How did you stay motivated while trying to lose 100 pnds?

Sure I struggle and the odd time I do have take out.. I just looked at the big picture on how healthy I would be when I do finally hit maintenance. I feel better, I look better, I breath better, I have more energy,, Keep looking at the big picture and you will eventually get there.. Good luck.

I normally tell myself straight away, "I don't do that any more". My brain believes it and the urge goes away pretty much instantly. Replacing a bad comforting habit with a good habit is helpful too. So when you drive past McDonalds and feel like you just have to have some, drive to the nearest park and walk briskly or jog around the park. Once your done, you most likely wont crave bad food anymore. To stay motivated I pretty much constantly envision success.

I stayed motivated because I did not miss anything at all!
I still eat whatever I want, whenever I want, but cut down on quantities.
Best example is McDonalds! I used to have a burger with fries and soda, another burger and some chicken nuggets. Now I only have 2 burgers, no fries, no soda and no nuggets. Cuts calories into half.
Same with all the rest of my food. Instead of having a whole chocolate bar, I only eat a few pieces of it. Chocolate is my addiction ;-)

You don't need to avoid everything you like. You only need to avoid having it all, at the same time.

I wouldn't have made it this far with restrictions. I still have a life. I still want to go out, eat at restaurants, have a drink, fast food, dessert, without regrets!!! My weight loss is VERY slow because of this, but is IS going down.

Well, another motivation of mine is my personal trainer. My weight loss has slowed down too because of working out with him, doing lots of muscle and strength training, building up a new body. I lost more inches than lbs, and I look a lot better now that I would without all of this.

Hi there. I lost 110 pounds in a year. I think the death of my mom at a young age is part of what helped me. I look at my children and I don't want them to have the heart break I did of losing their mom too soon. I knew I was digging my early grave every time I made poor food choices. Once the pounds started coming off and I was moving through smaller clothing sizes it became easier. Hang in there. Just remind yourself of why you're doing this.

why do you need motivation if you already cheated to win the game?????


my question is not meant to offend

Congratulations on losing 54 lbs!

If you aren't already doing it, I highly recommend therapy/counseling. I know it isn't for everyone, but working through the issues that taught me to turn to food for comfort from an early age and figuring out the triggers, observing how I felt (before, during, after),etc. all has really helped.

I agree that deprivation is silly, but I do believe that some of us do have food addictions. Maybe not to the food itself, but to the act of eating, the practice of soothing, etc. I am 28 lbs into a 92 lb loss. At the beginning I did eat my favorite foods, in moderation. Now I've changed my diet enough that I don't really want the foods I wanted before.

You'll figure it out!

Thanks from me, too! *bump!*

Well at first, I just cut out all the junk...went cold turkey. I lost my craving for it. Now that I'm only 15 pounds away from goal, I do tend to fit some goodies within my calories. I suggest maybe going to a support group for people who have had a surgery? I'm sure they all struggle with the same thing, and can offer some good advice. Also, post encouraging quotes in your car (or on the fridge, wherever the cravings hit you the most). That way, if you think you are going to pull in to McDonalds, read the quote, and remind yourself that you deserve to be healthy and live a long, happy life. I have a quote at my desk right now that says "Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall." We're not always going to eat perfectly, or get to the gym every week, but it's the not giving up part that counts!! Now that I've lost 105 pounds, I'm very scared about gaining it back, so I'm super careful. But like I said, I count my calories and I work out as much as I can. Just do the best you can, focus on the benefits of eating well and working out, and you WILL get there. Feel free to add me! Good luck with the rest of your journey!

The hardest part is getting past the demons in your head! the ones that says "ITS OK TO EAT A FEW M&M's, a cheeseburger, chips, fries," or whatever your comfrot food is. Your body is not hungry, its your head! I am finally starting to get a grasp on it myself. But it is an every day battle. And its a matter of working every day to maintain the plan you and your surgeon has laid out for you. Good luck to you and fight the good fight.

why do you need motivation if you already cheated to win the game?????


my question is not meant to offend

And here we go with the ignorance!

Hi there. I have lost 54 pounds with weight-loss surgery and still have 100 more to lose. Boy, oh boy, it is not easy. The surgery part of it was but the food triggers afterwards are a big challenge for me. Whoever said this was taking the easy way out is so wrong! :sad:

My dilemma is as follows: Every time I drive by a McDonald's I hear it calling my name. I'm not physically hungry but I find comfort in eating fast/junk food. Prior to surgery, I made a commitment to myself and want to honor it. I don't want to be obese for the remainder of my life. I WILL NOT be obese for the remainder of my life.

If you lost 100 pnds or more, how did you do it? I mean, how in the world did you avoid fast food or whatever your addiction was? I need some good advice please. How did you stay in control?!

I can relate. I used to hear the sweet siren call of greasy gross fast food. And I had 100 pounds to lose too, I've lost more than half so far. I can say with relief and gratitude that I no longer struggle with cravings and I would as soon eat McDonald's as battery acid.

Here is what I have learned:
* My cravings were 99% physical in origin. My body was STARVED for nutrients.
* When I consistently fed my body large doses of good nutrients and adequate calories, 99% of my cravings went away.
* Turns out I was not as out of control as I thought.
* Turns out I was not the emotional eater I thought.

Our body does not have a "voice" -- it speaks to us through cravings. It does not necessarily want us to go to McDonalds. But when our brain gets a chemical/hormone signal for calories and specific nutrients like fats/proteins, it interprets that signal through the framework of what it is accustomed to eating. If it has more associations with McDonalds for protein/calories than it does for a chicken-and-veggie dinner, then MickeyD's will start to look enticing. But you can "reprogram" your cravings by filling yourself up every day with the right amount of protein/carb/fat via whole, healthy, natural foods.

I still get occasional "cravings." But they are gentle (because I respond quickly, so they don't need to escalate to urgent), and I tend to get cravings for more of what I already eat: Another tablespoon of walnuts in my oatmeal.... another half of that protein bar... another half cup of grapes....

So the good news is that cravings are perfectly normal and healthy. It's your body talking to you! And as you upgrade your diet, your cravings will naturally upgrade too. You never have to worry about being tormented by cravings. You will learn to give in to them joyfully and feel good about that extra scoop of walnuts or extra two ounces of salmon. :flowerforyou:

To quit the drive through habit, I locked my purse in the trunk every time I drove. Worked like a charm!

but i didnt take the easy way out.

so i want to know why does one need to be motivated when they have had surgery. isnt the hard part done?

I lost 110 pounds WITHOUT surgery but I know many people that have had WLS and by all means it is NOT the easy way out. I think you need to just bugger off this post. The OP needs help and to not have her feelings stomped on.

For me, the more I try to avoid & deny my cravings, the worse it gets.

I had McDonalds for dinner last night. I had water, half of a small fries, and one basic small cheeseburger with only one bun. I came in at around 300 calories for that meal.

Today there was green frosted chocolate cake and jelly filled doughnuts in the pool. I took a super-thin slice of cake (maybe 1/2 inch wide), and ate two bites before throwing the rest away. I took half of a jelly doughnut, took 2 bites, and then threw the rest away.

You have to work on your mind that is where the problem lies. You have to want to be healthier more than you want the Mc D's.

Think about something esle or turn up the radio when driving by or keep a protein bar handy to take a quick bite and say to yourself, hey I don't need that crap!! Water is another help, will help you feel fuller!!!

I struggle everyday and I don't win everyday but I never give up and thats the key!!

WLS is only a tool and is NOT the easy way out, make the most of your tool!!!

Keep the faith and stay in the fight!!!