i could use some help/encouragement

SpunkyShep

Hey there. My names Ryan and I really need some help. I need to motivate myself to eat better and be a healthier person over all. Its just so damn easy to stay home watch cartoons and eat cheep pre-made food.
How do you guys do it? How do you say that your not gonna eat something that you know you love the taste and is easy to make and instead choose something that costs a lot more and eat less? How can you guys stay motivated to keep getting up and exercising every day when your sore or tired from work. I've lost my drive, and my girlfriend is getting real upset that I'm not trying as hard as she wants to see. I don't know how to stay on top of this as well as everything else going on. why do you guys do it? and does anyone have some motivating stories or anything to keep my eye on the prize? it would be great appreciated. Thank you.

amarneu

You really need to want to change for yourself or you are going to hate the exercise and food changes, as for what to eat if you do want to eat something unhealthy and prepackaged go ahead but remember to fit that in your calorie goal you will have a lot less available to you to eat for the rest of the day

SonicDeathMonkey80

I was 5'10" and "skinny fat" at 180lbs. I was in ok shape, but always felt like I could use some work. I guess I just saw eating better and dropping 20lbs as a personal challenge and let my ego and pride handle the rest. I tackled eating under X calories first, then incorporated my running again (after a few months off), and now am adjusting macros to fine tune things. My girlfriend has been using this site for a while and says she has created a monster, so I guess that's a compliment! Anyway, get a food scale first. You can eat the junky stuff still, just portion it out and don't let it hog your daily calories. You'll start to realize how much junk food crowds out more filling nutrition and quickly change your ways so you aren't starving during the day. I'm in maintenance now, but I still enjoy the feeling of self control that I finally have and that I don't make excuses anymore.

Rhonnie

First, just truthfully enter what you eat into MFP - just by doing that for a week you will naturally start educating yourself about what calories are in what and what keeps you full for longer etc, you will learn so much, and in order to lose we first must gain knowledge.

Meanwhile, start looking at the success boards - there are hundreds of stories of people who started just like you. While reading those you will see lots of different 'ways' people did it - some with exercise, some with small little changes, some with drastic life style changes, etc. While reading them see which things ring true for you, which ones feel doable and start there.

While reading the boards any time someone posts a topic or answers in a topic anything that makes sense to you, or inspires you, or rings true to you ask them to be your friend - you will slowly build a support team that will be here for you every step of the way. Also friending people that are the same weight (or was when they started), age, height, etc is a good way for you to connect with people.

And above all else remember you do not fail until you quit. If you set a goal for yourself and don't make it, or if you fall off the wagon and binge one night, or whatever way you feel you didn't do what you were suppose to do, do not give yourself permission to let that derail you - you get right back to it. One mess up, one 'failure', one missed goal is not the end of it - its about the trend.

Keep in mind, you will get a lot of conflicting advice, you will hear a lot of different stratagies, you will gain weight some weeks even though you 'did everything right', you will hit plateaus, you will make mistakes, you will get injuries, your co-workers will bring cake to the office. Do what makes sense to you, make a plan for when 'things' come up, and just keep learning and evolving.

You CAN do this! It's just about deciding you will.

Katetw

you need to find a reason to be motivated. For years, I had external motivation (parents, friends, etc) and guess what? Weight won't come off that way.

YOU need to be ready, YOU need to want this, and YOU need to become dedicated to it. Think hard about why you're doing it, focus on something.

I've heard lots of different reasons and methods on here, if you look through you should be able to find a thread (or you can start a new one asking what people use to motivate themselves). Myself personally, I went up a pants and bra size, I hated how I looked even more than normal, and the kicker was the Dr's appt where I found out just how unhealthy I really was. Cholesterol test came back with terrible numbers. That really jumpstarted me.

Once you have the desire to get it done, then and only then, can you do it. To keep motivated, I am using stickk.com. If I do not keep pace with the goal I set, then I will be donating money to an anti-charity (supporting a group I despise). Obviously I do not want my money in their hands so on days when I have a hard time caring about the weight loss, I think about that.

To address your junk food question: simple answer--don't allow those products in the house. If they're not there, you can't have them.

ParkerH47

fake it till you make it I guess. After a while it is more habit than anything - the first bit is hard but if you try and put some energy into finding things you enjoy eating that are healthy and easy, and finding ways to exercise that you enjoy it will be a lot easier. If you like your life while your healthy everything is a million times easier than if you hate being healthy.

You can do it!!

KeepOnMoving

How do you want to look at your next high school reunion?
If you were stranded in the woods, lost, would you have the strength and agility to survive and endure physical stress?
What if you where on TV? Watching yourself on the screen, are you proud of how you look?
Would your girlfriend go crazy over you if you had a hot, sexy body?
(Just saying...)