120 lbs to lose and feeling overwhelmed

Alissakae

Take it one day at a time. It's all about changing habits. I don't really set goals for myself (like "lose 10 pounds this month") because I'm too easily discouraged. But I do reward myself each time I lost 10 pounds (I got a bracelet for the first 10 pounds lost and buy myself a charm for each 10 pounds. It's already getting filled nicely and I adore it.)

crazebeck

I concur with everyone else. Before MFP, I kept a little journal and would write down my weight loss goal for the week. I would only look at each week and not worry about the overall number because it can be overwhelming for anyone.

MFP makes it easier since all the logging can be done on our phone, as well as weight tracking.

My suggestion is;
- take it one week at a time
- remember if you "mess up" it is not the end of the world and dont sabotage your diet over one oops
- drink LOTS of water. If you get snacky, drink water first and wait - maybe you are only thirsty

This has helped me lose weight and hopefully will help you feel less overwhelmed. We are here for you!

reneeacoker

Small Goals are key! like the other posters said reward yourself! but not with food! Your a person not a dog, reward yourself with a mani/pedi or doing something you like. I only make this comment because I used to reward myself with "treats" when i got to a goal, like if i lose 10 pounds I will reward myself with ice cream ect. I ended up gaining everything i lost back. You can lose the weight and just know we are all out there doing the same thing, good luck!

MarthaMCarr

I to need to loose 100+ lbs, and I dont even know where to start.. I am a thyroid cancer survivor and i would think if I could beat that I should be able to beat the bulge..But Nooo I am having very hard time with motivation..Please add me if you can help me!!

shellane01

I set goals as well with some kind of reward when I meet them. My goal was 25 (I too am trying to lose 120). My thought was once I hit 25 I would go to cold stone and get a small portion of my favorite ice cream. When I hit 25 I did not want that ice cream any more. My next goal is 60. I am 20 away from that and my reward is a nice dinner at my favorite Japanese Restaurant. I am really looking forward to that and am driving hard to meet it.
I would love to work together with you on our goals. Just friend me.

Best of luck. You can do this.

francescainwonderland

When I first started, I weighed 230 pounds, so total I've lost about 58 pounds. When I started I had to lose around 100. That number scared the hell out of me. I tried to just take it day by day, and the thing that helped me the most and still helps me is reminding myself that time is going to pass if I'm losing weight or not. So when next year comes around, I want to be excited about my weight loss, not thinking that I should have started a year ago. Hope I helped! Good luck.

TeachTheGirl

I concur with the mini goals. In the very, very beginning for me it was just making sure I went to gym three times a week. Then it became consistently logging on MFP. Then it became drinking more water...

...with each healthy habit came new weightloss and new experiences.

You can do it!

starcrost79

A lot of people have said it, but I'll reiterate - mini goals! Check out my profile for an example of what I do. I set 5% increments, and the big ones (50 lbs, 100 lbs, when BMI changes). Also, for every 10 pounds I lose, I get a lapel pin from Disneyland! I keep them on a board by my side of the bed, to remind me of how far I've come. I'm adding the 5th tonight!

Another good motivator is to get motivating friends on here. That's helped me tremendously!

PS: Add me if you're looking for a little more friendly motivation.

JDBLY11

How do those with a lot to lose stay motivated? I feel overwhelmed by the amount of weight I have to lose and often give up before I've even started. I am interested to learn new ways to change my thinking and adopting different habits. Have any tips or sage advice to share? I could use them! Thanks!

I have 150 more lbs to lose. I break up my weight loss into 10 lb chunks on an excel spreadsheet. I mark the date when I reach the goal. I know I can lose 10 lbs 15 times.

I have a goal too. I would like to lose 100 lbs by my sisters wedding next year just so I can enjoy it and not be ashamed of myself.

Also, just because you have a lot to lose does not make you much different from the person with a little to lose. You are just going to be in weight loss mode longer, but the other person is going to be in maintenance longer, so really the two people are not far apart.

It is a lifelong change.

The results of doing the right thing with your eating are always worth it on every level. Even if you lost really slowly or never got to goal you would still be better off for having started the journey.

thepetiterunner

There's a few things I would suggest:

Make a list of reasons why you're on this path to fitness and better health and put each one on a post-it, then wallpaper your life with it (bathroom, bedroom, kitchen - on the fridge, at work, etc). These reminders can help keep you on track.

Remember that it's the journey - remind yourself of your progress and reward yourself as you go on. Remind yourself that you've been making good decisions and taking care of yourself. Those are the important things - teaching yourself the habits of a healthy lifestyle.

Try new fun things! Weight loss doesn't have to be all negative and things you "have" to do. Try new sports - kayaking, running, kick boxing, etc, whatever you want!

And most importantly - allow yourself to mess up from time to time, because you will. Plan for your failures as much as for your successes

losindood

How do those with a lot to lose stay motivated? I feel overwhelmed by the amount of weight I have to lose and often give up before I've even started. I am interested to learn new ways to change my thinking and adopting different habits. Have any tips or sage advice to share? I could use them! Thanks!

When I started I was "sure" I'd never lose what I wanted or needed to. But I started anyway. I committed to never being over my MFP calories for the day. What that means for me is if I eat a little too much I hit the gym or walk or ride my bike before I go to bed. I do this every day.

I stay motivated by remembering how bad I felt before I started and being committed to never go back there. Positive reinforcement from friends and family helps too. And once you start losing, buy some new clothes. Buy some that are a little snug and you'll be totally excited when they fit! I'm down 17 inches off my waist so I've had lots of chances to do that.

Most importantly, just stick with it - IT WORKS! Good luck.

EDollah

To the OP, I'm in a very similar situation. I'm in week 6 of an effort to lose over 100 pounds. I'm finding this point, the first mile, to be a frustrating one. I say that because I think of how hard I've worked these 6 weeks and after this time, I still look pretty much the same as when I started (not a lot of difference between 340 and 320 pounds).

I take a different approach than the "small victories" though. I'm not saying what I do is better, I know it's not for everyone, but I'm presenting it as something different.

I've done a lot of planning up front. We've all set a "goal weight" but I set up a calendar of what I expect to weigh on what dates. A tool to do that can be found in this thread http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/537103-nih-body-weight-simulator

How this is helpful to me is, at times like this when it seems like the effort is fruitless, I can look at the projection and see that I am on schedule and even if my belly still juts out today, if I maintain consistency with diet and exercise, the day IS coming when I'll meet my goals.