Short attention span for weight loss?

natashaaevans
natashaaevans Posts: 33 Member
in Motivation and Support
I just have to make it past next week (the 6 week mark) and I'll have stuck at this for longer than I have before. My fiance (who is a qualified dietitian and very supportive), says that he's noticed I seem to have a 5-6 week attention span when it comes to a healthy eating/exercise regime. I cannot deny that this is true. When I think back over the past few years, I have had periods where I've been super-keen on exercise, going to the gym twice a day, eating very healthily and cutting right back on drinking alcohol. Problem was, my interest would wane or I would get bored (probably due to lack of variety with food and exercise, and not allowing myself to have the occasional relief/night off as respite).

When I asked him cheekily a few weeks ago if he was proud of me for my progress, he said yes, but that he'd be even prouder once I made it past my apparent attention-span limit. Just tonight (Friday night when the cheese, chocolate and wine seems to be calling my name and I'm so sore from my body attack class yesterday that I can barely get off the couch!) I remembered him saying that and realised I am right at that point, 5 weeks in. I have already come so far (just past halfway to my goal). I cannot give up now!

So I'd like some advice, pretty please :) What do you do to get over the mental hump (or have you come up with a way to avoid them altogether??) ?

Replies

  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    make it a priority
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    agreed with mcbully. you need to find a way to make it a priority. sign up on fitocracy, and as you track exercise you gain points and level up. its a fun way to make it into a game.

    maybe you can sign up for a race that is in 6 months or so. and i mean like, sign up, register, and pay for it. make it a long term goal to strive for, that way it's not just something you have to do.

    i'm an engineer, so i like charts and graphs. this is mine for strength training.

    save.png
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    McBULLY nailed it,,,, you just have to...
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    All of the above plus ease up on the exercise. You don't need to go to the gym everyday, let alone twice a day. Commit to a healthier lifestyle for life and give yourself some rest periods.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    IN the beginning I had a hard time avoiding the junk so I got it all out of the house. Any unhealthy foods were out of here! After I got in the mind set that I"m going to keep up with this and I'm loving the results and how I'm feeling I started to allow things back into the house little at a time. I find that now after several months and 43 pounds lost I don't even want those junk items. I can look at that box of cookies and say well maybe later I"ll have just one. If I still want it later and have enough calories left for the day then I"ll have that ONE cookie. Its ok to treat yourself. But its not ok to eat the entire box. So if you can't resist wine then don't keep it in the house. Wait till you've lost some weight and you feel confident that you won't blow it completely and treat yourself to ONE glass of wine. YOu don't have to deprive yourself of everything. Just keep it in moderation. But I know not everyone can do that which is why I say ease into it. Get all the junk out of your house and if you do being something back into the house make it small items of what you like so you can't go over board with it. Maybe once a week buy your favorite cookies or cake but get those half cakes. I know they sell them. See them all the time. Try an angle food cake. Its low in fat and calories and you can pile on the fruit and have a small dollop of low fat whipped cream on top. Maybe shavings of dark chocolate. Have it as a treat. I treat myself at least once a week. The key is moderation and taking it one step at a time. Set small goals for yourself. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
  • Rosa1213
    Rosa1213 Posts: 456 Member
    I'm very number-oriented, so I love that MFP tells me how many days I've logged in consecutively. To me, achieving a quantified goal feels much better than an abstract one.
    So, maybe set a number for yourself to achieve? Number of days that go by without you going over your calories? Something like that.

    Also, I love telling myself "I've lost 30 pounds." Tell yourself how far you've come every day. It surely keeps me motivated when I'm feeling like I want to give up.
  • natashaaevans
    natashaaevans Posts: 33 Member
    great advice all round - thanks guys!:smile:
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    Keep on keepin' on..............................

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