I'm ready to give up.

The important thing is that you're on here talking about it instead of just vanishing.

You need to ask yourself one question; why do you want to lose weight? Write down five answers and read them everytime you start feeling lost. You need to keep reminding yourself why you want to do this; you can't get complacent. This is for you in six months time, and the rest of your life.

I'm sort of an all or nothing sort of person with projects. I don't want to start a project if I can't do it all in one sitting and be done. Unfortunately a lot of things in life don't work that way. So, you have to break it down and not see the big picture, break it down into small parts that you can and do achieve daily.

So, because you missed a workout, that's okay, don't beat yourself up and give up the entire day. Still try to make good food choices. If you don't make perfect choice, that's okay, try again tomorrow. If you miss a morning workout, try to squeeze something else in later in the day, even if it is not a full run. Do a 30 minute video on Youtube. You will feel better.

It's not going to happen over night, only with patience and persistence. I had to get to a point where I didn't want to start over again. I'm sick of the yo-yo. So that means I have to try every day. And if it's not perfect that is okay, but it is better than giving up.

Who is saying "just change, you just need to do it?" That is stupid advice imho.

First off, you need an attitude make over. You say you're an all-or-nothing gal. FIRST THING - That's gotta go! You gotta get into the mindset of NO MATTER HOW SLOW YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE STILL LAPPING THE PEOPLE ON THE COUCH!!!

No matter what amount of working out you do, no matter how small the good eating decisions you make are - IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING. You have to be proud of the little things, and KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A POSITIVE ATTITUDE!!!

Second - Have you tried lifting? Because lifting is super fun. Gotta change it up! Change is good!

Third - I never endorse a low-calorie diet. Maybe look into Eat More To Weigh Less? I haven't tried it yet but I've heard good things.

But MOST OF ALL!!!! STAY POSITIVE!!! You can do it, girl!!!! <3<3 ^_^

try the roadmap - find out if your targets are too low - its hard to stay on track if your calories are too low- less is not always more when it comes to weight loss. You have to be able to make this work for the long run. A smaller cut may make the journey a little longer but you will still get there.

Also if your having trouble - just try keeping close to your target. Don't worry about clean and healthy for now - just fit it in. So if your breakfast is 2 slices of pizza - flex your lunch and dinner to fit. I do that all the time - it helps if nothing is off limits.
Just know that some days your sodium will be through the roof and you will hold water weight for a few days after but it is not true weight.
Work on finding/changing one meal at a time - not the whole shebang at once - when you find a few options that work for bfast then do the same for lunch - eventually do the same for dinner. Small steps/changes can be sustained over time.

Hang in there you will get there!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

For that "all or nothing" approach, that's hard to fight: it's a part of who you are.

What you need to try and do is retrain it.

Be "all or nothing" about smaller goals.

Instead of being, "ugh, I couldn't get myself to fun this morning... I just won't do any cardio," focus on a, "Well, if I can just do extra cleaning/extra walking at lunch, I'm good."
Instead of eating that slice of cake and going, "****, I ruined my diet. Might as well stuff my face," think, "Well, let's see if I can limit it to JUST ONE. All or nothing!"

I get the all or nothing approach; like someone else said, I feel that way specifically about home projects. I have greatly retooled my mind in just being "all or nothing" about MUCH smaller goals. Focus on losing smaller amounts of weight, doing lesser amounts of calories, etc... than gradually go "bigger." That way, if you're "all or nothing," you're more likely to get back on track because it's much easier to think, "Hell, I ate 1300 instead of 1200 calories. That's only a cookie less tomorrow. I can do that."

Thank you all for the positive support - I definitely need to change my attitude, and I appreciate all of your advise. I've gotten (and read) a lot of responses to myself and others saying that I need to just do it. That i'll hit a breaking point and just do it. I appreciate each and every one of you, and truly appreciate people taking the time out to reply to me.

Thank you.

I sort of had to change my attitude so that "just do it" didn't mean doing everything perfectly all the time. But, the more I "just do it" on the little things, the more progress I'm seeing. It has been a process for me. I didn't just wake up one day and have a great eating plan and exercise plan. In fact it took me several months to realize that I was really going to have to exercise at all to reach my goal. And then it took me falling off the wagon several times to realize that it was harder to keep starting over than it is to "just do it" more regularly. Now I'm open to trying more exercising and trying different things, but when I started, I didn't even want to take a 30 minute walk. It did take awhile but now I'm to the point where I look forward to it. So, do whatever you can, and that is the building blocks so that you can do more and more.

