Hello..feeling discouraged before I even get started...

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sbwood888
sbwood888 Posts: 953 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I have tried ten thousand times to lose weight. Sometimes I am successful for a while, but then I always gain it back. I am trying again, but I can't help feeling like "Here we go again...."
I started trying to lose weight yesterday (this time). Just found MFP today...hoping it will help.
Don't mean to sound like a downer, but that is how I feel. Any motivating tips for me?? Thanks. :smile:

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  • baypathgradLyns
    baypathgradLyns Posts: 639 Member
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    YOU CAN DO IT!!! I felt the same way when I started...but I think this time around I am more motivated to avoid health problems, etc...

    I have been on this site for a little over a month, and I find it addicting (lost 10 lbs so far)...addicting to read success stories, respond to people's posts and blogs, addicting to count calories and try to plan ahead...
  • rmkorama
    rmkorama Posts: 232 Member
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    Hi there, and welcome to the site!

    I don't know if I have any ways to help motivate, but I do have a couple other suggestions for a new person. :)

    1) Start small. Don't go hog wild and start changing every single aspect of your life at once. Though I realize for some people this works well, often it just gets overwhelming instead and people give up. Start small, changing just one or two things in your life, and give yourself some time to adjust to the changes. For example, start only by logging your foods, but do it consistently. Don't try to make changes right away, just see what you're eating and start getting an idea about what changes you may need to make. Then think of a specific change to implement and do that one thing. If you don't eat breakfast, maybe your change will be to start working on incorporating a healthy breakfast into your routine.

    2) Don't be afraid to ask for help!

    3) Break your goals into something small and manageable, and concrete goals are good to think about. By concrete I mean attaching real numbers to things, rather than using words like "more" or "less." A concrete goal would be I will exercise 3 days a week for 20 minutes for 4 weeks. Not I will exercise more.

    4) Remember, the scale is only one measure of success, and

    5) Celebrate every single small victory in some way, even if it's just a matter of posting on your status that you did something.
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
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    go ahead and friend me. This site is awesome, even got my mom on it. I love how it has any food you can think of just about, and if it doesn't you can go ahead and put it in. Also all the exercises and topics and friends. I just started last week and have a lot of people encouraging me and helping me. You will do great. Just keep the faith and keep positive.
  • piquilter
    piquilter Posts: 119
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    I TOTALLY relate to you & there are a lot of others here that relate to you also!! I felt like I'd been thrown a life preserver when I found this site. I've come to peace with a lot of things in my life and that doesn't make it easier, but I know in my heart this WILL BE the last time. I decided losing weight has to be about me and for me and not to try to please anyone else. It's one day at a time, a journey not a race. Feel free to friend me and I will be here for you!!!! After you see my successful loss look at my after holiday post and you will see that I've fallen, but this time I CAN get back up and so can you :smile: Good luck and welcome to MFP!
  • Shirley61
    Shirley61 Posts: 7,758 Member
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    Welcome
    I agree this site keeps you going. The people
    here are motivational and if you need support
    this is the place.:bigsmile:
    You can add me as a friend.
  • angebean
    angebean Posts: 195 Member
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    Before I started using this site, I had to really sit down with myself and ask why I want do lose weight. Once I really really thought about it and knew why, only then did I know I had to do this.

    Losing weight is about changing how you live your life. It really is a lifestyle change.

    Whenever I get discouraged or feel like falling off the wagon, I come to this site and get support from everyone on here. This is a GREAT site. Make some friends on here that you find inspiring and see how hard they work.

    I never thought I could lose 30 lbs on my own. I was even considering lap-band, but i have done it and you can too!

    YOU CAN DO THIS !!!
  • Jessicah1987
    Jessicah1987 Posts: 14 Member
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    Hey...we all feel like its a hamster wheel. But you've done it before...so you can do it again! Remember, diets are temporary. But lifestyle changes are forever. And that's what you have to do...make lifestyle changes! I also like to quote my favorite Hoosier fat-cat, Garfield - "A diet is just the word 'die' with a 't' at the end!".

    Best of luck! You can do it!
  • AliChini
    AliChini Posts: 5 Member
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    Hi.

    Just get on line when you have the urge to splurge, the amount of time it takes to type your answer takes your mind off the munchies. ANNNDDD there are loads of inspiring people who aren't complete nightmares, gives you the spur you need.

    regards
    Ali (39) UK :bigsmile:
  • airelj
    airelj Posts: 1
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    A couple things that keep me from giving up when I get down and/or discouraged:

    1) You didn't gain the weight overnight, it was something that occurred over months or (in my case) years. Don't expect it to go away in a matter of days or weeks.
    2) Just because you've had setbacks or gained some weight doesn't mean you can't do it and should give up. It just means it's time to push the reset button, leave all that frustration behind, and start like it's a whole new ball game.
    3) Almost every successful weight loss story I've read talks about the many, many times that person tried and failed to get to the skinnier and healthier person they are today. Just because you haven't had the success you've wanted in the past doesn't mean you won't have that success now. If anything, those past journeys make you smarter and more experienced to better take on this challenge today.

    The main thing to remember is that you're not dieting, you're changing your lifestyle. Think about what changes you need to make to make this journey a positive one that will last a lifetime.

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