Need to get going about getting going

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Reggae719
Reggae719 Posts: 4 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi. I'm a 46 year old guy that needs to lose 30 pounds. I psych myself up to wake up at 5:30 and exercise, but 5:30 comes and goes. How do you get motivated and stay there? I'll take any advice

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  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    You lose weight by eating at a deficit. If you're not ready for exercise yet, concentrate on logging everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Eventually, I can guarantee you'll want to exercise just to "earn" more calories to eat.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Reggae719
    Reggae719 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks for the reply.
  • Ch0wster
    Ch0wster Posts: 2 Member
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    Yep- the calorie deficit definitely helps, though keep up with the exercise since it's good for you. My weight didn't start dropping until I restricted my daily caloric intake.

    Once my weight came down, I was more motivated (and feeling better in general) to get moving.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Also, if 5:30 a.m.'s not working for you, exercise at a different time. For example, take a walk on your lunch hour.
  • fitnessfreeky
    fitnessfreeky Posts: 19
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    Park at the opposite end of the parking lot / take the stairs / if you use public transit, get off a couple stops from your usual stop and walk the rest of the way / ride your bike to work. Log all your food (good and bad), keep a journal and highlight the bad foods and watch them decrease over time!
  • picklesroofus
    picklesroofus Posts: 68 Member
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    I hate exercise

    I love food



    I did not exercise much the first two weeks. I think that is the best way to start because it is so much to bear with just food tracking I think doing both at once is just overwhelming mentally if you are exhausted by this "process" as I was when I started.

    Then I decided I really wanted to have a cookie (I actually remember the day.. they had them for a work meeting yumm).. I walked two miles that day.. for me that equates calories for a large chunk chocolate cookie. Best cookie ever.

    The award center in my brain now thinks exercise means treat at the end. Sometimes treat is just a granola bar or some fruit chunks.. maybe extra pizza slice.. but hey when you love food you get pretty excited for those extra 200-250 calories! :D
  • picklesroofus
    picklesroofus Posts: 68 Member
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    PS : I workout sometimes as late as 10 pm at night. By my TV.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    I started with the low hanging fruit; the easy stuff. I currently get up at 6 am most days to exercise, but if I could have told my former self that, I would never have believed it. No way. I started with just logging my food and sticking (mostly) to the calorie goal MFP gave me. I also walked, gently, a few times a week. No more exercise than that. All you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit.

    As time went on, I walked more, I used a stationary bike, I eventually started running and weight lifting. I worked out how much I really should be eating, I made small gradual changes to my diet to make it easier to stick to, and to make it more balanced and nutritious. It all took place slowly over time though. The first and most important thing I did was to track my food, stop over-eating and create a calorie deficit. Then, the weight started coming off which made me realise that this was going to work.

    Read the sexypants link, and just keep it simple. Make the easy changes first. The rest will follow.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Hi. I'm a 46 year old guy that needs to lose 30 pounds. I psych myself up to wake up at 5:30 and exercise, but 5:30 comes and goes. How do you get motivated and stay there? I'll take any advice
    It's very easy at the beginning to set yourself goals that in reality you really know you aren't going to achieve. Get the basics right first log all your food accurately (weigh and measure it all) eat at a calorie deficit then you'll start to lose weight. Then just try and get moving more start walking places just build up slowly and after a while you'll find yourself motivated to do more. One step at a time

    Good Luck
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
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    Start by doing what you say you're going to do! Motivation increases with reputation, the trick is to fight the feeling to put off or procrastinate. You just have to work through it ... remember... the sooner you start ... the sooner you'll finish and each time you do you build your confidence and motivation a little more. It's like painting a room, as long as the paint is in the can... the room doesn't get painted, but when you open the can and start painting... you're well on your way to finishing. It's your choice, you can have a reason why you didn't or you can have the result of completing your task. Do what you gotta Do!!! OOORAAAH

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