimes everyone needs to hear the truth...

tianormie

why do you need motivation if you already cheated to win the game?????


my question is not meant to offend

Long term weight loss isn't 'easy' with or without surgery, and now I can say I've been on both sides of the fence. I don't feel a need to justify my actions for having had the surgery, let's just say that I spent many years trying other weight loss methods and none of them ended up working long term for me. This is a tool that was available to me and I took it after having spent many years of researching it. As for 'cheating', well that's your opinion and you are entitled to it. I, however, am not feeling like a took an 'easy' way out or I wouldn't be here asking for help/advise on how to succeed.

I do want to take the opportunity to thank those of you who have offered kind words of encouragement. I really appreciate it. And now...I'm off to do my daily exercise and enjoy this lovely weather in sunny California. I am glad to report that THIS has in fact become a habit for me. :happy:

dakitten2

For me personally, I actually think the WLS is the hardest way to do it. I had seen so many friends do it and have so many complications, that I begged my doctor to let me try it on my own with the help of a dietician. I dont tolerate pain well and another surgery wasnt something I wanted to do unless it was an emergency. So, I commend anyone for taking the first step whether it was by WLS or lifestyle changes.

One thing I dont do is deprive myself of anything I want. I just learned to work it into my daily calorie goal. I go to McDonald's, I get a bacon ranch grilled chicken salad. Sure I would love to have the fries and chicken nuggets, but I refuse to go backwards. I do have a tremendous willpower when needed and boy has it been needed this last 17 months.

I'm the official cake baker in the family for birthday celebrations, just had one this week. I wont even take a bite, but sometimes I'll bring a 60 calorie sugar free pudding to eat instead. Our family plans one celebration meal per month at a restaurant and I just view the nutrition info the day before going and preplan my meal and work the rest of the day around that.

Because I had 145 pounds to lose, I set 10 pound goals for rewards and they had nothing to do with food. I bought a new high tech kitchen scale, a new hi tech bathroom scale, lo-cal cookbooks, a HRM, weights for using in my pool, new shoes for walking, etc.

Also, I subscribed to every healthy food blog I could find and totally changed the way I was eating (gradually of course). My downfall was pizza. Now I can make any pizza I want with Flatout flat bread for 300-350 calories and eat the whole thing.

I've had double knee replacements which places some limits on my exercising but I have found that in the pool, I can do anything and everything and still burn the calories I need to burn.

Take a before picture and plenty of pictures in between. Measure, measure, measure yourself. Dont think of it as a diet, think of it as life changes so that you will live a healthier life and be around for a much longer time.

Of the course of the last 17 months, I no longer have sleep apnea, high blood pressure, etc. For the first time in many years, my blood panel numbers are all within normal limits. I looked at my father's side of the family and saw heart disease everywhere and on my mother's side it was diabetes and strokes. I keep that in mind, that I am looking at a double whammy if i dont succeed this time. That helps keep me motivated. And of.course, changing sizes was a pure joy! I started at a 26W and am now a size 10.

When you are feeling like binging, go brush your teeth. i used to do this a lot. Fresh clean teeth/mouth always helped me to not put food in my mouth. And when all else fails, come to mfp and ask for help. There are usually people on line 24/7 that can help you thru it! Good luck in your new life!

HowieTwoPointZero

the problem with this world and most of the people on this forum is everyone wants results but nobody wants to work hard.

again no offense to anyone but if you get off your butt eat a little less workout a little more you will see results. nothing anyone else says or does will ever motivate you to do anything. motivation comes from within so until you dig deep down within yourself you will not find the motivation you need.


all those childhood books your read and movies you watched the morale of the story was always to search within for the answers so now is the time for you to put you big girl panties on and search within yourself for your motivation.

you can say i am blunt you can say i am an a hole but the truth is the truth and sometimes everyone needs to hear the truth...

Oh you.

You're trying way to hard to troll dude. Just relax.

Have a cheeseburger.

montana_girl

I've lost over 100 pounds and I wish there was some kind of magic "motivation," but there isn't. And I really wish it got easier with the more weight you lose, but it doesn't. If anything, it gets harder. Okay, that may just be me...

