I'm having a hard time sticking to anything

honeylissabee · April 2013

I've been struggling with sticking to a diet. I've tried just about everything in the past. Since November, I've tried South Beach, Weight Watchers, counting calories on both Sparkpeople and MFP, and just trying to eat healthier in general. I also tried a Paleo diet for a week. I've lost a few pounds here or there, but I've never been able to stick to anything for more than a week or two. Most of the time, I'm lucky if I last more than a day or two.

I'm just not sure what to do. When I tried South Beach and Paleo, I did alright to start (I lost 6 pounds in a week on a Paleo Diet),but I constantly craved all I couldn't eat. I definitely do better with calorie counting in that respect. I think having forbidden foods is a recipe for disaster- at least for me.

At the same time, I've never been a math person, and I HATE dealing with numbers. On top of that, trying to plan out my meals ahead of time is a challenge on MFP simply because I don't know how many calories I'll have to spend each day based on my activity level (I wear a Fitbit 24/7). I might have 1,200 calories total for the day (estimated by dinnertime), or I might have 2,000. It really can vary, and it's hard for me to keep up.

Plus, like I said before, I HATE NUMBERS. They stress me out immensely. I always feel like I'm hungrier when I'm counting calories.

Not to mention that eating things like whole eggs, whole milk, nuts, and full-fat cheese seem like waste of calories compared to lower-fat options- but I definitely prefer the full-fat dairy and whole eggs. I almost feel like I'm being "punished" when I pour a 150 calorie cup of whole milk when I know I can save about 50 calories and have skim milk- even though i know there are benefits to drinking the full-fat dairy (plus, it tastes better, in my opinion).

I will say, however, that in the past, I was successful with counting calories for about a month or so, but that was nearly 2 years ago, and I have not had any success since then.

CristinaL1983 · April 2013

I'm not sure if you have the mobile app but if you do, you can look under the weekly tab and see your weekly average. If you look at a few weeks, it might be easier for you to just pick the average number of calories that you use and shoot for somewhere around that each day. That way, you won't have to worry so much about the daily variances and it will help with your planning. The weight loss should be the same if you stick with your exercise program.

I do mostly low fat dairy (1% milk, low fat yogurt, etc...) but usually eat whole eggs, etc...

I love math and I work out way more numbers than anyone would need to so it's hard for me to come up with good suggestions for someone who doesn't like math... :laugh:

rieann84 · April 2013

Check out this post for a different perspective and something that you might be able to stick with for a long while:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937709-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

I wish I could say I was a success story from using that method, but I've just started. I can tell you though, that I am much happier since coming out of the 1200 calorie mind-set. I have the willpower to stick to a workout regimen, but food has always been a problem for me. Good luck to you!

Carolyn_79 · April 2013

Honestly, it sounds like you're just not ready to commit to losing weight. If I've offended you, then I apologize. I would suggest as the previous poster mentioned eating the same amount each day by finding an average. If you use the Scooby calculator, it'll give you a daily calorie number to eat based on your weekly activity level. I'd suggest using that method first.

Secondly, make sure not to go too low on calories because that will just mean you're hungry all the time and that's no fun. I wouldn't go higher than a 20% cut from your Total daily energy expenditure.

I know it's difficult in the beginning but you have to be motivated to do this. I hope you can find that motivation within you. Good luck!

pinkcloudrising · April 2013

Hi HoneyLB,

Something that struck me when I read your post is how much it resembles my behavior with trying to lose weight. I tend to try something and when it doesn't magically work overnight or in a week, I stop doing it and declare it as a scam or as not for me.

The only time something did was South Beach which I did religiously for four months. When I stopped using the tools of South Beach I gained back the weight and was never able to get back that level of success with it. I kept waiting for it to be as easy as it was the first time and when it wasn't I'd go back to my old behavior.

I found MFP in February and have been using it to log what I eat everyday and to manage my caloric and carb intake. Surprisingly, I am seeing success. Not the overnight type of success but the kind where I am being consistent, and sticking with it no matter what. I fill in my Food Diary the night before 98% of the time. I do fill in a day or two at most after. It is a habit that I like and it helps me to stay focused, helps me stay committed to changing my eating patterns.

I had never counted calories prior to finding MFP. I like that I can eat what I want as long as I keep within my caloric commitment. I don't always stick with the calories, but I am still so far ahead of what I used to eat. It is a very good tool for me in that I can see every day how much I will weigh in 5 weeks if I keep eating the way I did that day. It allows me to see exactly how much food I am eating and what it is doing to my weight loss goal.

I say all this to say stick with MFP. It is a simple to use and effective tool. But you have to use it. My suggestions to you is 1) start logging what you plan to eat for the next day. I do it the night before so that I am not just free-forming and grazing.

