Tips for success?

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  • shazbox1
    shazbox1 Posts: 175 Member
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    As some people have said already, you REALLY have to want it. Make the changes you know you have to make the highest priority. Think of everything you do within the context of achieving your goals. Its easy to wake up, think 'I'm not feeling it today', and go back to sleep. If you actually take the time to think about it though, you will probably come to the conclusion that you aren't feeling THAT bad. About to eat a large pizza? Think about whether it is really worth throwing away all the hard work you did in the gym earlier, and you will probably decide its not. Choose a smaller portion or a wiser food choice. From my experience, this is really difficult to do for the first month, maybe two, but then it becomes a habit and a mindset.

    Finding an activity you actually enjoy is important too. If it interests you, do some weight/strength training, as I find it is easy to make noticeable gains early on, which definitely helps motivation. If you are more a fan of running, start something like couch-to-5k (C25k) and set some goals.

    Unlike many other things in life, I think that when it comes to weight loss (and fitness in general), you are the only thing stopping yourself from reaching your goals.

    I'm 28 and about the same weight as you, trying to lose about 100 pounds, so if you want to add me as a friend, go for it (don't worry, I'm not much for patronizing pretend comments).
  • shazbox1
    shazbox1 Posts: 175 Member
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    Also, I find everybody always says find exercise you like, but perhaps just as important is finding healthy foods that you like.
  • schondell
    schondell Posts: 556 Member
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    Focus on diet first. Bring in exercise afterwards. It's a long process but it can be fun! :)
  • x1v16
    x1v16 Posts: 66
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    melaniecheeks: Thanks hun :-)

    SezxyStef Selector: Solid advice. I agree with most, if not all. Doesn't really address the urge to give up though. If it were easy I imagine more would succeed.

    sentaruu : I agree, it needs to be lifelong and that's what I want, but it's also what I wanted last time too.

    BigGuy47: Scare tactics are something I tried. You'd have to be in denial to not see what you just said was going to be the case. I even put up a calender in my car of the year I would die if I didn't change and increased my life expenctancy as I lost weight.

    SherryL0419: Best advice, find exercise you love to do. Find a lifestyle you can live with. It makes sense. In the past I've tried to make failure painful as possible but perhaps not focused on making my new lifestyle as easy/pleasureable as possible.
  • Domineer
    Domineer Posts: 239 Member
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    Great insight.
  • Domineer
    Domineer Posts: 239 Member
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    I don't want to fall for some fad unrealistic diet that will rock for 4-8 weeks and not be sustainable. I guess I'd like some tips from people who have lost over 40 pounds and kept it off for years.

    Current Weight - 270 pounds
    Age: 29
    Quite out of shape
    Low tolerance for corny marketing/fitness coach type people

    Agreeing with davert123 here..

    Not to get too 'zen' about it, but it's not about the weight or how to lose it at this stage. Weight loss is just physics.
    You know how to lose weight. We all do. It's the easy part.

    Saw a great quote the other day: "There's no cheating on a diet because eating isn't a test"

    So, the hard part here is arriving at that 'place' where you're REALLY ready to make the kind of changes that become a part of your life.
    For me, when that realization happened, my 'diet' stopped being a diet. My 'exercise program' stopped being that too.
    I decided to change my lifestyle. There was no diet, there was no fitness routine. That was how I had to look at it if i was going to get serious. I found being on a diet, or going to the gym to get healthy implied there was a finish line out there somewhere. There wasn't for me. There was no 'done'. There was just how I was going to live from then on.
    Weight? Whatever. I stopped thinking about it. It wasn't the point. Sure, I lost fat and built muscle and kept it off (going on 2 years) but the point, or my motivation, was to live in a way that gave me what I wanted out of my body. I wanted to be stronger. I wanted to feel vibrant and wear clothes I liked. There was totally a vanity component. But truly, I just liked feeling I was treating myself in a way that was going to help me later in life rather than hurt me or the ones I love.

    And until it's worth it enough to you, it'll always feel like it's boring or that there's a finish line. Or that you'll beat yourself up because you did or didn't do something that was or wasn't on your 'program' . Get to a better place.

    There is no finish line - no final weight if you're to be successful in achieving what you want. That's what I've learned.
    There's just you making a decision that you're finally ready to change your lifestyle. Whether it's worth it to you, or not, is something nobody here can help you with. Good luck.

    Couldn't have said it any better myself. After starting a lifestyle change a few years ago, I got complacent and ended up gaining 25 lbs of the 55 I lost. Now after cutting 35 lbs (10lbs more than my original loss) I feel more motivated than ever. It takes the ultimate discipline to lose the lbs but its more mental than physical. I document everything I eat, I have one cheat meal a week, and exercise 3 times a week. I enjoy walking for fun. Whereas before I hated it. I take the stairs when I can. I eat 3 meals a day and if I snack I drink a kale shake. The lifestyle I'm living is maintainable for me. I'm 260, dropping down from 295 in late October. I get hasty because I'm dying to see myself at my goal weight but slow and steady wins the race in the long run. Push yourself bit by bit each day, whether its eating a bit less, or working out another 5 mins longer. The key is being consistent and realistic.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    BigGuy47: Scare tactics are something I tried. You'd have to be in denial to not see what you just said was going to be the case. I even put up a calender in my car of the year I would die if I didn't change and increased my life expenctancy as I lost weight.
    I'm not in denial about what I said, I own it. I'm responsible for what I say. I'm responsible for my own well being. I allowed myself to become morbidly obese and jeopardized my quality of life. I corrected that mistake by making major lifestyle changes. On that point I agree with the others, a lifestyle change is required improving one's health.

    So you put up a calendar marking the consequences of failing to act and then didn't change your behavior. Who's in denial here?

    Making a lifestyle change requires self discipline. You have mentioned before that you lack self discipline. Being honest about the situation or scare tactics don't work. You don't care for corny pep talks from personal trainer types. Monetary implications have no effect.

    What will give you the inner drive to make a lifestyle change?

    Don't get me wrong, all the tips and tricks here are wonderful. I've benefitted tremendously from the advice on these forums. But putting that advice into action on a consistent day to day basis requires a strong mental determination to attain a goal.

    I know I come across as harsh and blunt. In all sincerity, I do hope that you can make a positive change in your life. I've been there, over 310 lbs at my highest weight and I know it's tough to change habits. I wish you well on your journey.

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