I've been an all or nothing person my whole life and I know it's why I'm overweight! I'd start off planning a severe calorie restricted day of salads and fruit and I'd put so much pressure on myself to eat perfectly clean I'd (naturally) cave in and pig out. And pig out BIG TIME I knew I had to start a severe calorie restriction diet the next day so I may as well have made the most of it. And the cycle would continue most days with me overeating and vowing to start my diet the next day. Sound familiar? My very slim colleague I used to sit next to used to have a banana and a small mars bar for lunch most days. It made me think...I'd never eat chocolate and fruit in the same day never mind the same meal! But that's why I'm overweight and he's not. Now I know when you're trying to lose weight you probably can't really eat a mars bar every day. But how about eat healthy and have a treat every third day? Yes you have to be a bit stricter than a normal maintenance diet. But too strict and your setting yourself up for a fall. I've only been on MFP for 3 weeks now but I'm really getting this now. I've cut back, eat healthy 90% of the time and eat pretty low in saturated fat. Exercised almost daily. But not starved myself and enjoyed a treat about twice a week. And lost 10 Ibs yay!

NO MATTER HOW SLOW YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE STILL LAPPING THE PEOPLE ON THE COUCH!!!


But MOST OF ALL!!!! STAY POSITIVE!!! You can do it, girl!!!! <3<3 ^_^

This is great. Attitude can make all the difference in the world.

Your stats are very close to mine, or what they used to be. And I was the same way...all or nothing. Affirming in advance that you will have bad days will help tremendously. In fact, try scheduling a few bad days. Seriously, it helps! Get through your scheduled bad day, and then plan to have a good day following that. Just allowing yourself that freedom will help in the biggest of ways! Try it! It worked for me!

Set smaller goals. Tell youself your first victory will be 155. When you get there, take a few weeks to practice maintaining it. Then get back in the game when you are ready.

I haven't necessarily been where you are, but I understand it. There are days when I just don't feel like exercising, but I make myself do it. How?

1) I talk to someone and say I really need to work out, and they push me on, and then if I don't do it, I feel like I am not only disappointing myself but the other person who was supporting me. (Guess I am a people pleaser!)

2) I try to be the motivator to friends- and how can I motivate them if I don't do it myself? If someone is looking to me for support I don't want to let them down by not being a good leader. Makes me feel that I have a responsibility to help others, and by doing so, I am helping myself. (I have quite a few friends that have just started on their journey, and I have been at it for 8 months, so they look to me as the experienced one! It's kinda funny.)

3) Ok, so this is super cheesy, but I googled fitness quotes/motivation images and saved a ton of them. If I am feeling a lack of motivation, those usually pick me up and remind me of why I am doing this (and we all have different reasons). My reasons at first were to lose weight, now it is to get strong and fit. Sometimes I just look at them, sometimes I post them on FB so my other friends can see them and be inspired. Plus, it is another way to hold yourself accountable. Don't post some fitness quote if you aren't going to back it up:)

4) I changed up my workouts. I was doing strictly cardio for a long time, and I hated it. Dreaded that hour on the machine. So, since I had been thinking of doing it for awhile, I finally went ahead and added strength training. After two weeks on my own, I met with a trainer today (free at Planet Fitness!) and we sat down for an hour and came up with a four day per week lifting routine. I am already excited about it. And then instead of climbing on the stairmaster, I took my run outside. Kind of making up my own couch to 5k routine. Change is good:)

5) When I work out- I find junk food much less appealing. I think of how I sweated my butt off in the gym and think to myself, no way I am putting junk in my mouth now. So, exercise is a plus- I am getting strong and fit, and it helps out with my eating habits. For me Working Out=Healthier food choices. I'm not angel though- sometimes working out means I can have that third glass of wine! (Or gasp, fourth!) They say that weight loss is 80% diet/nutrition, 20% working out. For me, doing that 20% is what makes me do that 80% much better.

These are things that work for me- it's different for everyone. You just have to find that motivator. If you want it bad enough, I know you can start to make changes to a healthy lifestyle. One of the biggest things I hear from you is that once you start to eat badly- you just say screw it. It doesn't have to be like that. So you had a bad meal. Enjoy the meal- then move on. Try to clean it up for the next day. I indulge, definitely. But I try to plan for it. And if I haven't planned for it, I plan for the next meal after it, or the next day, or the next week.

I read something the other day- In moments of doubt, imagine yourself a year from now, then get back to work.

I wish you the best of luck. You are on here and you are opening up a dialogue, which means you are moving in the right direction. You can do it!

When you drop your cell phone, do you stomp on it since it's already down there or do you pick it up, dust it off, and put it back to good use?

Please try not to let one slip up ruin your entire day or even week.

You can adjust your food diary. I have given myself more calories than MFP proposed. It makes it easier. It may take longer, but I'm in it for the long run.

The TDEE will probably work better for you. It gives you more calories to work with, so even if you "slip up" a bit during the day, it won't completely derail you. You'll be happier and not as hungry. Since you run so much, I assume you're getting enough carbs and such?

Oh yes, I am 5-4 also, and I would definitely kiss the ground if I could weigh 168. to me, thats skinny

Me too.! Haven't seen 168lbs since I was eight years old!!