When does this get easier?
catsaresupercute
Posts: 7
BLAH! I'm 3 days in... And I feel like I'm already going to fail. I don't mean to be negative, but it's very difficult. Have any of you felt the same and eventually found that sticking to eating well became easier?
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Replies
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Hi!
It will get easier. You have to look at it as a life syle change. It will not be a quick fix overnight but instead a long journey where some days will be easier than others. There will be hiccups, rough weeks, easy weeks, hard weeks, skinny weeks, fat weeks, healthy weeks and unhealthy weeks. But in the end changing to a healthier you looking in the mirror all of that you will realize it was worth it!0 -
Yes!! I have had so many false starts this recently but 5 weeks ago something finally 'clicked'!
I find I'm most successful when I truly am in the frame of mind to do it. Having a goal and something to look forward to helps me too.
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It really does get easier. With me, if I make something a strict routine for a couple weeks...it becomes habit.
For example...logging every damn thing was annoying as hell...until I'd forced myself to do it for a while. Now I absolutely hate NOT logging things.
It was a habit with me for years to eat way too much. Now I feel like I'm on my way to making eating right a habit. Sure feels that way lately.0 -
What are you doing so far? For me, if I had to do a restrictive diet (low carb, etc) I'd fail within a day.
What has worked for me before and what is working for me now is just to keep a caloric deficit and ignore everything else. All I've done in the last three months is reduce portion size.
Again, it depends on what you've been doing so far. Some of the "diets" I've seen described here sound like pure torture and I wouldn't last a day on them.0 -
Focus on the goal you have in mind and obsessed over it, weight your self once a week, once you hit the point of losing 5 lbs you'll feel better and you'll want more results, its a good feeling and that's when starts to get easier, focus focus....0
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Take the word "FAIL" out of your mind. We can't be perfect all the time and if we slip up we haven't failed! If you slip up and then got back on track you can't call it a fail!0
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I feel your pain! I'm 2 days in (again) and it does seem hard.
I try to have long term, mid term, short term and Instant! goals.
For example
Long term = Final goal weight achieved, Mid term= weight milestone achieved. Short term = log in on MFP every day for 5 weeks. Instant goal = Don't Eat That Now! Log into MFP and find some support Now! Review success Now!
At the moment our greatest success is the very fact we are doing something about something in our lives we don't like. Be proud of that. You are only 4 days from seeing your first weight loss. It is hard but it's worth the effort!
Hope this helps :-)0 -
My first few days doing MFP my food diaries were DOUBLE what I was aiming to eat! But you just find alternate things that are healthier and slowly it starts coming down to where you want it to be 0
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Define "eating well". Just how much have you changed overnight? What worked for me was simply eating the same foods I normally eat, measuring them and logging them, and meeting my calorie goal. I made tweaks in order to more easily meet that calorie goal. That's it. Do some exercise and get to eat a bit more.
I'm not saying don't change anything about how/what you eat if you want to, for better health, but it doesn't have to be overnight. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. My diet is very different now to when I started calorie counting - but it is 2 1/2 years later. Those changes didn't happen all at once.
Also, what's your calorie goal? Some people make the mistake of cutting calories too drastically and then not being able to sustain it more than a week or two. Add an unsustainable calorie intake to a diet where you've cut out all your favourite foods and yeah - failure looks quite likely.
This is a long, long process - regardless of how much you have to lose. It doesn't end when you reach your weight goal, so it's really important to make it a sustainable thing. Keep your calorie deficit reasonable. Eat the foods you love. Do exercise you enjoy. Create new habits that you can stick to.0 -
When you have a lot of weight to lose it can seem daunting.
But depending on how you start can define how it goes.
If you start cutting stuff out that you really like, crave and love will make it seem impossible.
Or if you try to do it too fast it can be hard as well as you are hungry.
Try starting with just logging what you eat...all of it.
Then see where you can reduce portions or change the item to an alternative...by change item I mean whole milk to 2% or 1%.0 -
What are you doing so far? For me, if I had to do a restrictive diet (low carb, etc) I'd fail within a day.
