Losing Motivation

Thommothebear
Thommothebear Posts: 25 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I'm 56yo and trying to lose weight and improve my fitness levels. I've been exercising and restricting calorie intake since around April. I've lost around 21lb from my peak weight, but would really like to lose maybe the same amount again. I am currently marginally overweight

Exercise is mostly on my watterrower, cycling or walking. I have some joint issues so everything has to be low impact. I also do some dumbbell workouts primarily to strengthen the muscles around my shoulders and knee joints. I usually try and do a minimum of 20mins cardio everyday, but more often than not I do between 60-120mins.

Diet, I aim for less than 1430 net cals per day, but I am diabetic and can't eat starchy carbs without screwing my Blood Glucose, so I am on a relatively low carb diet.

I am currently finding it much harder to motivate myself to stick to the diet regime, getting terrible urges to snack but trying to resist as much as possible. what's making it harder is the fact that the weight loss has slowed considerably, so I'm here primarily to get advice and encouragement.

Replies

  • lizziecheek
    lizziecheek Posts: 65 Member
    You have actually done great. You have lost about 1+ pound per week. What is your height? Are you eating enough calories?
  • L64Reed
    L64Reed Posts: 31 Member
    I understand the ability to lose the motivation. When that happens I have to count ALL of the things that have changed since making a change in my diet. It's not always the pounds alone that count...it's the change in how I feel...in the long term health goals of being around longer and doing more things because I am healthier. It's a lifestyle I will have to have forever if I want to make a change forever. Don't worry about the slowing down...just keep on going...change up the exercise with different low impact exercise...Yoga...zumba...there are different levels for both and maybe it will change your motivation factor. Good luck and YOLO!

    L64Reed
  • redbev306
    redbev306 Posts: 62
    You might actually NEED to eat more calories if you're exercising that much.. try increasing calorie intake by a hundred or so per week to see if things improve (& you're feeling less ravenous)
  • Thommothebear
    Thommothebear Posts: 25 Member
    Thanks for the responses. I'm 5'11" tall, currently 192.2lbs in weight, fairly heavily built (think ex rugby player).

    I started out initially with a 1200 net calorie intake and recently increased that to 1430 net calories for the very reason mentioned. I am actually eating more than my basic energy requirement of 1900 calories on most days but offsetting the exercise energy expenditure.

    My weight can actually fluctuate by up to 5-6lbs in the space of a week, I'm guessing much of that will be hydration, especially during this hot weather when I tend to take on lots of water during the day.

    It can be a bit of struggle trying to balance Blood Glucose control, exercise and food intake sometimes, but it's got to be done, I'm not viewing this as a diet, but as a lifestyle change so I have to find a sustainable way forward with this, hoping that will be a little easier once I hit my target weight
  • chadpoelman
    chadpoelman Posts: 10
    welcome back. I personally found a mindset that helps me with that. I know I'm going to have weak moments and I try really hard not to give into temptation, but I also don't beat myself up when I do. I acknowledge it, salvage my day if I can, if not I realize tomorrow is another day. I gave myself a list of things I'm not allowed to say after those times happend
    I'm not allowed to tell myself.
    - well I messed up, I might as well eat what I want today and start again tomorrow
    - I have no willpower, I can't do this.
    - I started this <unhealthy food> I should finish it.
    - etc..
  • Thommothebear
    Thommothebear Posts: 25 Member
    well looks like my motivation just took the day off, back on track now :-)

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