2) Keep what you eat within the amount of calories that it is suggested you eat to reach your weight loss goal . If you find that you are hungry after eating the food that you committed, you can adjust it up. If you find you aren't eating a lot of the food you committed, you can adjust the calories down.

3) At the end of the night, record what you actually ate. There is no judgement on what you do or don't eat. It is your mouth; you decide what does and doesn't go in it.

My motto this year is STICK WITH IT. No matter what, stick wit it.

Good luck to you. You can do it.

honeylissabee · April 2013

I decided to put in my result from one of those BMR/TDEE calculators as my target for MFP and it said that I will have an 18 calorie deficit. I wonder if one of my problems with MFP is that I keep second guessing where I have my calorie goals set.

Now, contrary to what people might think, I HAVE been successful in losing weight. In December, I lost about 7 pounds on Weight Watchers, but then I just lost motivation. It wasn't that I was dieting and not losing any weight. I was dieting. I was losing weight. And I just stopped. THAT is what bothers me.

My best friend just joined Weight Watchers again, and I am considering joining him, but I hesitate because I can't seem to stick to calorie counting. Why should WW work?

healthygreek · April 2013

I think you're problem is you are stuck on the concept of "going on a diet". When you decide to really make a lifestyle change, you will be very successful in the long run instead of losing interest and going back to what you knew.
I love MFP cause I get to eat whatever I want in the amounts I want as long as I stick to my calorie limit. If I want to eat more-I move more. I've been on MFP since the end of Dec. and I've lost 13 pounds. I'm 5 pounds away from my goal and I know that sooner or later, I will get there. I'm not on a diet and I'm so happy this way. "Diets" never did me any good-quite the opposite in fact.

enitsirhck · April 2013

I think you're problem is you are stuck on the concept of "going on a diet". When you decide to really make a lifestyle change, you will be very successful in the long run instead of losing interest and going back to what you knew.
I love MFP cause I get to eat whatever I want in the amounts I want as long as I stick to my calorie limit. If I want to eat more-I move more. I've been on MFP since the end of Dec. and I've lost 13 pounds. I'm 5 pounds away from my goal and I know that sooner or later, I will get there. I'm not on a diet and I'm so happy this way. "Diets" never did me any good-quite the opposite in fact.

I agree with this. Food is fuel - what you need to ask yourself is what do you want to do with the energy food is giving you. Just looking at your exercise diary honeylissabee, I can't tell what exercise activities you're doing, if any. So as an example, my "goal activities" are to do well in kickboxing, and to improve at lifting weights. So after researching these activities, I know that it's important that I meet my protein goals to build muscle and my carb and calorie goals to supply energy so that my body doesn't try to "burn" my muscles instead. When I wasn't paying attention to carbs, I wasn't getting enough and I craved "bad" foods, my lifts stalled, my weight plateued. Now that I make sure that I get closer to ALL my nutrition goals, instead of just worrying about calories, I get closer to my goals. And when I decide what to eat, I'm not thinking about what I am "denying" myself, but rather choosing the absolutely best fuel to run my body.

It's also important to recognize what you crave, when, and why, and make sure you have something "better" prepared to substitute. Another example from my life: I noticed that every day right when I got to work I craved some kind of sweet breakfast pastry. Between breakfast and getting to work there's often about 2.5 hours for me (long commute) so I recognized that it would be a good idea to eat something around then. So now I bake a load of little mini muffins using health substitutions (yogurt, apple sauce, agave, etc) . Then I get my morsel of "sweet" and the craving is satisfied without blowing my whole day (I was in Panera bread yesterday and my mind was BLOWN that their muffins are like 500 calories. ARE THEY CRAZY?!)

And that's my advice, hope it helps.

axialmeow · April 2013

This is harsh but you are just making excuses. You dont have to like numbers to be sucessful. You dont have to follow a plan perfectly to be successful. You just have to WANT it and be ready. Maybe you arent ready?

tasson · April 2013

I think you're problem is you are stuck on the concept of "going on a diet". When you decide to really make a lifestyle change, you will be very successful in the long run instead of losing interest and going back to what you knew.
I love MFP cause I get to eat whatever I want in the amounts I want as long as I stick to my calorie limit. If I want to eat more-I move more. I've been on MFP since the end of Dec. and I've lost 13 pounds. I'm 5 pounds away from my goal and I know that sooner or later, I will get there. I'm not on a diet and I'm so happy this way. "Diets" never did me any good-quite the opposite in fact.

I agree with this too. It is a lifestyle change. Is it a need or a want? Do you want to eat because you have pains from hunger or are you just grazing. I eat 5-6 times a day. I go with 300 - 400 calories for three meals and around 100 calories for snacks. It is a process and you need to be patient. Soon you will learn to read your body's signals that "it is time to eat."

bcattoes · April 2013

You may be over-thinking this just a bit. Just eat less than you did when you were gaining weight. Or eat the same and burn more. Or a combination of both. If restriction diets don't work for you, then don't do them. They have no advantage.

