I cannot seem to get started!

Options
I did ok yesterday. Then today - bad. Well sorta - I cooked and ate a mostly healthy dinner but am on my third glass of wine. I'm lucky and work for an educational entity so I got two weeks off for Christmas. I told myself I'd eat healthy and start walking and have yet to do so. It doesn't help that I had a nasty sinus infection all last week.

Now that I'm not sick - I'm just living it up! UGH.

What is it going to take to motivate me? A heart attack? Diabetes? Why can't I just stop?

Replies

  • djxil
    djxil Posts: 357
    Options
    Wine ain't so bad. I have had about 10 days off so I know about time off, the routine has been interrupted, I got sick too, damn weather changes.

    Commit to doing something healthy tomorrow, burn 600 calories so that the champagne does not take it's toll.
  • BekaBooluvsu
    BekaBooluvsu Posts: 470 Member
    Options
    Well I have all the problems you're worried about and they are NOT the reason I'm here. Truth is I got a serious wake up call in June. I thought I was having a heart attack. After 3 days of being hospitalized I found out I was dangerously low on potassium. My poor diet was killing me and I refused to change because like many others food was my best friend. Now I have developed a healthy food relationship and I don't intend to ever eat poor quality food or in excess again.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Options
    I would recommend to start by HONESTLY logging everything for an entire week- don't try to change your eating habits, just start logging every single bite, every ounce of wine, every single M&M, whatever.

    If you do that, after a week of doing that you will develop more consciousness of what you're eating and it will be easier to set your goals and stick with them.
  • lostinsidemyself77
    Options
    Pat yourself on the back for being on here and still logging your truth. I just started a 3 days ago myself...starting weight 242. I have not been keeping to the 1200 suggested cals. However, I am logging and I have to say, that alone, is making me more conscientious and mindful. If anything, I will stick to doing that even if I'm not precisely sticking to the 1200 cals. In comparison to how I was eating, I know I'm doing much better just by logging. It's really helping limit my intake even if I'm not perfect. MoreBean13 is right!! Just do that if anything.
  • bitten2better
    bitten2better Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    Remember, everyone has to start somewhere and you can't honestly expect yourself to change everything the first day, week, or even month. To be successful, you have to commit to a lifestyle change, not a diet. And that takes time, effort, and usually some trial and error. Don't punish yourself for being less than perfect. Get up, dust yourself off, and do better tomorrow.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Options
    Pat yourself on the back for being on here and still logging your truth. I just started a 3 days ago myself...starting weight 242. I have not been keeping to the 1200 suggested cals. However, I am logging and I have to say, that alone, is making me more conscientious and mindful. If anything, I will stick to doing that even if I'm not precisely sticking to the 1200 cals. In comparison to how I was eating, I know I'm doing much better just by logging. It's really helping limit my intake even if I'm not perfect. MoreBean13 is right!! Just do that if anything.

    1200 cals is probably not the right amount of calories for you.

    Read this thread, which will thoroughly and explicitly explain how to set the right target for you. It will be much easier to stick to your target when it's the right one for you!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    Good luck :)

    ETA: forgot link
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Options
    When you are really ready you will stop making excuses and start making it happen.
  • Gettinghealthysarah
    Options
    I am addicted to both food and booze! I have had millions of "I will start tomorrow" "I won't over eat anymore" "I will stop drinking". I realized recently that most of my "issues" were horrible habits, habits I want to get rid of. I have only been doing this a short time but my new attitude is realizing I wasn't a total loser and also realizing I didn't need to be perfect, just healthy! While most will tell you to log everything I found the past year of doing it caused ME to gain more and drink more. Start by being nice to yourself and then think back to a time you felt healthy and happy, do now what you did then! If it worked once it will work again! Message me anytime too!
  • Gettinghealthysarah
    Options
    Remember, everyone has to start somewhere and you can't honestly expect yourself to change everything the first day, week, or even month. To be successful, you have to commit to a lifestyle change, not a diet. And that takes time, effort, and usually some trial and error. Don't punish yourself for being less than perfect. Get up, dust yourself off, and do better tomorrow.

    Great advice,
  • wide2bride
    Options
    When you are really ready you will stop making excuses and start making it happen.

    This is the harsh truth. For me...I had to hit rock bottom. Get truly upset, pissed off, have a cry, make a list of things that are bothering me and a list of goals I have for myself. Neither one will change if I don't make them. I am an all or nothing kind of gal so for me I had to hit bottom and then find my motivation and go full force.

