how to get serious

heeney12
heeney12 Posts: 22
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
okay so I have been on here for 20 days! But I can honestly say that i am not noticing changes in my mind set. I still find myself eating junk food. I seem to not listen to that voice in my head telling me not to buy the snacks that I end up eating. The other thing I struggle with is that I keep also telling myself that I will make up the calories by working out. Luckily I have been much better about working out since joining this program but I have not always burned off the calories I took in. How do I get serious and make the changes I so desperately want.

Replies

  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    You just gotta want to change... that is something you have to do within
  • t2ac
    t2ac Posts: 9
    I'm there with you. Struggling all the time with the calerie intake, however, have gotten much better at working out 3 or 4 times a week. Documenting everything I eat has also helped. My problem is I need motivation and support. Have only made on friend on here and am looking for a lot more. I'm going to friend you so maybe supporting each other will help.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    If you really want it, you'll do it. Work on portions first. You say you're eating junk...just try eating less of it. Even that will make a difference in how you feel. If you used to eat a whole bag of chips, try eating half... or have 1 or 2 TRUE servings and go from there. I had to do this. Don't stop everything all at once, you won't succeed. Gradual changes last longer.
  • jenniffer86
    jenniffer86 Posts: 65 Member
    I'm with you too.. so dont' worry your def. not alone!!
    you can friend me too if you want..
    i'm going to try again (the never ending, tomorrow i'll do better) phase. lol but we WILL reach this goal. you just have to set your mind to it!!
    think of meal plans and pack it all so its ready for you to eat (harder to make bad choices this way)
    also, for me, i'll leave my debit card of cash at home, so i cant buy something out of the blue that i really dont need~ i work downtown.. temptation is everywhere!
    stay strong..
    you'll get there..
    and remember it takes -3500 calories to lose a pound. = time. you just have to be more patient, and dont give up.
    even if u slip up today.. do good for the rest of the night. if u slip up at night, try again the next day. the biggest point, is not giving up!!
    good luck
    x
  • tkrall
    tkrall Posts: 109
    My big motivation was my clothing. I found a really cute out fit that I loved but bought it a size too small. I hung it up in my living room so when I was sitting on my couch feeding my face I could see it. So, as time went on, I really wanted to wear the out fit then eat the junk food. I'm now in the outfit, and it is falling off. Time for a new one. This worked for me.... but you have to want to do it. If your heart is not in it, then there is small chance of success!!
  • missmmk82
    missmmk82 Posts: 1
    I found a great little tip in Glamour magazine (of all places...), that really helped me change my thinking. They often have a little section that shows what you could get if you ate one thing not so healthy vs. eating a few more things that are. So, every time I get a craving for junk food (which is more often than I care to admit...) I play a game with myself: I could eat that one cookie that is 320 calories, OR I could eat carrots and celery with dip, 3 slices of cheese and 6 crackers. Do I still occasionally eat the cookie...yeah...but I find that if I give myself the two options, more often than not, I make the better choice. Good Luck! :happy:
  • irapunzel
    irapunzel Posts: 6
    I'm totally with Arielle on this one... Portion control. I've lost 20 pounds so far... But it's taken me a year and I'm surprisingly ok with that. I still eat everything I used to: pizza, chocolate, buttered popcorn, drink wine and margaritas. And, no, for the most part they're not the low calorie varieties, I just eat them less often and watch my portion size. I have tried to add the good stuff like fruits and veggies, and I usually have Cherios instead of Frosted flakes for breakfast, but I don't live a lifestyle where I can keep a lot of fresh fruit and veggies around, so that hasn't worked too well. And I have managed to add in some exercise. Some weeks are better than others, but I just keep getting back on the wagon when I fall off. It truly doesn't matter how fast it happens, just that you never give up! Good luck!
  • absie107
    absie107 Posts: 290
    Read the book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan, or his book "In Defense of Food."

    Understand what you're putting in your body, really, truly understand where it comes from and who makes it. Eat mindfully. Ask yourself - do you really want all of these ingredients in your body when you consume that junk:

    (This is just an example - take the Burger King Strawberry Milkshake, these are just what go into the 'strawberry flavoring'): amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenyl-glycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone, a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, run ether, y-undercalctone, vanillin and solvent
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
    You just gotta want to change... that is something you have to do within
    What she said. I am not gonna say I have it easy. Everyday I struggle to make the right choices, to eat the healthier things, and OH BOY would i love to go back to my old ways. But I just want to be skinny (for once in my life) a little more. I see people on here doing it and know I can too. So I chose to eat the healthier snacks.
  • DancingYogini
    DancingYogini Posts: 377
    Read the book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan, or his book "In Defense of Food."

