Sabotaging weightloss efforts

positive2015
positive2015 Posts: 64 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I seem to constantly undo whatever effort I put in every few days I am good on my plan and exercise for 2 days then out it goes.Sincere help needed to get out of this mentality.What makes people stick to their diet and exercise plan? Any motivational tips.

Replies

  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Eat "good" or "clean" or "healthy" (whatever those words mean to you) 80% of the time. Fit yummy, portion-controlled treats into your calorie goal. Deprivation can lead to binges.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • Lukes_Dove
    Lukes_Dove Posts: 36 Member
    Hubby and I have been having a weekly contest at our house. It seems to be working cause we're on week 4 of no added sugar, no caffeine :)
  • KLMRK
    KLMRK Posts: 2
    Hang an old outfit that is just one size smaller, and occassionally try on to see how you are doing. Hang a picture of you taken with what ever your weight goal is on the refrigerator. Promise your self a reward. Weekend out, new outfit, just something.
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
    Try to find things that you can continue to do without losing interest. Bland, repetitive meals or bland, repetitive exercises get dull in a hurry. If you're going to be in it for the long haul, attempt to have fun with it.
  • tonyalenore
    tonyalenore Posts: 58 Member
    I was like that for a while also. I have learned to do everything in moderation. The 80% idea the previous poster said is a good idea :)
  • COliver416
    COliver416 Posts: 87 Member
    Why do you want to get into shape?
    What is so important about getting into shape?
    What's Important about your reason why?
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    Don't go on a diet.
    Make small changes every week that you can stick to.
    Keep incorporating those changes as the weeks go by.
    Don't beat yourself up if you go over your calories.
    Move more, whatever that means to you.

    You don't have to do it all at once. Just take little steps to a sustainable new life.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    I guess it depends on how you're sabotaging yourself, but the best thing I've found for me is to make it harder to fail than it is to succeed. For example, I live in an area where parking is a complete nightmare, so having to deal with driving to get takeout is a hassle. I keep enough healthy food at home that it is easier for me to stay home and eat something healthy than it would be to go get something unhealthy. I also have a hard time going to the gym after work, but it's the only time I can go. I figured out that if I change into my gym clothes at the office, I'm more likely to go work out because I feel incredibly stupid driving home in my gym clothes if I haven't worked out.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    You don't have a lot to lose (according to your ticker). Did you set yourself to lose 2lbs a week and mfp spit back 1200 calories and you're trying to stick to that and not eat your exercise calories?

    It's not easy to stick to that. I don't think I would make it til noon on day 1.

    Set reasonable goals (like 1/2 lb per week), eat your exercise calories (within reason-you didn't burn 1100 at Zumba), and you probably won't have any trouble staying on "plan". Remember that whatever you're doing to lose weight needs to be something you can do forever - so make it something you can live with.
  • sk_pirate
    sk_pirate Posts: 282 Member
    I seem to constantly undo whatever effort I put in every few days I am good on my plan and exercise for 2 days then out it goes.Sincere help needed to get out of this mentality.What makes people stick to their diet and exercise plan? Any motivational tips.

    If you weren't you, I swear I would have written this! You and I have some common ground, friend :smile:
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    Discipline. Determination. Desire. The three D's. You have to really want it!
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Well, you have to want it. Accept that there will be hiccups along the way, especially in the beginning, and then occasionally after that. But ultimately, you have to truly be ready and willing to educate yourself a bit.
  • FindingMyPerfection
    FindingMyPerfection Posts: 702 Member
    Every time you "sabotage your self" use it as a way to learn about who you are. Find the reason you choose not to go to the gym or eat in a way that won't bring you to your goals. If you do this you are learning and as time passes you will be able to change those choices. You have to find your reasons, and you can only do that by looking at yourself.
  • Ke11er
    Ke11er Posts: 147 Member
    While you're working to build new, better habits if you're like me you may find it easier when you plan ahead. The past nutritional decisions made in the aisle of the market or standing in front of the refrigerator were not likely the best (since you're now determined to loose weight). So to make better choices each day, the night before I decide every meal, snack and beverage that I choose to eat and pre-log it all into my food diary to make sure it works well with my calories and nutrients. During the day I already know just what do to in order to meet my goals. You'll be so proud if you stick to your plan to take good care of yourself!
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    OP, here's an idea that may help you...

    I literally took an old photo of myself when I was in much better shape and stuck it to the front of my fridge. I can't open the fridge without seeing this and reminding myself of my goal. Alternatively, you can find the photo that you like least of yourself, and use that. Either way, it is a good reminder of your goal.
  • positive2015
    positive2015 Posts: 64 Member
    Thanks for all the wonderful advice.The main reason I want to lose weight is I want to be healthy and not have any chronic disability when getting old along with paying less health insurance since as days go by the premiums will be higher for overweight people as far as I understand.

    I will have to not overthink the process of weightloss and keep on my calorie goal and exercise . I definetly not be side tracked into thinking that there is a magic pill and just start believing in this process.
  • jessieboyd12
    jessieboyd12 Posts: 35 Member
    I'm having the same problem as you and what I'm going to do is get out my favorite pair of jeans out of the closet actually hang them up in my room and every day look at them. When I see them out it gives me a better motive to get to my achievements. I know this sounds really stupid but it's the only thing I can think to help me.
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    I'm having the same problem as you and what I'm going to do is get out my favorite pair of jeans out of the closet actually hang them up in my room and every day look at them. When I see them out it gives me a better motive to get to my achievements. I know this sounds really stupid but it's the only thing I can think to help me.

    That's a great idea! I have a shirt that I want to fit into... I'll probably do the same. Thanks!
  • StacieGilmore01
    StacieGilmore01 Posts: 1 Member
    Maybe you have just not made it enough of a daily habit yet. At one time I used to get up and go to the gym every day before work. I signed up at a gym next to work so that I could miss rush hour with the early drive and have time to exercise and shower there. It worked really well until I came home to go back to school and went back to the old habits of sitting for long hours and not exercising. I also had good success putting an exercise machine in front of the TV, but then i stopped watching TV when i went back to school. Now I just exercise while I'm studying with something called a "FitDesk" and also on a regular elliptical machine with notes in front of me. I just don't have the time anymore to go out and jog and have tried to build other options into my day.

    But sometimes even with all these options in front of me I still don't do what I should. I am in medical school so every week it seems I am stressing out about something new and then with the stress follows the stress eating and not exercising. I only joined back on this website today because my father died on Tuesday of a massive heart attack at 68. He had no prior diagnosed problems but did not take care of himself and we all ignored the symptoms and did not push him hard enough to get checked out and change exercise and diet. If that hadn't happened, I probably would not have the motivation to improve any or have thought it was important enough.

    I think your goal of not having any chronic disability when you are old is a really good one. It is just hard to stay motivated by that because you probably feel ok right now, and only in the future might get sick. Maybe if you thought about how your life would improve right now if you lost the weight, you might feel more motivated. Not exercising or not eating right might already be causing problems in your body that you don't realize, and if you changed now, you could prevent further damage and possibly reverse some things like plaque buildup or inflammation before they become more serious. Even if you think you don't have any problems other than the weight, body fat by itself can cause chronic inflammation and damage organs/tissues, and it's especially dangerous to have it around the belly. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070313150435.htm

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