Is there such a thing as being 'ready' to lose weight?

being "ready" for it is just a way of saying having the motivation and knowledge to do so.

i wanted to lose weight since i became overweight, but i didnt have the drive to follow through, and when i did i didnt have the knowledge about diet to make it possible. motivation is everything in this, and its so easy to lose motivation sometimes it needs to be something that you can hold onto for a long long time, which alot of people dont have

as a side note, giving it 100% isnt absolutely necessary, in fact that can lead to failure in itself. pushing yourself too hard in this wont make it sustainable, you need to make slow changes that will stick with you for the rest of your life, after all you dont want to drop that weight and end up putting it all back on once you reach your goal because you thought you were done with improving your health

You have to make "tomorrow" today.

That was my problem, Oh, I'll start tomorrow, Oh, I'll start it Monday. This went on and on until I realized that if I really, really wanted to do this, I'd start RIGHT NOW.

You have to want this. Anything in life worth having is not easily gained. You have to accept that it's a lifestyle change, not a temporary diet, and you have to make up your mind that you're going to do it. It's the same as quitting smoking.. if you really want to do it, you'll do whatever it takes to do it, and you will be ready when you want it bad enough.

any chance there's someone IRL (family member, friend, coworker) who would be game to join you in losing weight? If there's someone you see every day/every week, that could help you get over the initial hurdle of getting into the right mindset.

Yes, there is such a thing. I have been using MFP for a while now and have reached my weight loss goal. My husband has been "wanting" to lose weight for a while now. Actually it was more like wishing. He kept saying "I wish I could lose weight" while shoveling the Chex Mix Trail Mix into his face by the bagful. An don't get me started on the ice cream bars. Yes, he was buying Weight Watchers ice cream bars, but when you eat 3 in one night, it sort of defeats the purpose. I kept telling him that when he was serious, to let me know. He finally came to his senses and asked me to help him. I created a MFP account for him, I changed his whole eating habits and am happy to say he's lost over 17 lbs in 5 weeks. His weigh-ins are Thursdays because that's the day of the week he started. He's actually starting to think about what he eats and making better choices. And in 5 weeks he hasn't had a single bag of Chex Mix.

I think so.

That time usually is when a person stops using excuses and just does it. WHen a person stops using excuses, starts making time for exercise, and starts holding themselves accountable for how much they eat then THAT is when they are ready to lose weight.

Those people who say they dont have time, $$, too busy, too difficult, cannot stop eating, etc...they arent truly ready.

When you stop the excuses and JUST DO IT is when you are ready.

I could've written this, too. I know what I should be doing and make plans I guess I just lack the motivation to actually stick with it. It's not that I'm not ready, it's that I need to consciously work harder and better at sticking to the plans I create. Does my not sticking with it mean I don't want it bad enough? I don't think so. I think it means that I have a lot of work to do to get where I want to go, but we'll get there as long as we keep moving forward.

Feel free to add me!

Very good question.

I have been struggling with this for over a year now. My impulse is to say that , yes, it happens when you know you are ready, which then raises the question, "What does that mean?"!

In my case, I know, and have known all this time, what needs to be done. I know how to do it. I have done the research and tested many methods and theories throughout my life. I have learned that, for myself, I need eat well and be active. I need to have a solid and realistic plan that I am willing to participate in that interests me. I know that, for my efforts to be effective and long term, I need to track what I am eating and my activities on this plan and that information will show me what I am doing that is working for me and what isn't so much. I need to be kind to myself and willing to adjust "the plan" for the unforeseen and to accommodate life changes and special events. I look at it as the process of healthier living. This is what works for me.

But I haven't been doing the things that need to be done even though I know I can do it, that I will feel awesome when I do it and that I know exactly what it is I need to do. I have made less than half-hearted attempts and have thought about how I "should" be doing it and all the reasons why now isn't good (as I ate way too much food and sat on the couch) and how I will get it going tomorrow and frankly, I made myself miserable in the process. I think I just decided ENOUGH ALREADY! and took action. And maybe that is what knowing you're ready really means...deciding to just get on with things and doing it.

Not sure that helps you at all.

Good luck and best to you in your endeavors!!

I agree and think there is such a thing as being 'ready' to lose weight. I feel that being 'ready' is when you decide your WHYs are important enough to lose the weight. I recommend writing down your whys (reasons you want to lose weight). For me, the whys were enough to get me to realize that I was ready to lose weight.

I don't know if this will help you, but I have recently acknowledged that I keep "failing" at losing weight because I am terrified I will just gain the weight back again. Just like I have my entire adult life. I have tried every diet, done doctor monitored liquid protein fast, even gastric bypass surgery. I do great at first every time, but eventually I slide and go back to compulsive eating. Since my gastric bypass surgery about six years ago I have gained back 50 of the 80 pounds I lost. basically I just don't believe I can be successful at weight lost. I turn 60 years old the end of June and I feel like I'm just not up to it any more.