    Understand what you're putting in your body, really, truly understand where it comes from and who makes it. Eat mindfully. Ask yourself - do you really want all of these ingredients in your body when you consume that junk:

    (This is just an example - take the Burger King Strawberry Milkshake, these are just what go into the 'strawberry flavoring'): amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenyl-glycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphenyl-2-butanone, a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, run ether, y-undercalctone, vanillin and solvent

    I agree (or course :smile: ). Anything by Michael Pollan is amazing!! A few things to try...if you are letting yourself eat junk, with the promise that you are going to work it off, reverse it...do the work out first with the junk food as a reward...I can almost guarantee that you will not want the junk after you spend the time and effort to exercise. It is a mind set, and eating junk food (read all of the ingredients in the milkshake above) is counter productive to healthy living. Also, try using a salad plate instead of a dinner plate, perfect way to control portions. People in Europe use our salad plates as their regular dinner plates!! They think our enormous plates are over the top and why we are in this so called obesity epidemic! Eat slow and mindfully, chose food that will fill you up, and keep you full. The French eat full fat foods, but they are all whole and fresh, not processed, and their meals are a lot smaller than ours. Meditate, and visualize your goals. The mind can be your best or worst enemy...believe me I know :smile: And, if you mess up or give into your cravings, DON'T beat yourself up...tomorrow is another day after all. You can do it...this site is amazing with all of the support and truly caring people :heart:
  • Sara1478
    Sara1478 Posts: 21
    I am in the same boat. I call it my food monster. The only way I was able to combat it was to own up and be honest. It is so easy to relinquish control to the food monster, but in reality the food monster IS me. Taking responsibility for what your hands bring to your mouth is a big step in overcoming it.
  • KendalBeee
    KendalBeee Posts: 2,269 Member
    I finally got it once I externalized weight loss. I don't ask myself "what do I want to eat?" I ask "what does my body need?" My body has never told me it NEEDS a twinkie or Oreo cookies or lots of potato chips (although OCCASIONALLY I give in with SMALL INDULGENCES to what *I* want). My body needs X amount of calories to function daily. If I want to lose weight, I must reduce those calories in a healthy way so my body can still function.

    When I work out, its the same.....I don't tell myself I can't do something. I try it and if my body tells me no, then I stop (which honestly doesn't happen too often). I tried belly dancing this week....my body does not easily move like that but it was still fun to try and I got an extra hour of cardio lol

    Once I lose the weight, I will still be ME. The body that carries "me" around will be different.

    Quit listening to the voice in your head and listen to your BODY. Are you really hungry or is that just bordom? Emotional eating? Cause its really good, home cooked food your mama made? (thats the hardest kind for me to turn down :love: ) Think you can't jog a little further? Stay on the elliptical any longer? Go one more lap at the pool? Give it a shot! Its amazing what our bodies are capable of doing.


    .....


    I really hope that made sense to you lol
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
    i really like the poster that suggested externalizing your weight loss. this is so important for so many of life's little issues and is used a lot in different therapies.

    i can't even weigh myself, because if i do i know i will obsess about the weight. make it a part that isn't you. a part that can be gone with treating your body really well. exercise because you need to, not because you want your weight gone. eat well because you need to, not because you want to weigh less. focus on you, not on your weight.
  • DancingYogini
    DancingYogini Posts: 377
    I finally got it once I externalized weight loss. I don't ask myself "what do I want to eat?" I ask "what does my body need?" My body has never told me it NEEDS a twinkie or Oreo cookies or lots of potato chips (although OCCASIONALLY I give in with SMALL INDULGENCES to what *I* want). My body needs X amount of calories to function daily. If I want to lose weight, I must reduce those calories in a healthy way so my body can still function.

    When I work out, its the same.....I don't tell myself I can't do something. I try it and if my body tells me no, then I stop (which honestly doesn't happen too often). I tried belly dancing this week....my body does not easily move like that but it was still fun to try and I got an extra hour of cardio lol

    Once I lose the weight, I will still be ME. The body that carries "me" around will be different.

    Quit listening to the voice in your head and listen to your BODY. Are you really hungry or is that just bordom? Emotional eating? Cause its really good, home cooked food your mama made? (thats the hardest kind for me to turn down :love: ) Think you can't jog a little further? Stay on the elliptical any longer? Go one more lap at the pool? Give it a shot! Its amazing what our bodies are capable of doing.


    .....


    I really hope that made sense to you lol

    Excellent post :smile:
  • rymattsmom
    rymattsmom Posts: 369 Member
    excellent response blombie.
    i would like to add how your mind is the biggest assett and also the biggest threat to your weight looss. Think about it, not wanting to do that last 2 minutes on the elliptical, its not a physical thing, its a mental thing. overcoming your mental blocks is completely inspiring to yourself.

    right now i am in a rut too, i tried to lose a lot of weight for my 20yr hs reunion that was last sat, since last sat i have been in a full blown out depression, it was like everything i worked for came and left. i have not worked out and did not track for about 5 days (i am back though) right now i am trying to figure myself out, and why i am feeling the way i am feeling. i have lost my mojo-sorta speak. i want it back, b/c i have more wt to lose, and i gained back 2.2lbs over the past week.

    i want this to be a lifestyle change, not done solely to look good for my reunion last weekend.
    on thing that does help is watching the biggest loser or or the new jillian michaels show losing it, as its inspiring to me and i need that to help me go forward.

    hope this helps, as i always need your help too!
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
    I started out making small changes....this week I will track ALL my calories, no matter what they are. I won't get upset if I eat over my allotted amount, but I WILL track everything. The next week: I am going to cut down on the amount of X I am eating. Week after that it continues. I don't think I added exercise in until I was sure I had my eating under control.

