A note to resolutioners........

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Replies

  • kellyskitties
    kellyskitties Posts: 475 Member
    Fad diets don't work.....Period
    Diets that restrict certain foods rarely work

    MFP also rarely works.

    There are no magic bullets - "logging" isn't a Harry Potter spell - losing weight takes discipline, a long term commitment, and is bloody hard work.

    And creating an approach that works for you is important. Don't do what the lady or guy in the next cubicle is doing if it doesn't seem right for you. Find what works for YOU for creating a deficit. And find something you think you can transition into a permanent way of approaching eating.

    I agree with Sabine_Stroehm, you have to find what works for you. I did this by simply starting where I was and tweaking until it fit and worked.

    As far as it being hard work - sometimes yes, sometimes it's just my routine. For me it seems to be related to how many social functions are going on, how good the food looks at those functions and hormone levels. Sometimes the devil just wins, but then I just resume again. Guilt free, shake it off, move on.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    MFP also rarely works.

    There are no magic bullets - "logging" isn't a Harry Potter spell - losing weight takes discipline, a long term commitment, and is bloody hard work.

    Go into this treating it as an actual job, and odds of success go up dramatically.

    Good God, no. Don't treat it like a job. Treat it much better than that. Treat it like a relationship with your new soul partner, your new BFF. I've wanted to quit most jobs I've ever had within a month of being employed. Treating this like a dance with my new BFF has been successful.


    Yeah, I feel similarly. I treat logging like it's one of my must-do habits. Like bathing, brushing and flossing, etc. Not an option. Not something I can just decide "oh it's Christmas week so I won't log". I have logged every single day since 3-25-13. I have gone over on my calories about 20-30 times, and rarely by more than 100 cal. That's how I've lost 58 lb and only gone up by 1-2 lb a handful of times during the past year.

    It works, but you can't treat logging like it's magical I do agree with the PP on that. If you log, but go over by 300 cal several days a week...you still probably will lose weight but not at the rate you want to.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Fad diets don't work.....Period
    Diets that restrict certain foods rarely work

    MFP also rarely works.

    There are no magic bullets - "logging" isn't a Harry Potter spell - losing weight takes discipline, a long term commitment, and is bloody hard work.

    Go into this treating it as an actual job, and odds of success go up dramatically.

    You lie! I just purchased a magic bullet for my food processing, and I use it daily!
  • Great post, Bump!
  • adayinaz
    adayinaz Posts: 20 Member

    Go into this treating it as an actual job, and odds of success go up dramatically.

    ^^^ This.

    Losing weight and getting healthy can't be a hobby for me anymore. It has to be a side job.

    edit:
    I'm just saying this to counteract the people who jumped on this statement... To me, thinking of losing weight as being a side job means I'm committed to it. At my job I make promises to show up on time, to meet deadlines, and to be responsible. In my hobbies, I do what I have time for and if I don't have time, I do it another time. Losing weight has to be a higher priority than that. But, like many other posters have said, you have to do what works for you, not what works for the next person.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
    In for "doucheducks".

    You really do learn something new every day. I Googled for a pic of a doucheduck, and this is what I got.

    RA6QnkP.jpg
  • jaxxie
    jaxxie Posts: 576 Member
    In for "doucheducks".

    You really do learn something new every day. I Googled for a pic of a doucheduck, and this is what I got.

    RA6QnkP.jpg

    LOL, I love you!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    To me, thinking of losing weight as being a side job means I'm committed to it. At my job I make promises to show up on time, to meet deadlines, and to be responsible. In my hobbies, I do what I have time for and if I don't have time, I do it another time. Losing weight has to be a higher priority than that.

    Yep, you nailed it, that's exactly what I'm saying.
  • jmarieray35
    jmarieray35 Posts: 10 Member
    I have NEVER made a New Years Resolution...here I am 31 and falling into sociteties trap. But it's for me not them I need this and pray that I can be like you 365 days later saying "I got this" no more hoping to "get over it:"

    54724579.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • Lilymay2
    Lilymay2 Posts: 2,525 Member
    Sometimes resolutions work... they take commitment! I always believe that YOU have to want it " in your heart and in your head". I made my choices....

    AND BY THE WAY ... Sometimes CLEANSES do work!! Mine was controlled by a Naturopath. I discovered that "Yeast" hurts me. That is why every joint hurt .....

    One year later.... I have lost 35 pounds but more importantly --- > my joints don't hurt when I go for a walk and when I do sports.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member

    Go into this treating it as an actual job, and odds of success go up dramatically.

    ^^^ This.

    Losing weight and getting healthy can't be a hobby for me anymore. It has to be a side job.

    edit:
    I'm just saying this to counteract the people who jumped on this statement... To me, thinking of losing weight as being a side job means I'm committed to it. At my job I make promises to show up on time, to meet deadlines, and to be responsible. In my hobbies, I do what I have time for and if I don't have time, I do it another time. Losing weight has to be a higher priority than that. But, like many other posters have said, you have to do what works for you, not what works for the next person.
    That makes sense. Nicely put.
  • Cynduck
    Cynduck Posts: 255 Member
    Great post.

    I've been thinking about 365 days. We have 365 days to write the story for 2014. For some reason 365 days sounds less daunting than 1 year. So for just 365 days I can do anything. It's only 365 days but 1 day at a time.
  • Dragonflag07
    Dragonflag07 Posts: 64 Member
    If I'd known about the DoucheDucks earlier I would definitely be in better shape by now :) I was a resolutioner in 2010 and I knew absolutely NOTHING apart from calories in and calories out and tbh, that was enough to help me lose 40 odd pounds in my first few months
  • RaeLB
    RaeLB Posts: 1,216 Member
    Awesome post :drinker:

    So many people on here are on their high horse condemning the "resolutioners" before they even get here. I hope there are lots of people flocking here and I wish them great success, whatever their personal goals are!
  • Hi all :)
    Technically I'm not a resolutioner because I started before the new year (by a few days but hey that's a start right?)

