How do you stick to it for more than a week?

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Replies

  • kepete
    kepete Posts: 268 Member
    I stopped looking at it as work & decided I wanted this for life ... Literally it was this so I could stop the cycle of heart disease & diabetes in my family!
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
    It has to be a lifestyle change. And the way I thought about it at first was just that I didn't have a choice. Like a meeting with your boss or a doctor's appointment. Don't make it an option just do it. Eventually you won't even think about it. And don't be so strict that you feel restricted. You have to find a balance and expect it to take a long time. There's no easy way out, it takes determination and persistance. I also recommend surrounding yourself with friends who motivate you and hold you accountable.
  • babymine55
    babymine55 Posts: 127 Member
    I'm with the previous posters, add some more friends, 8 isn't enough to have a community of supporters.

    I watch what other people are eating, it gives me great ideas...I get to read about other people's successes, it helps keep me motivated to stay on track. And, I have some GREAT friends on here (that I've never met in person!) who consistantly give me feedback-honest feedback.

    Most of all-YOU HAVE TO WANT SUCCESS MORE THAN THE JUNK FOOD. Find what motivates you, goal clothes, photos that inspire, photos that remind you of where you DON'T want to be. Whatever TOOL you use, be it MFP, or not, you can't fake it. Numbers don't lie.

    For me, photos of what I used to look like are SUPER motivating for me. I NEVER want to be 370 pounds again, EVER!

    Hope you find the motivation you need for long term success!! :D
  • katejkelley
    katejkelley Posts: 839 Member
    It's not easy, but I decided losing weight and getting fit was my priority. I first stopped eating processed sugar, which cut out those cravings. I can easily pass up candy and cookies others may bring into the office now. The more I eat right, the better I feel and the more energy I have, so my workouts becoming longer and more intense. But it does take some fortitude and a lot of will power. You have to take charge of what you eat and how much you exercise. It's really that simple.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    after being on here and finding all of this support, there's no place you'd rather be. I'm on this more often than Facebook, which I was totally addicted to. As soon as I lost one pound, I was back for more....
  • marthadztx
    marthadztx Posts: 337 Member
    Losing weight is one of the hardest thing to do.
    First you have to educate yourself.
    Watch you tube weight loss community videos
    Plan ahead
    Surround yourself with positive ppl who have your best interest.
    Make small attainable goals.
    Don't look at the big picture.
    Stay on MFP
    Forgive yourself for a bad day
    Move on and
    Never quit!
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    1. You have to make the decision you are serious about losing weight and getting healthy
    2. Plan, plan, plan
    a. I plan my meals for the week on the weekend
    b. I shop on the weekend
    c. I make somethings that will last during the week so I'm not preparing too much every night (like a butternut squash soup that will last 4 days (or now that it's getting cooler, a healthy chicken/vegetable soup or chili) 2 fruit & protein smoothies with spinach or greens added; homemade hot cereal (2 servings); make 4-6 snacks in advance
    d. Pack you breakfast, lunch and 2 snacks to work every day (I even bring my own thermos of coffee sweetened with Truvia (zero calories) and 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk (15 calories)
    3. Plan to get 15-30 minutes of exercise before work, during lunch and/or after work (I have a work out plan for the week too)

    Remember if you are in it for a life time (this should be life style change not a quick fix); don't do it until you are...otherwise you're setting yourself up for failure.

    "Do or Do Not, there is no Try" --- Yoda
  • wiilko
    wiilko Posts: 1
    Try making tasty but healthy treats to take to work. I work at a fast food place so i know how difficult it canbe. Tell everyone you don't like what's int he snack cupboard. Tell yourself you don't like it. Put thinspiration around your hosue, on the fridge, pantry, toilet door? even on your mirror or bedroom door? This way, you're constantly remnided of your goal. Even divide your pantry / fridge into calorie catogories, label them wil calories other than food names. this way you know what you can eat together and what you can't to stay below your calorie border :) Also, take your friends to the gym. Then it becomes something fun to do when you're bored, and you actually enjoy working out :)
  • Salvi30
    Salvi30 Posts: 196 Member
    You need MAS.

    MAS= Motivation, Ambition and Support :)
  • crazygurl456
    crazygurl456 Posts: 10 Member
    Bring some healthy snacks to work with, anything low in calories or whatever you want to limit yourself to. And you have to be able to control yourself with the amounts you eat. I have my treats everyday but I have a very small amount.

    And what keeps me going is my weekly weigh ins. I weigh myself every Friday and the amont I have lost that week is usually enough to keep me going, plus I love the support you can get from other people on MFP. We are all in this together going through the samething and it's really nice to be able to get support and feedback from so many people!!
  • danaweston
    danaweston Posts: 82
    I agree ^^^ friends help keep me accountable.
    basically I must want to fit into my jeans or I want to eat the chocolate bar...choice is yours
    the exercise helps me to make the right choice everyday.
  • goldfinger88
    goldfinger88 Posts: 686 Member
    That's the trouble with calories in, calories out - low calorie diets. They do not work. Calories in, calories out that only works short term and then is not especially healthy. A low glycemic eating plan that allows you to eat all the "quality" foods you want and to exercise briefly, once a week using a very high intensity program is scientifically proven to work.

