Sticking to Diet...Why is it so hard??

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MizStephanie
MizStephanie Posts: 51 Member
in Motivation and Support
I find that the hardest part of this whole weight loss thing is staying consistent. How do you make it a lifestyle and stick to not over eating sometimes???

I do so well and then fluctuate 5-6 pounds...been like this forever even when i'm at my best....why is it so hard to find balance and keep losing??

Stories/help/motivation??

THANKS!!
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Replies

  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
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    When you say overeat, what do you mean? Do you mean gorge for days at a time and not exercise? Or do mean, having a night out and eating past your calorie goals? I always have one day a week where I go over my daily goal, but over the long haul, i'm always under. You have to WANT IT to stick with it. I never skip a week of exercise, if I can't make the day I've planned, I fit it in another day. NO EXCUSES!
  • MizStephanie
    MizStephanie Posts: 51 Member
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    When you say overeat, what do you mean? Do you mean gorge for days at a time and not exercise? Or do mean, having a night out and eating past your calorie goals? I always have one day a week where I go over my daily goal, but over the long haul, i'm always under. You have to WANT IT to stick with it. I never skip a week of exercise, if I can't make the day I've planned, I fit it in another day. NO EXCUSES!

    Yes basically binge...saying "screw it" and then keep going for a couple days...then it puts me in a stupor that is hard to get out of.
  • BroiledNotFried
    BroiledNotFried Posts: 446 Member
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    I do the same thing. I start out losingj - say 8 pounds. Then, I lose motivation. I miss a day counting my calories. Then, a week missed. Then two weeks. Then, i get back on the scale after 4 weeks from this site . . . and I'm 10 pounds heavier.
  • 12skipafew99100
    12skipafew99100 Posts: 1,669 Member
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    I have similar habits but NO MORE! I'm sticking to it this time!

    I know now you earn your body.
  • Yunnieh
    Yunnieh Posts: 89 Member
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    Having support helps. When i feel like ''**** it'' I have support which tell me '' Don't, you'll regret it''
  • spangey13
    spangey13 Posts: 294
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    I have done this before.
    And you feel crap don't you?

    Today for example, I walked up to the shop, got some change out of my bag and almost walked in and bought chocolate. What made me stop was that whole "you will regret this later" thing. And I put my change in my bag and walked right on past.

    Next time you're about to fall off the wagon think to yourself about how you felt when you jumped on the scales after your last binge. It is enough to make me think twice about it.
  • AwesomeOne66
    AwesomeOne66 Posts: 220
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    Hey, I like what he said about no excuses...that's very true...I just went for a 3km walk in my lunch break while everyone else at work lamented that it's raining! I feel awesome, they probably all still feel like crap!

    For me, the key is to LOSE THE WORD DIET from your vocabulary...permanently. A diet is a short term solution, something you're gonna do for a purpose, then revert back to the way it was before. What you really want to do is make healthy choices and seek alternatives to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt rubbish foods. Those things are just bad habits. Change your habits...for life.

    Once you commit to changing those things on a daily basis, they will become automatic and your body will reject the rubbish and will reject over-eating.

    Make a commitment to you...you are worth it.
  • jmeyer925
    jmeyer925 Posts: 326 Member
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    Find foods that are healthier and surround yourself with it :smile:
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
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    Maybe you are too tough on yourself when you are following your plan. Yes, you need to eat less and move more, but you also need to be humanand allow life to get in the way of your "diet" sometimes. And work really hard to remember that it isn't all or nothing.

    Plan that you will eat well and exercise often. Also plan that you might go over your calories or under your minutes occasionally. Make the on plan more days often than the off plan days.

    Sometimes if you are too restrictive, it's really hard to stay on plan and then when you fall off plan, it's easy to stay that way because nobody wants to exercise and eat cardboard 24X7X365.

    Just a thought that you could examine how you are trying to accomplish your goals, see if it's working---and if not, then adjust your process.

    Barb
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,312 Member
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    It takes motivation and willpower. If you don't have either of those, you are probably doomed. The word "binge" is not in my vocab as I don't and never really have done.. Do I have cheat meals? Hell yeah do I overeat sometimes? Yeah, but try not to now.

    All in all, it takes motivation and willpower. You need to have the mindset to lose weight. You have to be able to say "NO" even when people are telling you it's not so bad for you.
  • TArnold2012
    TArnold2012 Posts: 929 Member
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    Because diets DO NOT work, its about a lifestyle change.
  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
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    When you say overeat, what do you mean? Do you mean gorge for days at a time and not exercise? Or do mean, having a night out and eating past your calorie goals? I always have one day a week where I go over my daily goal, but over the long haul, i'm always under. You have to WANT IT to stick with it. I never skip a week of exercise, if I can't make the day I've planned, I fit it in another day. NO EXCUSES!

    Yes basically binge...saying "screw it" and then keep going for a couple days...then it puts me in a stupor that is hard to get out of.