    While I've lost slowly and have definitely hit bumps, logs and fast food in the road, I keep going. If you mess up and eat something you weren't supposed to, thats okay. Just fix it immediately. Don't wait until the next day.

    Also, plan your meals for a week at a time and log everything you plan to eat for the day in the morning. It gives you a real sense of where you are calorie wise and allows you to make tweaks before its dinner time and you find you only have 200 cals left. And if you need a treat, then log it too. I find that if I track an icecream sandwich for my evening snack, I don't eat crap during the day because I know I get that later on.

    You can do it. Small consistent changes make the biggest differences in the end.
  • sweetoblivion314
    sweetoblivion314 Posts: 55
    You need the Willpower and Desire to change. That is what it takes. If you can't make that change you have to ask yourself if it is what you really want. Are you scared of what the change will bring? Are you comfortable in a way with how you are? Change is scary but you have to face that and work hard. If you can't stop buying the snacks then you have to ask yourself how bad you really want this.
    Personally, I dedicated myself to changing within the course of this year. I have already lost 30 pounds 7inches on my waist and gained a lot of muscle. I do not buy junk food. I do not drink anything but water tea and milk. I avoid sugar. I do not eat before bed. I do and do not do lots of things I would have before because I dedicated myself to this change.
    What do you want more, cookies or weight loss? You need to realize that you can take control of your life. You can get what you want. It is all up to you. But that means that it is all up to how much you can control yourself. Discipline and Dedication is the name of the game. If you can't muster those then you will not get what you want.
  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
    I write out a grocery list and stick to it. If it's not on the list, I don't buy it. If you don't buy it, you can't eat it. Plus if you make sure that you are full, you won't be so quick to eat junk food.
  • coffeegirl1998
    coffeegirl1998 Posts: 116 Member
    I found a great little tip in Glamour magazine (of all places...), that really helped me change my thinking. They often have a little section that shows what you could get if you ate one thing not so healthy vs. eating a few more things that are. So, every time I get a craving for junk food (which is more often than I care to admit...) I play a game with myself: I could eat that one cookie that is 320 calories, OR I could eat carrots and celery with dip, 3 slices of cheese and 6 crackers. Do I still occasionally eat the cookie...yeah...but I find that if I give myself the two options, more often than not, I make the better choice. Good Luck! :happy:
    I totally agree with that option. I know I cannot tell myself that I am not allowed to have something. If I do, that is all I want and I will pig out on it. I have found that I can still have my cookies, but in a method similar to what you describe, I tend to go with the option that gives me more bang for my buck (or calories in this case!!)
  • MrsVerhaeghe
    MrsVerhaeghe Posts: 46 Member
    Gradual changes do last longer. I also find that if you drink more water it helps a lot. When I go to the store I just dont buy the things that Im not suppose to eat. Hope this helps.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
    okay so I have been on here for 20 days! But I can honestly say that i am not noticing changes in my mind set. I still find myself eating junk food. I seem to not listen to that voice in my head telling me not to buy the snacks that I end up eating. The other thing I struggle with is that I keep also telling myself that I will make up the calories by working out. Luckily I have been much better about working out since joining this program but I have not always burned off the calories I took in. How do I get serious and make the changes I so desperately want.

    Make your food and exercise diary public, that might be a spur to get you to eat better food - especially if you religiously record everything, you will know that others will read it see.

    I am fortunate, I have an iphone, it goes everywhere with me and I input absolutely everything I eat and drink and all my exercise in it.

    I agree wholeheartedly with somebody who posted above when they said you really have to want to do it. All the goodwill in the world from loved ones and those nearest to you will not make a jot of difference if you do not have the will to change yourself.

    You have the will, you are just not using it to your advantage :wink:
  • cahndoit
    cahndoit Posts: 14 Member
    These are all great suggestions! I have been struggling to lose weight for a while now. I have basically been playing with the same 5 lbs for over a year now, gaining, losing, and regaining. I actually have about 50 lbs to lose, so it has been frustrating. I recently got the Beck Diet Solution, and it has been helpful for me. It introduced cognitive therapy techniques, and teaches you how to stick to a diet. I weighed myself today, and was finally under the 200 mark, after trying for the past 6 months. I think it has been the Beck techniques that have helped me. Good luck!
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