Quite discouraged

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ladyallen18
ladyallen18 Posts: 26 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm sorry to be writing such a sappy post lol. But I'm in need of encouragement. I've recently put on the weight I lost 5 years ago, and now I have a grand total of 100 lbs to lose. I have no idea where to start at this point because it seems impossible. I understand the importance of baby steps (5 or 10 lbs at a time), but I'm so used to looking at the big picture.

Anyway, does anyone have tips on where to start? You guys do such a great job motivating people like me, I love hearing your stories. Thanks you in advance!

-Sarah

Replies

  • jscupp1016
    jscupp1016 Posts: 52 Member
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    You can't start out by thinking about those pounds you gained back, you have to just say, okay... this is where I am right now, this is where I want to be.. and these are the things I have to do. Just forgive yourself those pounds, they happened, they are there, you have to keep positive to get that motivation you need to jumpstart yourself! Okay, so you think you need to lose 100, well... start with a monthly goal instead. Like.. say tomorrow is when you designate Day One. Good, now you have 30 days to lose, we'll say 10 lbs. Start like all the rest of us do... evaluate your diet! What are you eating? How much? Cut those calories, see if you can eat just 1200 a day. If you can't.... then you will have to exercise... go to the gym, even if you do it 25 minutes a day, it would be so much better than not at all. Pump yourself up! Tell yourself how awesome you are going to look when you are done, buy some motivation jeans... but not like ridiculous size it will take forever to get in.... go down like two sizes. Just two! You'll feel so much better when you can fit into them and wear them around..... then buy two sizes down from those.

    Little things go a long way! Take some extra time and put on your makeup and fluff your hair and wear something flattering... people notice the extra and they may throw some compliments your way. All the better to boost that awesomeness we are shooting for!

    Tell yourself you can do it. You can!
  • mamajenb
    mamajenb Posts: 53 Member
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    it can be overwhelming to look at the big picture. I like to set smaller goals where I get a fun treat like new jeans, makeup or shoes and that seems to help.
  • deniseblossoms
    deniseblossoms Posts: 373 Member
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    Start by figuring out how much you need to eat. There's a thread floating around called in place of a road map that has some great advice. Or you could use scoobys workshop or fat2fit to figure out your bmr and tdee. I will disagree about the 1200. It's not a one size fits all. Go to either or both of those web sites and plug your numbers.

    Start logging everything you eat. Get a scale if you don't have one and weigh and measure everything that goes into your mouth.

    Don't stress. Keep the big picture in view. It took you several years to put this weight back on, give yourself some time to take it back off but keep working at it.

    And get moving, exercise if you can or move more through out your day, it all adds up.
  • ladyallen18
    ladyallen18 Posts: 26 Member
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    Thank you ladies. It means a lot hearing your advice and experiences along the way.
  • deniseblossoms
    deniseblossoms Posts: 373 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Funny just went back out to the main page and there the link was.
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Instead of looking at this as a diet to lose weight, think of it as modifying your eating habits to become healthier, which means eating good foods and portion control. Modifying your eating habits is something you can sustain indefinitely. It's not a short term "diet" fix- it's really dealing with your problem and taking control of your health. Next, take measurements - can't stress that enough. I didn't, and I really regret it now. Measurements can be your best friend when they're going down but the scale isn't, and chances are you'll see that at least once or twice on your journey to health - most of us do. Don't compare yourself and how quickly or slowly you're losing weight to anyone else's weight loss journey. We're all different and what works for one may or may not work for another. And, lastly, listen to people who are being supportive but don't take the meanies to heart. Our journey is hard but we will all get there, but there are people out there who somehow get off on making others feel bad about their diets or progress or really any kind of button they can push. Don't listen to them. Slow and steady really does win the race.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
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    For me, the best place that I started was to figure out what my goals were. I wanted to be more fit and built than I was - so I designed a plan that I could follow and stuck to it. Sure, it's a long way and there are times when your goal seems just a bit out of your reach; that's normal. Those are the times when you just go ahead and keep doing it.

    Just don't forget to balance things out - when you're hard on yourself, make time to give yourself a break or a reward too. It really helps to keep your head in the game and on track.
  • japruzze
    japruzze Posts: 453 Member
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    First, you have to commit to making a lifestyle change, not going on a diet. Second, you need to start. Set weekly goals that are attainable and build on them each week. Start with something like....

    Week 1: I will log all my food and stay with in my calorie goal.
    Week 2: in addition to week 1's goal, I will exercise at least 3 times this week for at least 30 minutes each time (do anything).
    And keep going... Build on it. And monthly, reward yourself for your achievements...go to a movie (no popcorn!), buy a new scarf, something you love to do, and not food related.

    Good luck! I've lost 170 lbs and still have around 20 to go. It's not easy, but it's worth it.
  • ladyallen18
    ladyallen18 Posts: 26 Member
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    Denise, that link was quite helpful! Very interesting stuff. According to the calculations, I'm not eating anywhere close to my BMR. Would that explain why I'm so hungry at the end of the day?

    And japruzze, good for you! That's awesome!

    I think my biggest goal right now, BJLeech, is to look good in photos! I've always been the bigger girl in my group of friends, and every picture my entire life has looked ugly to me. I just smiled and thought to myself it is what it is. I thought at one point that maybe I need to hang out with bigger friends to make myself look smaller ;)
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
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    That was kind of a goal for me too... call it a secondary goal - ha! But once you know what your goal is, you've won half the battle. Now you have to work on getting there - which is more of a war of attrition than anything else.

    Also, I always blame the photographer for bad pics... heh!
  • stacey062909
    stacey062909 Posts: 27 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as you. Feel free to add me. I log on everyday and I'm a great support system. If you have any questions message me! :flowerforyou:
  • cagigglez
    cagigglez Posts: 3
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    Don't look at the big picture at all. I would say the first step would be to look at the healthier choices you can make for yourself. Don't go on a fad diet and get discouraged, think of new ways that you can add healthy into your life. Do you like going for walks? hikes? swimming? Do you like to cook? One of my biggest problems was that my busy lifestyle and the variety of schedules in my household really made it difficult to hunker down an eating schedule. Now I try to eat every 3 hours to maintain my metabolism and I try to cook myself, only eating out maybe once a week. I love fast food- it's so easy, convenient, and yummy. But my new schedule has helped me to stop craving it, and enjoy it when I do have it. Right now I'm trying to get back on track and work out more. But they really are baby steps. Every week, you add another step...What can I do this week that would make me a healthier person. Don't just think about your diet or exercise...think about you too...are you getting enough sleep? are you getting enough time to relax? are you stressed? Look at the holistic you :) I hope this helps a little! You can add me as a friend if you want, I've got about 100 to lose too, so it's nice to have a friend going through the same thing.
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
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    I started out by crying and trying to walk my way around the block in between huffing and puffing and taking a rest every few steps. Start anywhere and work from there. That first effort is the most difficult-and you likely already know it does get easier.
  • britneyy32
    britneyy32 Posts: 97 Member
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    What might help motivate you is that when you have a lot of weight to lose, usually once you start dieting it flies off fast. The last few lbs are really the hardest to lose!
  • yougogal
    yougogal Posts: 1
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    Wow, that is encouraging for me! Just concentrating on a day at a time!
  • dhakiyya
    dhakiyya Posts: 481 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Funny just went back out to the main page and there the link was.

    ^^^^ this

    if you eat just the right amount of calories (less than you're burning off but not too much less) you get slow, steady, sustainable fat loss. Feed your body the nutrients it needs and have less healthy foods in moderation (i.e. keep it within your calorie goal) and you're much more likely to be able to stick at it for life and therefore maintain your new, healthy weight for life. And do exercise to keep your body composition healthy, plus exercising regularly means you can eat more and still lose weight.

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