Starting over after many failures

Hello Everyone,

I'm a 58 year old female who needs to lose 80 lbs. Over the years I have been on a roller-coaster of diets. The only thing I haven't tried is diet pills. When I begin a new plan, I start in the morning and have blown it by the afternoon. This is been going on for years and years. I have zero willpower, that is why I have gained all the extra weight. I have recently stopped eating meat, except for seafood. I need so much help to get me motivated and also new ideas for no meat recipes. Anyone out there who is willing to take on a challenge, be my friend, and help me I would deeply appreciate it.

Replies

  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
    I hear you. Could you think of this plan- mfp- as something new? You've tried other things. Could you give this one week? Just one week? That's what I am doing. Hoping seeing dome results in one week, even if just a very small loss, will be the kick in the ever-tightening pants I need.
  • Stop thinking of your past stumbles as failures. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet. I know *many* people around here feel that's cliche, but I've learned it's the truth.. sometimes you're going to trip and fall. The question is, are you going to get back up and dust your rear off or are you going to keep letting yourself listen to the negativity in your head?
  • You can do it!!
    Check out this quote! :http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/a2/d1/4e/a2d14eb9e72205581ff80ee5f1fcd05a.jpg

    It says,
    "It takes 4 weeks for you to notice your body changing,
    8 weeks for your friends to notice,
    and 12 weeks for the rest of the world to notice.
    Give it 12 weeks. Don't quit!"
  • Cyclingbonnie
    Cyclingbonnie Posts: 413 Member
    Being successful with this plan does not require perfection, but it does require that you really try. Blowing it by having something you have told yourself you shouldn't have is just that moment. Don't do the "Oh what the hell, I've blown it by having __________ might as well eat everything now." That is when this doesn't work. The other thing is don't deny yourself the things you like, work them into your calories. Go at it slow. Start off with just logging what you eat. Then make your plan and begin working on those 80 pounds. I'm telling you it is easier than you think. I've tried everything too, and this is the first time I've felt like I'm going to actually be successful. I started out with needing to lose 100 pounds, over half way there now. Good luck to you :happy:
  • drgardnerva01
    drgardnerva01 Posts: 19 Member
    A couple of questions.

    First, what do you think leads you to abandon your program so quickly?

    Second, is the decision to not eat meat motivated by diet, or by morals?

    What are your motivations for losing weight?
  • bluefish49
    bluefish49 Posts: 102 Member
    Take the number of calories that MFP suggests for you, and think of it as a debit card. You have that many calories to "spend" every day. When you run out, you have to wait until the next day, when your card gets recharged with a fresh number of calories. Then figure out ways to "budget" so that you spend within your means.

    Example: Ice cream gets replaced with a WHOLE BOWL of fat free sugar free chocolate pudding, 320 calories. Not enough calories left at the end of the day? Pudding gets replaced with fat free sugar free Jello, whole bowl is 20 calories. Theres also a whip cream in a can (don't know which brand) that has only 15 calls and no sugars per serving.
  • Vicxie86
    Vicxie86 Posts: 181 Member
    Everyone is different in their approach towards any challenge. Since joining mfp 4weeks ago, i am amazed that i have continued. I did think that eating breakfast was a chore in my first week but because i never gave up, it has become an habit for me, I still eat everything i like but i have substituted it for better choices by reading the nutritional information at the back.

    When i went to the grocery store before, my hand automatically reached for the store's brand which is cheap and i always wondered why some people were keen on throwing money away by buying the expensive counter part. Now, i know exactly why. Therefore, i don't look at prices anymore, i only look for what is the best affordable one i can get.

    I had a muller yoghurt and nutrigrain granola bar for breakfast at a total 380kcal. Then, 200g of chunky chips and 3 turkey drummers for lunch today which came up to 642kcal
    For dinner, im having extra lean irish dice beef (175g), 2 hard boiled egg with cucumber (50g) and some sweet and crispy salad (25g) all for 356kcal. End ofthe day, i still have 262kcal left

    I tell people that this is not a diet, it is a nutritional diet. A diet is something people do on a short term basis but a nutritional diet, for me is something i will hopefully be doing long term so that i can wake up in the morning and not have to worry about insulin shots or being on a liver transplant list.
  • At 49 (June) I felt it was time for a change - 80lbs overweight. Always tired. Buying clothes based on how they feel - not what they look like. I didn't look in the mirror to see how the clothes looked. I looked to make sure none of my rolls were sticking out to far. I made a "Fit to Fifty" Journey/goal. LOL.. that lasted 3 days.

    In November, I got a trainer and started eating "right." While I lost 10lbs, and most definitely am feeling better, I need to move to the next part of my transformation.

    My goal for December is to change 30 years of bad habits.. not sleeping right, eating wrong foods, not exercising, etc, etc, etc. I do have a weight loss goal to. But more importantly, I have to transform and have better habits. I am not going to "diet." I am going to fix my bad eating habits. I am not going to exercise. I am going to work myself healthy, stronger, and fit.

    I am going to do this for me. I know that added benefits will be for my family and my significant other as well. But for me first and foremost!

    You can do it too! It is a mind-set. Make the commitment for your self and shout it out to anyone who will be there to support you.