    So good to see people supporting the noobies. This is my first post, simply because I hadn't really read to much that made me feel welcome simply because I was starting when I did.

    I am taking a slowly softly approach, I track/log absolutely every morsel that passes my lips. And so far it's helping. I've not eaten as much of something because I worked out the calories before I ate and rethought my choices.
    It's reassuring to read that others have taken a slower approach and are still here 12 months on and still feeling positive about it all.
    So thanks :)
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    Great post!

    I hate the word "diet". Diet always had a temporary definition for me.
  • jmarieray35
    jmarieray35 Posts: 10 Member
    I just wanted to throw in that you'll hear over and over again that resolutions don't stick.

    New Years this year is a Wednesday. Just think of it as the Wednesday you started. Not the beginning of the year or any other meaningful date. Just another Wednesday. Then, if you have a set back (and we all do) it's not your resolution failing, it's just a set-back.

    Today is just another Wednesday and today is a great day to get started.

    Good luck.


    I love this!!! I'm not a resolution person....so now I will say my weight loss journey started on Wednesday January 1st :laugh:

    Thank you!!!!
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    PLEASE..PLEASE.. i encourage people to not say they are going on a diet or "changing diet". That word "diet" has created more problems than anything else for people and has come to symbolize more "what I can't have" than "what I should be eating". So instead of a change in "diet", it has to be a "lifestyle change". That makes it all encompassing and doesn't focus just on FOOD but on WELLNESS. Make the New Year count!

    well said SAR4Life. This is really good advice.
  • Thanks for your post...Congratulations. I have never been a resolutioner...but mid-last year I decided to change my life for the better and to become healthier and more active. I lost 35 pounds in a little over 2 months...I was seriously on fire with the exercise and nutrition...not dieting or starving...just eating the right amounts of the right foods. Then I sort of fell off the wagon...here come the excuses...the stress of moving to a new city, demanding work schedule, remodeling the gym in our building. Anyway, I gained 15 pounds of it back in 5 months. The good news is that a couple weeks ago I made a re-commitment to a health lifestyle and have put it again in motion. Stories like yours are great motivation for me...thanks.
  • acstansell
    acstansell Posts: 567 Member
    I started in September 2012... lost 60lbs. I gained 11lbs back this year....

    I guess I'm a resolutioner. :)

    These tips are nice to read!
  • mommafit30
    mommafit30 Posts: 26 Member
    Awesome post and so truthful...slow and steady wins the race...I am burning that into my mind everytime i think, "Am I skinny yet? Ive been dieting all day?" HAHA
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    It feels warm and fuzzy in this thread :flowerforyou:

    Best of luck everyone !!
  • mommafit30
    mommafit30 Posts: 26 Member
    I like that!!!
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Great post

    Its also worth adding that on average only 8% (less than 1 in 10 people) will stick to health related new years resolutions. This is really sad. There is no reason why anyone starting now should fail. The big thing for me is to get involved with what you are doing. I asked myself the question (After loads of failed attempts) what would I be doing when I "finished". After the bull**** I told myself I got to the truth- I would do nothing different and would therefore end up fat again. I then asked myself what do successful (in the fitness sphere) people do. I decided to be one of these people. I watched it on TV deliberately, talked about it with friends, started doing it even before I lost my weight etc. Its a change but its a change I needed to make. I am now not on a diet like SAR4Life indicated. I am living a lifestyle. The result of this is that I am losing weight :-) Good luck to all newbies, you can do it. Go it slow and get friends here and try and change who you are more than what you eat. I know we are all different but this is working for me at least.
  • lostinsidemyself77
    lostinsidemyself77 Posts: 13 Member
    Thank You!! You're an honest inspiration!! Congratulations on continuing to "eat less and move more". It really is just about that isn't it? Best wishes for an amazing 2014!!!!
  • Great advice! With the C25K were you able to link your MFP with it? I haven't been able to figure out how to sync them. Congratulations on your one year with MFP - I can't wait to have the same story as I started Monday =)
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Great advice! With the C25K were you able to link your MFP with it? I haven't been able to figure out how to sync them. Congratulations on your one year with MFP - I can't wait to have the same story as I started Monday =)

    When I did c25k, I had the c25k app and the runkeeper app running at the same time and the runkeeper app linked to MFP. I still use runkeeper, however I got a fitbit for Christmas, so I am using it now for my activity.

    Thanks everyone for the kind words. And as some have mentioned, it really is a lifestyle change. The only thing standing in your way is you. Feel free to send me a friend request also.
  • mg_89
    mg_89 Posts: 189 Member
    great post.. congrats on your success. I'm not a resolution-er.. I'm a one-day-at-a-time-er. Hope to join you in posting big success next year at this time... thanks for sharing!
  • mgorham13
    mgorham13 Posts: 168 Member
    I started a 10 week fitness challenge last January......I just never stopped! 185 gym visits this year, my resolution for 2014 is 200 gym visits.
  • Kellelami
    Kellelami Posts: 13 Member
    Awesome post and so truthful...slow and steady wins the race...I am burning that into my mind everytime i think, "Am I skinny yet? Ive been dieting all day?" HAHA

    I love the honesty in this! I sometimes think, why am I bothering, nothing´s happening! Then I smack myself, realise it`s been three days, and it`s going to take me to longer than three days to get where I need to go lol

    OP - thanks for the post - straight up, no pandering but motivational nonetheless.