It took me 6 years to lose 100 pounds, but I had made a committment to myself that I was not going to give up, no matter how long it took. I faltered, fell, and failed many times during the 6 years, but I began to look at those moments as learning experiences... and that kept me motivated. I knew I could lose the weight, so I kept plugging away and eventually it "clicked" and the weight came off.

Now that I'm at maintenance, it's just as hard (if not harder) to keep the weight off. Why? Because I have spent nearly my entire life losing weight, so when I got to maintenance I had no concept of staying at that same weight. But those six years of ups and downs has given me a lot of knowledge and resources to keep the weight off.

So to answer your question... my motivation changed over the years. Sometimes it was fear (health reasons, dying young), sometimes it was vanity (wanted to look good), sometimes it was an inner strength to see what I could accomplish. Just keep in mind whatever motivates you to stay on track today, may not be what motifvates you tomorrow. Some days you will lose the motivation... but just keep going and it does come back.

And congrats on your success thus far! You are doing awesome! :flowerforyou:

FrnkLft

I subscribe to the notion that willpower is an exhaustable resource, not an absolute quality that you either have or don't have.

I'm able to resist much more when I feel great and don't have to bother with thing, than when I'm stressed or sick.

Only you know yourself well enough, but why not have a cheeseburger here or there? If you're accounting for your calories properly, and you are otherwise looking out for your nutrition, I don't see anything wrong with that.

Good article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/09/your-money/09shortcuts.html?_r=0

* DO NOT get wrapped up in the details and psychology, for all the analysis, it's really not that complicated. Just focus on the over all concept as it applies.

tigermom12

I, too, am an emotional eater. I went to a nutritionist and she recommended the book called "Intuitive Eating". I have just started the book but so far it's really good.

legnarevocrednu

why do you need motivation if you already cheated to win the game?????


my question is not meant to offend

And here we go with the ignorance!

it is far from ignorant; i was on my death bed from weight was cooped up in a hospital for 9 days with tubes and all kinds of other **** coming out of my body but i didnt take the easy way out.

so i want to know why does one need to be motivated when they have had surgery. isnt the hard part done?

Who said it was the easy way out? And who defines what is "hard"? Each person is different. Stop making assumptions about other people and their lives. Often times, people can gain the weight back after a surgery, so you STILL have to watch what you eat and work out. My sister gained most of her weight back after weightloss surgery. It is, and will always be, a struggle.

melindanew

why do you need motivation if you already cheated to win the game?????


my question is not meant to offend

Huh, because it absolutely is offensive. So there's that.

melindanew

the problem with this world and most of the people on this forum is everyone wants results but nobody wants to work hard.

again no offense to anyone but if you get off your butt eat a little less workout a little more you will see results. nothing anyone else says or does will ever motivate you to do anything. motivation comes from within so until you dig deep down within yourself you will not find the motivation you need.


all those childhood books your read and movies you watched the morale of the story was always to search within for the answers so now is the time for you to put you big girl panties on and search within yourself for your motivation.

you can say i am blunt you can say i am an a hole but the truth is the truth and sometimes everyone needs to hear the truth...

Why do you keep saying no offence, when you clearly came into a thread posted by someone who had WLS and have gone out of your want to be offensive?

I have probably been trolled and lost here.

denisebrinkley

Please share some pointers and tips.....please.

Thank you

Miss_Jenna

The first step to losing weight is 100% mental. My biggest motivation is to be thinner for an upcoming cruise. I don't want to be too heavy to do some of the excursions if there is a weight limit. I'd like to be able to put on a wetsuit if needed or not worry about if I'm going to fit in the roller coaster ride. Another source of motivation is to fit into my old clothes. I've kept a pair of jeans for 13 years that I used to wear in Jr. High. I have so many old clothes because I've been telling myself for years that I'm going to lose the weight. Lately it's gotten harder and harder to work out. I force myself to get dressed and put my shoes on and just do it. I think of how I'll feel after the workout when I'm tired and sweaty. I think of how good the shower after will feel and how proud I will be of myself. I think about how my workout tonight will affect the number on the scale tomorrow morning. The hardest part of working out is showing up.