    Step away from the win bottle you lush and get those feet moving ;)
  • humpbax
    humpbax Posts: 34 Member
    Options
    Start today. Log everything - tic tacs, wine, water - everything! Then tomorrow or tonight when you close the day out really look at everything. I keep my diary open. My first day I drank 4 bacardi and cokes and realized, wow- do I really want the world to see how much I eat/ drink? It made me think about whether I needed it. Don't get me wrong, I still have drinks and fast food but I usually earn them now. If I know I'm having spaghetti or eating out, I will get my bum out of bed for my workout. On holidays I log it or I don't but then the next day I start over. Those extra calories that I earn? I eat them, by golly. Those extra calories taste even better!!! I do not starve myself - I like food too much. I have horrible binge days but "my friends" get me going again and I'm still losing. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
  • ny2298pdsgt
    ny2298pdsgt Posts: 62 Member
    Options
    I am addicted to both food and booze! I have had millions of "I will start tomorrow" "I won't over eat anymore" "I will stop drinking". I realized recently that most of my "issues" were horrible habits, habits I want to get rid of. I have only been doing this a short time but my new attitude is realizing I wasn't a total loser and also realizing I didn't need to be perfect, just healthy! While most will tell you to log everything I found the past year of doing it caused ME to gain more and drink more. Start by being nice to yourself and then think back to a time you felt healthy and happy, do now what you did then! If it worked once it will work again! Message me anytime too!

    Me too, on loving my food and booze, but I know that and therefore keep very little in the house in terms of food, and only have alcohol in the house when my fiancé stops by on his way to back and forth between job locations (so a day or 2 before the weekend, then 2-3 days after, then I don't see him until the next month).
    I too noticed that I wasn't losing (and at times gaining) when I logged EVERYTHING, and when I saw that, it depressed me and say "screw it" and go on binges and give up, to only get back on the wagon for a short time before giving up again.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Options
    You've already started. Part of this journey -life is falling... and then picking yourself up and continuing on. It's not always easy, sometimes we have to Push
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    Options
    First thing I do when I wake up is to recommit myself to what I know works for me. It is a surprisingly easy habit to get myself into, maybe because when I was in a binge cycle the first thing I thought about in the morning was what junk food I was going eat that day.

    I also make sure to always have enough food in the fridge to keep myself from any fast food or impulse purchases. When I start to waver, I eat a big meal of the foods that keep me full and happy without making me fat.

    Hope this helps.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Options
    I'm on winter break, too. Use this time to set the groundwork for a healthier 2014.

    I wish this info had been here when I started. So much truth & wisdom. And no broscience:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • lambchoplewis
    Options
    I am addicted to both food and booze! I have had millions of "I will start tomorrow" "I won't over eat anymore" "I will stop drinking". I realized recently that most of my "issues" were horrible habits, habits I want to get rid of. I have only been doing this a short time but my new attitude is realizing I wasn't a total loser and also realizing I didn't need to be perfect, just healthy! While most will tell you to log everything I found the past year of doing it caused ME to gain more and drink more. Start by being nice to yourself and then think back to a time you felt healthy and happy, do now what you did then! If it worked once it will work again! Message me anytime too!

    Me too, on loving my food and booze, but I know that and therefore keep very little in the house in terms of food, and only have alcohol in the house when my fiancé stops by on his way to back and forth between job locations (so a day or 2 before the weekend, then 2-3 days after, then I don't see him until the next month).
    I too noticed that I wasn't losing (and at times gaining) when I logged EVERYTHING, and when I saw that, it depressed me and say "screw it" and go on binges and give up, to only get back on the wagon for a short time before giving up again.

    This is me. I love wine and cannot have just one. It turns into the entire bottle then the food binge. I cannot have the wine in the house. I think this turned into a habit from boredom between 3-6 pm. If I drink a lot of water and get out of places I drank, I can do it.. It is hard.
  • spoiledpuppies
    spoiledpuppies Posts: 675 Member
    Options
    When you are really ready you will stop making excuses and start making it happen.

    I agree with this. It seems pretty common that people say that something just "clicked" and they became committed to this. That's how it was for me. I downloaded MFP to my phone last January just because I saw it on a list of top apps. But I never really used it until "something just clicked" in July and I've been super committed since then. Not to discourage you, but maybe it's just not your time.