It's really very siimple. Don't overeat.

bikinisuited · April 2013

You may be over-thinking this just a bit. Just eat less than you did when you were gaining weight. Or eat the same and burn more. Or a combination of both. If restriction diets don't work for you, then don't do them. They have no advantage.

It's really very siimple. Don't overeat.

100% agree. Simple as this. Honestly going to bed hungry is the only way knowing that you are meeting a deficit, input calories and is not the complicated. Start a little walking buddy system and you willl get there. You do have to plan your meals and log your food...;0).

traceytwink · April 2013

Try reading a book called the seven secrets of slim people it explains why no diet will work, and it also tells you no food is banned you eat what you want it's worth a read ????

medaud10 · April 2013

I started out almost 2 years ago just deciding that each meal I was going to chose healthy food. I didn't even think of dieting, just make a healthy choice. The in January of last year I started MFP and religiously kept track of my food. I don't think of it as counting calories but rather keeping track of the food I ate. I also started exercising a little at a time and the weight started to come off. I am now maintaining and exercise 5 days a week and haven't missed a day on MFP since January of last year. This is the first time in decades of yoyo dieting that the weight hasn't atarted to creep back on after reaching my goal weight. I eat right and exercise. That is a healthy lifestyle.

smithntuck · April 2013

I know I will probably get dogged for saying this, but when I was at 277lbs and had tried and tried and tried again, I went to a bariatric clinic for help. 119lbs later, I can say that I am very glad that I did. I needed an appetite suppressant while I relearned how to eat. I used it for about 5 months, under a dr's care, and went very low carb and sugar free with lean protiens. This has been the only way that I have ever not felt deprived or hangry all the time. I have been at it on my own, without the meds, for almost 10 months now, and only have about 13 lbs left to my goal. I know, it's not for everyone, but just saying what worked for me.

willnorton · April 2013

please join me on my vegan journey

Healthydiner65 · April 2013

Hi HoneyLB,

Something that struck me when I read your post is how much it resembles my behavior with trying to lose weight. I tend to try something and when it doesn't magically work overnight or in a week, I stop doing it and declare it as a scam or as not for me.

The only time something did was South Beach which I did religiously for four months. When I stopped using the tools of South Beach I gained back the weight and was never able to get back that level of success with it. I kept waiting for it to be as easy as it was the first time and when it wasn't I'd go back to my old behavior.

I found MFP in February and have been using it to log what I eat everyday and to manage my caloric and carb intake. Surprisingly, I am seeing success. Not the overnight type of success but the kind where I am being consistent, and sticking with it no matter what. I fill in my Food Diary the night before 98% of the time. I do fill in a day or two at most after. It is a habit that I like and it helps me to stay focused, helps me stay committed to changing my eating patterns.

I had never counted calories prior to finding MFP. I like that I can eat what I want as long as I keep within my caloric commitment. I don't always stick with the calories, but I am still so far ahead of what I used to eat. It is a very good tool for me in that I can see every day how much I will weigh in 5 weeks if I keep eating the way I did that day. It allows me to see exactly how much food I am eating and what it is doing to my weight loss goal.

I say all this to say stick with MFP. It is a simple to use and effective tool. But you have to use it. My suggestions to you is 1) start logging what you plan to eat for the next day. I do it the night before so that I am not just free-forming and grazing.

2) Keep what you eat within the amount of calories that it is suggested you eat to reach your weight loss goal . If you find that you are hungry after eating the food that you committed, you can adjust it up. If you find you aren't eating a lot of the food you committed, you can adjust the calories down.

3) At the end of the night, record what you actually ate. There is no judgement on what you do or don't eat. It is your mouth; you decide what does and doesn't go in it.

My motto this year is STICK WITH IT. No matter what, stick wit it.

Good luck to you. You can do it.

I couldn't have said it better!!!

DopeItUp · April 2013

I'm willing to bet 90% of the people here aren't math/numbers people. You don't have to be, it's first grade math. Don't use that as an excuse. If you really want to lose weight badly enough, some simple math and 5 minutes of logging your food every day wouldn't even be the slightest obstacle. The process of weight loss is extremely simple and easy really. The hard part is having the motivation and the dedication to do it long-term. If you don't have that, you'll never succeed.

Having said that, I can see how the issue with your fitbit could be annoying. That would annoy me too. Why not take the last 30 days of your fitbit numbers and average it out. Then eat that average amount every day. Seems much simpler....wearing a fitbit every day seems like an inconvenience that really isn't necessary. I doubt that the fitbit is very accurate in the first place (no method is). Just a thought. Getting too obsessive with the numbers will not work long term in my opinion, because nothing is truly accurate. Whether it be measuring your intake or measuring your expenditure, there is considerable inaccuracy everywhere.

I'm having a hard time sticking to anything

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