I cut out all candy/ice cream (that's my personal weakness) since the beginning of March. Went cold turkey. I had major headaches the first few days, but that has subsided and right now I never want to each that junk again. As for McDonalds (and all fast food chains), do some research about what's in their food and how Tyson treats their chickens. Once you see what's in their food and what it does to your body, you won't want to eat it again! If not for the animal cruelty, for the pure fat and the fact that chemicals are added so that you trick your brain into eating more when you've already had your fill. It affects salads too.

For the British:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/on-the-menu-at-mcdonalds-78-additives-some-may-be-harmful-767533.html

For the Americans:
http://courantblogs.com/bottom-line/beyond-pink-slime-more-fast-food-chemicals/

Our bodies are machines and we are exactly what we eat. I would never recommend any fast food joint, not even one time!
If your body could audibly speak to you, do you think it'd ask for a Big Mac or for fresh vegetables and grilled chicken?

cubbies77

Would it help if you allowed yourself to have a cheeseburger (or chicken nuggets or fries or whatever) once a week as a treat? It would help keep you motivated throughout the week instead of feeling deprived. You could even make it a challenge for yourself, something like, "If I exercise for X amount of time X number of days this week, I can have McDonald's for lunch on Saturday." If you don't exercise, you don't get your treat. You're only accountable to yourself, so you have to be honest about it.

I found that once I started eating fast food once per week, I got to a point where I recognized myself feeling horrible after I ate it. After eating well all week, my body reacted to the salt and sugar. I felt bloated and awful. Eventually, I got to a point where now I don't even want it anymore. Every so often, I feel like having a Big Mac, but we're talking maybe once every month or two. I get my Big Mac, eat it, enjoy it, and don't want it again for another month or two.

I hope that helps.

mahanaibu

Forget the stupid insulting people, and congratulations on your very significant weight loss so far that has already made you much healthier.

Obviously, I'm nowhere near where you were, but before I even started the MFP journey, my husband and I worked with a nutritionist who taught us about whole foods, use of fruits and vegetables, keeping blood sugar stable and gave us this really good advice: If you['re going to succeed long term, you have to learn to love your new foods. In other words, We're not going to have the will over the long haul if we're not really happy with our food and we keep craving the stuff that got us to this point in the first place.

She taught us ideas and even recipes for making healthy foods that were delicious and pretty easy, Like lasagna that uses broiled eggplant in place of the noodles. I'm not a huge vegetable loved all on my own, but if I cut them up and roast them well, they're like the biggest treat. Peanut stew, Turkish stew, stuffed mushrooms, they're all so much yummier than McDonald'd--but I have to admit that although we're all loving our healthy, lower-calorie foods, it's a lot of food prep.

She also taught us her trick for avoiding junk food, which is to "undress" it. When she thinks of a hamburger bun, she just imagines sees a pile of white flower and yeast with water thrown in. She pictures the pink slime that fast-food hamburgers include. You know, most hamburger is made form bits and pieces of a whole lot of different cows. It's not like they took a nice steak or roast and put it through the grinder for you. She taught us to chop and saute a peeled apple, onion, a little garlic, add a little red pepper flakes, and mix it in with ground chicken or turkey breast to make a hamburger that's juicy and so yummy. It's kind of hard to get turned on by McDonald's when you can have a burger like that. My teenager asks for them, so you know they have to be pretty tempting.

naturallyme36

Stop overthinking the whole process and just live YOUR best life. The one YOU dream about, talk about and sing about. This is YOUR journey and the choices that YOU make are YOURS. Hold yourself accountable for everything that YOU do in life and do not look back years from now and wonder what happened to the precious time that you spent obsessing over the " spilled milk". Stay close to Mother Earth and ask YOUR Higher Power to give YOU the strength to know how to embrace all that she (mother earth) has to offer you and there You will find YOUR peace and YOUR answers that YOU are looking for. Good Luck to you while you travel on this journey and I pray that this road leads you to a place that you can sit back, take a deep breath and feel that it was all worth it!!!!!!:flowerforyou: