Why am I like this?
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First, Happy Wonderful Birthday!
Second, as you can see many people relate to what you are experiencing...it's called procrastination! When you commit, you will commit. No one can give you the magic words to make you do it.
My advice? DON'T DIET! Give yourself permission to eat whatever you want - the catch? LOG it. Faithfully log it. It really wasn't until I started logging everything that it changed for me. When you write it down it makes you conscious of not only what you are eating, but how much you are eating. Writing it down has motivated me to make healthier food choices and manage my portions. I don't freak out of we are going out to eat. If I want something "fattening" I order it, and eat less of it. The scale is finally budging. I was exercising and being active, but I was eating WAY too much.
Everyday is a new beginning! Stay away from regrets over yesterday and focus on today, and on what you want to achieve. I think a big problem is that everyone wants instant gratification - but you know what? Your birthday will roll around again next year and will you still be asking yourself the same wrong questions - like why you are NOT doing something? Or will you have given your WANTS some wings?
A goal is an intention with legs. Take action. It's the only thing that works.0 -
Give yourself the best birthday present...the choice to start today. If you have cake...just take half as much...and celebrate knowing that in one year you'll be "reborn" in a healthier body. Concentrate on one day at a time and if you have a "bad day" once in awhile...so what...it's the long haul that matters. Forgive and move on. Eat a smaller portion of the less healthy foods and add a lot more veggies and fruits. They'll help fill you up so you aren't hungry. It's a matter of substituting better foods. And move...even if it's to take a walk, play a sport or head to a gym. Each good thing you do for yourself is an added gift to YOU. And yes, those who succeed and keep off the weight haven't been on a diet. They've changed their way of eating and learned how to include all the things they have always loved, but in moderation.
Have a great first day of becoming healthier.0 -
That is why I wonder WHY I am like this? what is going to take for me to realize THIS IS IT?
This is something that we can't tell you. You have to figure this out on your own. Once you make that self-discovery you will be well on your way.
What triggers weight loss is different for everyone. For me, I tried and failed a thousand times. It took me having a miscarriage in November to realize that I needed to get healthier. For me, it's not about the weight loss, but it's about being healthy. The weight loss comes as an added bonus.
YOU have to find that trigger, that thing that's going to make YOU tick and motivate YOU.0 -
I would agree with what others have said.
Work on your self control most importantly. Just say NO to yourself, no matter how much that food is calling to you.
Take baby steps. Try just logging the food first. Once you start doing that consistently try eating in the appropriate calorie range. This may takes weeks or months but it's a start.
Weight loss takes a lot of self control and patience and I feel like everyone struggles with this at first not just you.0 -
That is why I wonder WHY I am like this? what is going to take for me to realize THIS IS IT?
This is something that we can't tell you. You have to figure this out on your own. Once you make that self-discovery you will be well on your way.
What triggers weight loss is different for everyone. For me, I tried and failed a thousand times. It took me having a miscarriage in November to realize that I needed to get healthier. For me, it's not about the weight loss, but it's about being healthy. The weight loss comes as an added bonus.
YOU have to find that trigger, that thing that's going to make YOU tick and motivate YOU.
Thanks a lot!!! I will seriously give it a try from today.0 -
Sometimes the prospect of a "lifestyle change" is too overwhelming. Make a list of 5 healthy habits you want to incorporate...like drink more water, cut down on soda, eat one green veggie everyday, walk 2 miles, etc. Then pick one, just one of those habits and focus on that for 2 weeks. After you have mastered one habit, choose another. The small victories may give you more confidence to continue to make changes.0
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First, Happy Wonderful Birthday!
Second, as you can see many people relate to what you are experiencing...it's called procrastination! When you commit, you will commit. No one can give you the magic words to make you do it.
My advice? DON'T DIET! Give yourself permission to eat whatever you want - the catch? LOG it. Faithfully log it. It really wasn't until I started logging everything that it changed for me. When you write it down it makes you conscious of not only what you are eating, but how much you are eating. Writing it down has motivated me to make healthier food choices and manage my portions. I don't freak out of we are going out to eat. If I want something "fattening" I order it, and eat less of it. The scale is finally budging. I was exercising and being active, but I was eating WAY too much.
Everyday is a new beginning! Stay away from regrets over yesterday and focus on today, and on what you want to achieve. I think a big problem is that everyone wants instant gratification - but you know what? Your birthday will roll around again next year and will you still be asking yourself the same wrong questions - like why you are NOT doing something? Or will you have given your WANTS some wings?
A goal is an intention with legs. Take action. It's the only thing that works.
This is the best advice ever! No "diet" will ever work because food is an individual experience. Look at some of the open diaries on MFP and you will be amazed! No two are alike because people are "snowflakes" when it comes to the food they like to eat, when they like to eat and what they choose to make their "indulgences." The thing they all have in common is portion control. So, eat what you are used to, like and want, but LOG IT. Slowly, you will begin to make changes based on your preferences and as long as you have your calories set correctly, you will drop the pounds. You probably did not gain all the weight you want to lose in a week and you will not lose it in a week. Happy Birthday and vow to be at your goal weight for your next birthday! Less pressure that way as well :laugh:0 -
First, Happy Wonderful Birthday!
Second, as you can see many people relate to what you are experiencing...it's called procrastination! When you commit, you will commit. No one can give you the magic words to make you do it.
My advice? DON'T DIET! Give yourself permission to eat whatever you want - the catch? LOG it. Faithfully log it. It really wasn't until I started logging everything that it changed for me. When you write it down it makes you conscious of not only what you are eating, but how much you are eating. Writing it down has motivated me to make healthier food choices and manage my portions. I don't freak out of we are going out to eat. If I want something "fattening" I order it, and eat less of it. The scale is finally budging. I was exercising and being active, but I was eating WAY too much.
Everyday is a new beginning! Stay away from regrets over yesterday and focus on today, and on what you want to achieve. I think a big problem is that everyone wants instant gratification - but you know what? Your birthday will roll around again next year and will you still be asking yourself the same wrong questions - like why you are NOT doing something? Or will you have given your WANTS some wings?
A goal is an intention with legs. Take action. It's the only thing that works.
^This is perfect.
Log everything. You will aspire to lower calories so you don't shame yourself. Then you will aspire to exercise so you can eat more calories. Then the food you will eat will be healthier and you can eat more of it. Then the exercise will make you feel better so you do it all the time no matter what. It's a snowball effect, and it's beautiful and fun, and for some of us who need motivation this site is perfect. Log everything!0 -
Sometimes the prospect of a "lifestyle change" is too overwhelming. Make a list of 5 healthy habits you want to incorporate...like drink more water, cut down on soda, eat one green veggie everyday, walk 2 miles, etc. Then pick one, just one of those habits and focus on that for 2 weeks. After you have mastered one habit, choose another. The small victories may give you more confidence to continue to make changes.
AWESOME IDEA!! I AM GOING TO DO THIS.0 -
First, Happy Wonderful Birthday!
Second, as you can see many people relate to what you are experiencing...it's called procrastination! When you commit, you will commit. No one can give you the magic words to make you do it.
My advice? DON'T DIET! Give yourself permission to eat whatever you want - the catch? LOG it. Faithfully log it. It really wasn't until I started logging everything that it changed for me. When you write it down it makes you conscious of not only what you are eating, but how much you are eating. Writing it down has motivated me to make healthier food choices and manage my portions. I don't freak out of we are going out to eat. If I want something "fattening" I order it, and eat less of it. The scale is finally budging. I was exercising and being active, but I was eating WAY too much.
Everyday is a new beginning! Stay away from regrets over yesterday and focus on today, and on what you want to achieve. I think a big problem is that everyone wants instant gratification - but you know what? Your birthday will roll around again next year and will you still be asking yourself the same wrong questions - like why you are NOT doing something? Or will you have given your WANTS some wings?
A goal is an intention with legs. Take action. It's the only thing that works.
This is the best advice ever! No "diet" will ever work because food is an individual experience. Look at some of the open diaries on MFP and you will be amazed! No two are alike because people are "snowflakes" when it comes to the food they like to eat, when they like to eat and what they choose to make their "indulgences." The thing they all have in common is portion control. So, eat what you are used to, like and want, but LOG IT. Slowly, you will begin to make changes based on your preferences and as long as you have your calories set correctly, you will drop the pounds. You probably did not gain all the weight you want to lose in a week and you will not lose it in a week. Happy Birthday and vow to be at your goal weight for your next birthday! Less pressure that way as well :laugh:
Thanks, I had really thought I was on right path and I had found key to success when I first started MFP in last march. Not sure when I got off track and back at how much I weighed last Jan...:( I really wanted to make big news on b'day regarding weight loss and healthy life style. Well, Let me not get discouraged any further and TAKE THAT STEP for my next bday....:)
I would like to thank everyone who has responded to my msg with their support and advises...:)0 -
That is why I wonder WHY I am like this? what is going to take for me to realize THIS IS IT?
This is something that we can't tell you. You have to figure this out on your own. Once you make that self-discovery you will be well on your way.
What triggers weight loss is different for everyone. For me, I tried and failed a thousand times. It took me having a miscarriage in November to realize that I needed to get healthier. For me, it's not about the weight loss, but it's about being healthy. The weight loss comes as an added bonus.
YOU have to find that trigger, that thing that's going to make YOU tick and motivate YOU.
Thanks a lot!!! I will seriously give it a try from today.
Don't just give it a try - DO IT! When you say try you're giving yourself the option to fail. When you say you're going to do it - that means that you're giving it all you've got.0 -
Read something in another post yesterday that may help you.
Don't say "I'm going to do better, get fitter, eat healthier."
Say "I am going to walk 30 minutes a day. I am going to eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal. I am going to drink water instead of Coke with my dinners." CONCRETE things.
To lose a pound a week, you need an imbalance of 500 calories a day. You can do that with all food, with all exercise, or with both. Look through the exercise database at MFP and find something you can do that will burn an extra 250 calories. It might be something as simple as a brisk 45-minute walk. Can you commit to doing that? Can you work it into your life in some way?
Track your food for several weeks. Look through your diaries. Do you see a pattern? Do you see where you could cut 250 calories out of your day? For me, this was relatively easy and just took portion control on certain snacks and foods, not giving them up completely. Tracking your intake lets you see that.
Try committing to moving your body 30 minutes a day and tracking everything you eat as accurately as you can. Use scales and measuring cups -- don't guess. Doing those two things are concrete, defined tasks you can check off a checklist at the end of every day. "Did I move my body?" Yes/no. Did I write down everythign I ate?" Yes/no. Much clearer than "did I eat better? Did I get fitter?0 -
Ok first off....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Next ...sit down and write down your goals both long term and short term.
If you are someone like me who is use to using food as comfort, learning moderation and really utilizing the tools MFP offers will most likely be a life saver for you.
Set your calories....(I find MFP sets them kind of low, so I initially added a few hundred extra cals when I originally first started....around 1600 cals). Goals need to be attainable....like "Meet my calorie goal every day" or "Exercise 3 days a week"..."Exercise 4 days a week"...
Pick one short term goal for each week and really focus on it....sometimes breaking it down can really help get your mind in the game...master one thing at a time. You do great one week meeting/staying within your calorie goals...next week move on to drinking enough water. Once you get your food intake under control...then start working on getting the exercise. (I'm only suggesting this as I got from your original post that eating mindlessly is your vice at the moment so attack that first).
This weight loss thing takes a lot of time and patience. You will absolutely have days where you wanna throw in the towel but that's giving up on yourself and that is unacceptable. I really wish I had heard these types of statements in this thread back 2 years ago when I started...while it's taking a while to chip away at it, I'm making progress ...and my lifestyle is slowly improving.
Being healthy isn't just about counting calories and food...it's about being happy mentally, enjoying life, etc....so embrace the changes, pick yourself up after you fall and you will have no other outcome but success.
Good luck!0 -
Give yourself the best birthday present...the choice to start today. If you have cake...just take half as much...and celebrate knowing that in one year you'll be "reborn" in a healthier body. Concentrate on one day at a time and if you have a "bad day" once in awhile...so what...it's the long haul that matters. Forgive and move on. Eat a smaller portion of the less healthy foods and add a lot more veggies and fruits. They'll help fill you up so you aren't hungry. It's a matter of substituting better foods. And move...even if it's to take a walk, play a sport or head to a gym. Each good thing you do for yourself is an added gift to YOU. And yes, those who succeed and keep off the weight haven't been on a diet. They've changed their way of eating and learned how to include all the things they have always loved, but in moderation.
Have a great first day of becoming healthier.
This is the best advice I have seen in reply to your post. Happy Birthday! I do not know your age and dealing with life changes are different at different ages. Make sure you have a medical check up so there are no underlying medical issues to deal with. Then follow what was said above. Cut back, don't cut out. So many of us just over eat, we don't have to stop eating foods, we just need to eat less of them. My trick was I no longer use a dinner plate, switch to a salad plate. Same with soup/cereal bowl. Switch to a smaller version. It is amazing what this can do over time. Baby steps!!! Good luck. Add me as a friend if you wish. I would like to help any way I can.0 -
From reading this thread, I'm getting the impression that your problem is that you change a lot of things for a short amount of time and then go back to normal (like, you'll follow a diet plan for 5 months and then go back to your old habits).
So if that doesn't work, why don't you try changing one thing at a time? For example, switch to frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, or start drinking water instead of soda. Once that change has become habit, move on to another one. Replace one of your daily snack breaks with a workout. Take the stairs whenever you have the option. And once that's a habit, make another one. Don't make it a diet, don't make it a plan, make it your "normal".
There is no time limit. You don't have to lose a pound a week consistently to live healthier and feel better about yourself. Take it easy. It doesn't matter how slowly you progress, as long as you are constantly working toward your goal.0 -
this for sure! It hit me at the beginning of this year. I also got help seeing a therapist because I realized I am a compulsive eater and when I am down I stuff my face. Seeing a therapist has really helped me to open up and use other tools to deal with things other than food. But you really have to want it. I have wanted it my whole life but I basically hit rock bottom recently and you can only go up from there
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I would recommend hiring a personal trainer at the gym, or maybe even a nutritionist. I hired a personal trainer at the gym (who also provides me with nutrional guidance) and I found that once I had someone else telling me what to do it was a lot easier cause I wasn't always questioning if what I am doing is the right thing. Then you can build some new habits together and both be accountable for your progress. This will also build some expectations on you part (i.e. you have to follow what they say) so that in itself should motivate you to do it. You should have regular meetings with this person so that you keep it up and develop a routine.
I know that these kinds of thigns are pretty expensive to do and it took a lot for me to actualyl agree to do it cause I was afraid of dishing out the $$ for a PT. But now, 6 months later, I do not regret it one little bit.
If $$ is an issue for you, look up some personal adds for "gym buddy". There are other people out there who liek to have ap artner because again, it helps with accountability. You might be able to find someone in the same boat as you and you can do it together!
Good luck with everything!0 -
Hi! I completely understand and relate to your frustrations. My problem is more of self-sabotage. I do great for a few weeks then fall off the wagon big time. I am a firm believer of finding what works best for you.
There may be that little chubby demon inside of you that screams "you're never going to lose weight....it's never going to work....stop kidding yourself, etc. etc. etc." BUT you have to look at youself in the mirror and say "Food is not going to control me. I DON'T WANT TO BE "FAT" ANYMORE!" Believe when I say that food is ALWAYS going to be there. You are not "missing" out on anything by cutting down on eating processed foods aka french fries, fake mexican food, dollar menu food.
No matter how much advice you get from others - it truly boils down to just you. You have to make the decision to stop/cut back on eating the food that your body can't handle. I'm sorry this might not be of much help but try with little changes and streadily progress. Eat whole what pasta instead of white, each ground turkey instead of ground beef, eat a NY Strip Steak instead of Ribeye...
Good luck babe!0 -
Read something in another post yesterday that may help you.
Don't say "I'm going to do better, get fitter, eat healthier."
Say "I am going to walk 30 minutes a day. I am going to eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal. I am going to drink water instead of Coke with my dinners." CONCRETE things.
To lose a pound a week, you need an imbalance of 500 calories a day. You can do that with all food, with all exercise, or with both. Look through the exercise database at MFP and find something you can do that will burn an extra 250 calories. It might be something as simple as a brisk 45-minute walk. Can you commit to doing that? Can you work it into your life in some way?
Track your food for several weeks. Look through your diaries. Do you see a pattern? Do you see where you could cut 250 calories out of your day? For me, this was relatively easy and just took portion control on certain snacks and foods, not giving them up completely. Tracking your intake lets you see that.
Try committing to moving your body 30 minutes a day and tracking everything you eat as accurately as you can. Use scales and measuring cups -- don't guess. Doing those two things are concrete, defined tasks you can check off a checklist at the end of every day. "Did I move my body?" Yes/no. Did I write down everythign I ate?" Yes/no. Much clearer than "did I eat better? Did I get fitter?
THIS!! Definitely this.0
http://youtu.be/l-gQLqv9f4o
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