Share your secrets of remaining consistent please!

Walk / bike everywhere.

Consistancy is something to build up too. In order to "build" it ....you have to let go of the "I screwed up this time.....so when I'm ready....I'll start over." You're not starting over.

Baby steps....do 1 thing consistantly ....then add something else. When you try to do everything at once (and you screw up) .... it's too easy to throw in the towel.

Years ago I realized that I was not eating very many vegetables....a day or 2 would go by and I hadn't had a real serving of veggies (and I like veggies) ....My New Year's resolution was to eat a serving of vegetables every single day. Another resolution ....move more. You can use a pedometer, or a video it doesn't matter. I had a small exercise goal for the week....I logged minutes into a spreadsheet. After I became consistant with the small goal...I added more minutes. Make yourself accountable....if you need to put a smiley face sticker on a calendar (in a public place) for every workout....then do that.

After awhile you will fall into a rhythm.....as long as you have more good days than bad .....you are making progress. You might break your weight loss goals into smaller pieces ....my first goal is xxx and so on.

The thing is, you either want it or you don't.

There's no secret to motivation or consistency, it is purely an internal thing. You either have to be ready to make the changes to change or accept your life the way it is and keep doing what you are doing.

I realized that I needed to make serious changes last year when I went to buy new jeans and had to size up....twice. Instead of buying the big jeans, I walked out of the store and immediately started analyzing my eating/activity choices.

Part of your failure may be in that you are trying to take on too many changes at once. There's nothing shameful in slow progress because it is still PROGRESS. Make a plan, write it down, and stick to it. Put it up on your fridge if you have to. Set small short-term goals and try to meet all of them. I understand how easy it is to get caught up in the number on the scale, but that isn't what this is all about.

This! The fact is... JUST DO IT! I would take baby steps, one day at a time, switch out a bad habit for a good habit and over time it become the new norm... A routine! Start bringing food with you instead of eating out. Meal planning is my biggest savior.

be kind consistency is a frame of mind. your goals, your wants, desires, are always on your mind in some form. no one is perfect no one will have a perfect day every day. you will have days where being consistent is just tracking your food for the day or going for that walk or just logging onto mfp and telling your friends youre still alive and still fighting.

life changes some times you cant do exactly what you were doing yesterday, and you have to modify. Just every day do something.

I try to be consistently good during the weekdays (no alcohol, eat clean and exercise), then reward myself on the weekends (but still try to exercise so at least its a break even). The biggest thing is not to freak out if you have a bad day - its what you do consistently over weeks and months that brings results. Good luck!

Don't try to make unrealistic changes to your eating habits. Don't tell yourself you have to live off salads and yoghurt every day, and that you can't have any 'bad' foods. Make small changes, eat smaller portions, maybe cut out a can of soda each day, or cut back on juices. Small things. Don't restrict yourself, you can still eat whatever you want, but if it's a high calorie meal limit your portion or work out.

I also had that problem of consistency every other time I have tried to loose weight. This time I found an exercise I love (swimming) so I am not getting bored with that part of this lifestyle change. Also, when I got to the point I have had I the most trouble I the past (200 lbs) I did something completely different ... I reached out for support on MFP and it has been great. To have people cheering you on and support them in return is just a great motivator to keep going.

Also, I try to look at food differently this time. I can eat a piece of pizza now and then, but only one slice, not three or four, and then I adjust what I eat the rest of the day. When I go out I eat smaller portions and bring home leftovers. I have even gone to a buffet now and then and made smarter, more healthier choices because this is it for me. I am determined not to gain it back again and like you I have a goal weight of 130 lbs. feel free to friend me if you would like.

I have a vision of myself in the future, it does not waver, it isn't what I *want* to be, it is what I naturally am and will inevitably become.

On a more practical level I have built in my exercise and nutritional choices as habit, I don't have to decide anything, it just gets done.

It's who I am so I don't feel I'm fighting myself.

I find getting negative feedback the day after I've not followed my plan is valuable - as is getting positive feedback! A lot of my "consistency" is thinking "if I do this, I won't get a good weigh-in tomorrow". Daily weights compared to a trend line keep me on track, and when I get a diamond on or above the line I always know why that is and it's a strong motivator not to make the same mistake again.

There are a lot of graphing tools like this, I like to recommend trendweight.com because it's completely free (even ad-free).

Osric

First, have goals. Measure your progress toward those goals. Remember SMART

Specific - Make it clear and unambiguous.
Measurable - Know how to measure it.
Attainable - Make sure it's realistic. Setting yourself up for failure is not a good idea.
Relevant - Fit it into the overall plan of improving your health.
Time Bound - I find this less important for weight loss and fitness, but deadlines help some people.

"I will lose weight" is not a SMART goal. Nor is "I will get fit".

SMART goals would be -

I will lose 10 pounds of fat in the next 4 months.
I will be able to run for 30 minutes straight by January 1, 2014.
I will reduce my 5k time from 26 minutes to 25 minutes in the next 12 weeks (this is actually one of mine).
I will achieve a 150% of body weight squat by April 1, 2014 (another of mine).

Track your progress, and give yourself a pat on the back each time you get closer to them. "I ran 15 minutes straight today, great - I'm closer to my goal", "I squat 200lb today - I'm closer to my goal". By doing this you'll start to look forward to that dopamine rush of success, which will breed consistency, which will breed more success.

If you are having trouble with adhering to a particular style of eating, I say ditch it. Instead, build up in baby steps, so if you fail one step you can still fall back on the previous. Get your calories right first. To heck with what you're eating, just moderate how much. Then learn about macros. Then try to improve your diet if you are deficient in vegetables and fruit. Finally, after you've mastered those tehniques, you can think about lifestyle diets if they appeal - things like clean eating and veganism. Just remember that if they don't work out, you don't have to go back to how you ate before - you just drop back to moderation, macro control, and getting your five-a-day.

Another thought - don't surround yourself with people who are trying. Surround yourself with people who are already successful. My friend list isn't huge, but it's stacked with awesome, successful people who are winning. When I grow up, I want to be just like them.

Hello, I have just joint an hour ago and been reading all your posts. So many wise words, I feel so motivated right now! I'm absolutely stunned how much weight some of you have lost! I have been unhappy with my weight since I've been about 14. I tried so many diets, many times succeeded but failed many times as well. The most I've ever list is 8 kilos (about 17 lbs). But I never reached my dream weight. Now, I'm getting married in June and I've promised myself altol my life that when this day comes, my body will be perfect! So here I am, 8 months till the big day and I'm as far from perfect as it goes. Any word of wisdom? How to stay motivated when you want this chocolate so so much! I hope this App will help me with achieving my dream weight. Thank you.

Hi, and welcome. You're going to get a lot of contradictory advice about how to be successful. Many people will tell you that must eat this, or you absolutely mustn't eat that. Since I'm guessing that all those diets that already failed you were like that, I suggest you don't listen.

My first piece of advice is that if you have trouble adhering to particular types of diet - ditch them. Forget the thinking that says you must eat certain things, and you must not eat others. 90% of the really successful people on MFP - the ones with the big numbers in their tickers, do not follow any sort of 'lifestyle diet'.

You can eat whatever you want, so long as you don't eat too much of it. You already know the only way to shut chocolate cravings up - eat a little chocolate! Just learn to only eat a little, and to keep it in your calorie goals. Once you learn to moderate it, it ceases to be taboo, and you stop wanting to binge on it whenever the opportunity arises. You don't have to eat a 1lb bar of chocolate, because you know you can have another couple of ounces tomorrow.

So instead, focus on your intake. Reduce your calorie intake below your maintenance level, and you will lose weight. If you aren't losing weight, you haven't reduced your intake below maintenance, simple as.

Learn a little about protein, fat and carbohydrates, what they do, and why you need them. Make sure you get adequate amounts of each. Protein and fat in particular are great for dieters because they keep you full longer than carbs. There's nothing wrong with carbs, protein and fat are just better in that regard.

Get your five-a-day, but don't feel like every meal must be a green salad. Remember that you are trying to learn how to eat moderately and sustainably. If you like McDonald's, go there periodically. If you like steak, eat it. If you like a bowl of ice cream every night (and I know I do) - have one. Just be sure to fit them into your nutrition goals.

Earn yourself some 'disposable' calories through cardio a few times a week. Doesn't have to be running, it can be anything you enjoy that gets your heart rate up.

Most of all, if you want to look fantastic in that dress, lift heavy things. Start a strength training program. I promise it won't make you look like a man, as many ladies seem to fear. Assuming you don't take steroids, you won't bulk up.

Feel free to look at my diary to see how I ate while achieving my successes - but note that I'm bulking at the moment to put on some muscle, so you may want to look before September!

For me, something just swtiched on and I knew I was ready. However, this time around I was ready for it to take time. This time I was ready to take one step instead of a leap forward. This time I didn't cut out foods that I loved. This time it's a life change not a diet.

This what I did. I eat some diet foods (Atkins) while I am at work or when we go somewhere, I do not want to be out without my planned meals. But mostly I eat regular stuff and keep it within my daily calorie goals. I made my goal weight realistic for myself. I have been doing this 30 days and have lost 14 pounds. I love it.

- I decided I wanted it badly enough
- I made one change at a time. Once that had become habit, I made another change. Lather, Rinse, Repeat.


Making a lot of changes all at once was overwhelming, so I did it in stages. It was the right tactic for me.

Make it a habit. I have expectations of myself. I've been doing this for almost 7 months now and what is the alternative? I know how I was living before was unhealthy and I can't return to that. Something inside me clicked and this is just the way I will live for the rest of my life. Some days are good, some days are bad but you just keep going.