What has worked for me before and what is working for me now is just to keep a caloric deficit and ignore everything else. All I've done in the last three months is reduce portion size.
Again, it depends on what you've been doing so far. Some of the "diets" I've seen described here sound like pure torture and I wouldn't last a day on them.
Find what works for you and make it routine... you can do this!0 -
life is full of choices. in your case you have to change your mindset and decide to make this journey a good experience or choose to think your life is miserable because you cant eat all the stuff that got you where you are today0
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I think the first weeks are pretty rough, everything is new. Learning to track, weigh, and measure can be tedious. Especially when you're making changes and working so hard but it's too soon to see results. Hang in there, it will be become more routine, and one day (fairly soon) you'll begin to feel, and then see a difference. It's tough, but so worth it!0
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My advice is the same. Eat what you normally eat only eat less of it and fill up on low calorie veggies. Do not starve yourself. If you are hungry try upping your calories a couple hundred and see where you are. You shouldn't be tired, hungry or depressed. That is your body telling you something isn't right. Don't forget to drink your water and get plenty of sleep too!0
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It takes a few weeks but once you get to the stage when you are at a calorie deficit and not feeling hungry it is such a buzz, please keep at it. you will see the results0
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For me, the exercise component was the key. I did cut my portions down (to normal - not restrictive) from what I was eating, and added extra foods in the forms of fruits & veggies. But overall, I exercise everyday because it allows to me to still eat the things I love, and to monitor how much I want to eat of my 'indulgence' foods. If I had to quit ice cream, cheese, or chocolate I'd fall off the wagon immediately. Instead, I've found ways to eat moderate portions of those things, and exercise those calories away anyway.
Tips that help me make good food choices:
1. Buy ice cream by the pint (4 servings) or smaller. I can easily eyeball 1/4 of a pint and not eat more. This works with other treats too.
2. When enjoying your indulgences, actually consciously enjoy each bite. Don't eat while doing other things. (my worst habit)
3. Go grocery shopping right after the gym. When you work out your brain gets high on endorphins and you feel really good about your healthy choices! I find that this 'healthy high' carries over into the grocery store and helps me make healthier choices at the store. If the cheetos never make it to my house, then I won't be able to eat them.
4. Make simple substitutions, but don't go overboard. Almond milk instead of cow's milk for breakfast shakes works for me. The taste is still great! But I don't know if I'd like to drink it straight or pour it on cereal.
5. Find a few go-to snacks that are low-cal and require no preparation. There are millions of lists all over the internet for this. My current quick-grab snacks are grapes, fruit leather (mostly sugar, but at only 45 calories they satisfy my sweet tooth without derailing my calorie deficit, and carrots or dry Cinnamon Life cereal when I need a crunchy bite.0 -
BLAH! I'm 3 days in... And I feel like I'm already going to fail. I don't mean to be negative, but it's very difficult. Have any of you felt the same and eventually found that sticking to eating well became easier?
Sticking to eating healthy became really easier over time, but not losing weight...the closer you get to your goal weight the longer it takes to lose weight. I am six months in and have now lost nearl 9kg, a couple of grams shy or goal weight. The first six kgs I lost in the first couple of weeks and then it s l o w e d down. Now it is like 200 g in a month...
Anyhow, my life has changed and I feel so much better and healthier. I changed my life style around, better diet, more exercise, more sleep, less crap and junk food, overall I am a new person.
Try and not make too many changes at the same time. Add good food and do not deprive yourself from everything you love.
Best of luck
Stef.0 -
That old saying: Three steps forward, two steps back sums it up.
It is and should be gradual. Your body needs to regenerate and
learn you are taking care f it. Mentally it may be pretty tough, at
first but keep your mind on your goals. Be it an outfit or an
occassion., whatever is pushing you to do this,keep it in the front
of your mind? You can do it. 0 -
Practice and patience are the keys!0
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when you embrace it0
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It will always be a challenge...though as you build habits it gets easier...but....don't worry yourself about it. Just concentrate on today. You can think about tomorrow, tomorrow.0
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It took me quite a while before I got the hang of it...like several months. Really, sometimes all you can do is gut it out. Eventually, you will develop new habits that you will be able to sustain forever.
A few tips:
Don't try to do too much at once. Like, don't think you have to give up everything that tastes good! I eat chips almost every day, I just make them fit my calories! All you need for weight loss is a calorie deficit.
If you want to exercise, find something you like! There are tons of options out there! Zumba, Crossfit, running, strength training ( ie weight lifting), treadmills and elliptical, aerobics, kickboxing...you get the idea.
Bottom line, find what works for you. This may take a while, and that's ok. Forgive yourself for the inevitable mistakes you make, and, whatever you do, don't quit.0 -
The first week was tough for me. The second week was less tough. The third week was the most tough. By then, I had made enough progress to keep pushing forward. The key for me was to celebrate the small victories. I set milestones for myself (my milestones are 3lbs or 10% of my goal loss of 30lbs). It made my weighloss seem more like a series of small hills instead of a mountain.
The first milestone that I achieved, I made a big deal about it. I didn't go crazy with food or anything, but I bragged to some close friends. They congratulated me as good friends should. My friends understood my struggle and stood behind me. If you don't have that kind of support system in real life, look for friends on here to motivate you.0 -
It will get easier . . . I too am just starting out. Once things start become habit it makes it easier. I see it as I have to go through the struggle to get to the big pay-off at the end. You can do it. Don't give up on yourself yet.0
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Where are you having difficulties? I found all of this to be rather simple and easy. In my experience, people who find this "hard" are being too aggressive in their calorie goals and generally don't understand that you don't have to eliminate everything that you think is "bad".
Maybe give this a read...this is one of my all time favorite MFP threads....
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818701-the-myth-of-motivation-and-what-you-need-instead0 -
1.) Get some encouraging friends on here.
2.) Yes it gets easier.
3.) You need to find your OWN motivation. Anything we give you will only enhance that. It can not replace it.
You can add me if you are looking for friends. Good luck on your journey!0 -
Hi!
It will get easier. You have to look at it as a life syle change. It will not be a quick fix overnight but instead a long journey where some days will be easier than others. There will be hiccups, rough weeks, easy weeks, hard weeks, skinny weeks, fat weeks, healthy weeks and unhealthy weeks. But in the end changing to a healthier you looking in the mirror all of that you will realize it was worth it!
amberflo143 is totally right. Eating healthy can be rough. Especially right out of the gate. A lot of the stuff you think is healthy ends up being ROTTEN for you and it can get really frustrating. But keep going. The best way I can describe getting healthy is this: the first 30 days suck. Out loud. The next 30 days, you start to feel better and it sucks much less. The next 30 days, you are enjoying eating healthy and it doesn't really suck at all. Don't give up. Anything that is worth having is worth working for.0 -
I'd say just take it slowly if you have a bad day don't hold it against yourself! Everyone needs a treat every now and then. It is definitely worth it in the end. I feel so much better about myself now! It was hard work but worth it 0
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Hi!
It will get easier. You have to look at it as a life syle change. It will not be a quick fix overnight but instead a long journey where some days will be easier than others. There will be hiccups, rough weeks, easy weeks, hard weeks, skinny weeks, fat weeks, healthy weeks and unhealthy weeks. But in the end changing to a healthier you looking in the mirror all of that you will realize it was worth it!
hear hear... and once the mirror keeps winking and catcalling you...well then you know you made it. :blushing:0 -
For me, it got easier when I started adding strength and cardio training. Both seem to kill my appetite for hours, and also get me to drink more water. Also, after a few weeks the weight graph develops a nice downward slant, and that is incredibly satisfying, especially when I get a craving for a chocolate chip cookie. Just admiring the chart usually gets me past the desire to spoil everything.0
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