    THERE is your problem. If you have a binge day, start fresh the next and over the long haul, you'll be in deficit. Don't let food defeat you. YOU choose what you eat or don't eat, you choose when you exercise or don't exercise. Isn't that an amazing power to have? To be able to CHOOSE to change? I find it spectacular! I know that my choices will make the difference and that is what drives me to always be consistent. That doesn't mean I don't eat. I go out, have drinks, eat good food(I live in San Fran, the foodie capitol of the USA!), but I exercise, eat right the majority of the time, plan out my weeks as much as I can and aim to be in calorie deficit overall. Plan your work, and work your plan!
  • charelg
    charelg Posts: 599 Member
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    I totally feel ya. For majority of days I'm under, but there are those few days that late at night I end up eating something salty and sweet. Those days are the reason my scale stopped going down :(. I guess like anything it just takes will power and commitment. I'm committed to exercising 6 days a week as far as diet, I just try and stay under as much as I can....and just keep going.
  • Mrkroehl8488
    Mrkroehl8488 Posts: 21
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    I am right there with you! I have the hardest time after a day or two off, then I want to just say "screw it" and I always feel so sad about it. Trying hard every day is my only option, and that also depresses me because I hate that I have to constantly try to hard to be healthy when people around me can just eat what they want and not worry.

    *Sigh* Here's to trying hard to be a better you. I am really just going to make this a new life style and know that I will feel better in a couple weeks.
  • MizStephanie
    MizStephanie Posts: 51 Member
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    Thanks guys for all the support....and no I am not on a diet or restrict anything...

    Sometimes I just end up feeling really full somedays and then keep going ......It's all about willpower and knowing when enough is enough. Thinking about how you will feel the next day and regret it. Today was a good day. Just gotta keep it up :)
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
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    As everyone else said, will power.
    One "binge" will not hurt your progress. You have to learn to forgive and forget and just get back to your normal diet. Make sure you don't do any compensation for bad days as it can become a cycle. You got this. Good luck!
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
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    had mcdonalds today. still in caloric deficit. whats so hard,

    just order 1 burger, instead of 5
  • MizStephanie
    MizStephanie Posts: 51 Member
    Options
    When you say overeat, what do you mean? Do you mean gorge for days at a time and not exercise? Or do mean, having a night out and eating past your calorie goals? I always have one day a week where I go over my daily goal, but over the long haul, i'm always under. You have to WANT IT to stick with it. I never skip a week of exercise, if I can't make the day I've planned, I fit it in another day. NO EXCUSES!

    Yes basically binge...saying "screw it" and then keep going for a couple days...then it puts me in a stupor that is hard to get out of.

    THERE is your problem. If you have a binge day, start fresh the next and over the long haul, you'll be in deficit. Don't let food defeat you. YOU choose what you eat or don't eat, you choose when you exercise or don't exercise. Isn't that an amazing power to have? To be able to CHOOSE to change? I find it spectacular! I know that my choices will make the difference and that is what drives me to always be consistent. That doesn't mean I don't eat. I go out, have drinks, eat good food(I live in San Fran, the foodie capitol of the USA!), but I exercise, eat right the majority of the time, plan out my weeks as much as I can and aim to be in calorie deficit overall. Plan your work, and work your plan!

    I totally agree this this....and trust me if you knew how many times I say "Okay I am not going to binge today I am going to be fine." and then it cycles for a couple of days. I live in SF too, so I can totally relate!! All this delicious delivery food....its hard. But good advice, I need to stick with it!
  • acawle00
    acawle00 Posts: 28 Member
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    I'm a visual person. When I have a screw-it-everything-in-sight day, I set a motivational quote about not letting one bad day set you back as the background on my phone/iPad. As for daily motivation to keep me on track, I have multiple split screen shots of me at my smallest, heaviest, and current weight. Being able to actually see in front of me what I could look like if I eat right or what I could look like if I don't has really made all the difference. From January to July I did the whole lose a little gain it all back. Then I implemented these visuals in late July and, aside from a few days on vacation, I haven't gone more than 2 days without tracking and staying under my goal. You might also try continuing to track when you are binging. It might open your eyes to how much you are actually eating. Then when you finish tracking for the day and your projected weight is more than your current weight it might snap you back into it. But bottom line, if something is important to you then you will find a way to make it happen, if it isn't, you will find an excuse! Good luck!!!!
  • MizStephanie
    MizStephanie Posts: 51 Member
    Options
    I'm a visual person. When I have a screw-it-everything-in-sight day, I set a motivational quote about not letting one bad day set you back as the background on my phone/iPad. As for daily motivation to keep me on track, I have multiple split screen shots of me at my smallest, heaviest, and current weight. Being able to actually see in front of me what I could look like if I eat right or what I could look like if I don't has really made all the difference. From January to July I did the whole lose a little gain it all back. Then I implemented these visuals in late July and, aside from a few days on vacation, I haven't gone more than 2 days without tracking and staying under my goal. You might also try continuing to track when you are binging. It might open your eyes to how much you are actually eating. Then when you finish tracking for the day and your projected weight is more than your current weight it might snap you back into it. But bottom line, if something is important to you then you will find a way to make it happen, if it isn't, you will find an excuse! Good luck!!!!

    This is amazing! I am very visual too so this will help for sure. I JUST ordered the IPhone and will be here in a couple days. I am going to use your ideas and am very excited about it. Thanks so much!!

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