    To learn more about the plan, you can go to The Smarter Science of Slim Website. They have lots of free podcasts and a forum, also a book. The latest scientific research shows this plan works. I'm on it myself and can attest to it.

    You're not eating enough and probably not the right foods.
  • crazygurl456
    crazygurl456 Posts: 10 Member
    For me, it was logging the food and seeing how many calories I was actually consuming on a daily basis! That was a big eye opener. I have never looked back. I used to think I had a really slow metabolism, now I wonder how I didn't weigh a lot more than I did. I was definitely addicted within the first week. Once I added friends, this is my new social network, I rarely even get on Facebook anymore.

    went through the exact same thing!!
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    When it all comes down to it, either you want it bad enough to do what you have to do to get there or you don't. No way around that.
  • Sammijo24
    Sammijo24 Posts: 74 Member
    Having friends on mfp definitely makes it not boring.
    And the way I've stuck with it is the first month I kept telling myself only 28 days. (Supposedly it only takes 28 days for something to become a habit.) So after the first month or so my new lifestyle became routine and easier. Although I still have slip ups every once in a while, but who doesnt? Thats life.
  • alychil
    alychil Posts: 1
    I was here for six and a half months, lost about 40 lbs... and then summer came and I just fell out of my habits. I'm trying to start up again, and it's very hard to get that momentum going again, but I figure that if I did it once I can do it again. After a month or so, it becomes like second nature, so just keep with it and make it a part of your routine.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    You have to have the mind set...you have to want it, want it badly enough to log on daily, watch/track what you eat, plan your meals and make friends here that can help you find the motivation to not raid the pantry, eat when bored, give in to your cravings or give up.

    I've been on/off diet plans (WW) for half my life, they work when I stick to it, but like you, after I've lost some weight (25-50 lbs), I stray, thinking I've got this food thing beat and that I can eat like I was before....and I yo yo right back up and past the fat point I was at the first time. I'm here at MFP for the first time and hoping this is the last time I need to lose the same weight. That once I lose the 100+ I need to, that I'm going to keep it off.

    It's not easy and no one should be telling you this. But its something you have to WANT, for yourself, and be committed to sticking to it (trust me, been there done that, sigh). When you are ready and in that mindset you will stick to it, and when you do, you'll see each week the weight coming off. THAT is what keeps me here (I'm relatively new, since June), getting on the scale each Sat. a.m and seeing the pounds come off.

    Good luck in your journey, whether you stick to it this time or the next.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    You can't do it without suffering. That is an inescapable fact for most people. Change... hurts... It does get better. When I quit smoking three years ago, it wasn't until the third time that it finally stuck. It hurt. I wanted cigarettes for months but I have children and I didn't want them to grow up seeing me smoke. It got better eventually; I couldn't even imagine getting any pleasure from smoking now. Now, smoking and eating are not the same. You can eat whatever you want, you just can't binge yourself in oblivion whenever you want to anymore. Not if you want to be healthy and lose weight anyway. How difficult it is to change is very dependent upon why you over-eat in the first place. If you can come to terms with the real reasons why you eat, it might make your journey easier. Good luck.
  • isabel88g
    isabel88g Posts: 77 Member
    If you really want it, You will stick to it.. I have tried losing weight before, lost 50 lbs, gained back 30 lbs. but I am done giving up and I am sticking to it.. it'll work once you realize that your health is more important than that chocolate bar or chips
  • jonchew
    jonchew Posts: 239 Member
    Either you find the will to do it, or you just stay where you are.
    This

    Yep - I agree... This! When you're ready to get serious about your health, then you'll be able to do this gladly. Personally, I don't even look at it as "dieting" anymore, just monitoring what I put into my body, and running for fun.
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
    There are always chocolates and goodies at my work, patients buy them for us as a thank you or the staff will bring them in to get us through a busy shift. Add to this the fact we are very busy and often don't get a break and it's a recipe for disaster. I have got through this by taking healthy, easy to eat snacks, protein bars, fruit, nuts, yoghurt. Anything I can grab and eat on the move. It helps, my colleagues now know I do not eat the snacks and if we have a night where we have a meal together I will bring salad or make the main course like chilli or a healthy curry. I do occasionally eat the snacks if I have calories left but generally it is easy to resist now as I have been doing it for so long. I love MFP but have loads of friends they motivate me and I hopefully motivate them. It also gives me food and exercise ideas, stick with it little longer.
  • mystikfairy61
    mystikfairy61 Posts: 80 Member
    make a list of the reasons why you want to lose weight.( health, to buy smaller clothes, whatever means the most to you and will keep you the most motivated).. read those every day and stay focused on your goal. Set small goals along the way with a non food related reward once they are reached such as a pedicure etc. Continue coming to MFP to log food, for support and motivation. We are all behind you!!

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