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

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  • madisonsmith1297
    madisonsmith1297 Posts: 22
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    Whats truly strange about this topic is that for me personally I had to stop hating myself for the process to really begin. I had to know that I deserved better health before I could really make any sort of long term effort. Prior to that I would have maybe three or four good days, then I wouldn't care after that. It was an endless cycle, that only love for myself could break.
  • kirili3
    kirili3 Posts: 244 Member
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    The self-hatred point the poster above made is true for me too.

    These days, I listen to Regrets by Mark Fry. That usually gets me going. Weight loss isn't a huge thing, it's a small but important thing that takes time and good habits. It's better to do something small towards it every day than to let the days go by because we don't get them back. Just a small thing like accurately logging calories, even if you over eat, is the start of a good habit. Then things like exercising how and when you can, finding fun ways to do it. Then finding meals that are low in calories that you actually like. I never used to get pizza, now I can have one daily if I want with a tortilla, a good pasta sauce, some finely grated cheese, and it comes in at less than 200 kcal. I've also discovered a love for broccoli.

    I actually eat more food I like now, and try to fit it into my calorie goals, and then exercise for more! I slip up a lot but that old cliche about trying and trying again is very true.

    If not doing anything about it is not making you happy, why not do something, even small?

    I've logged calories of over 4000. I wasn't proud but somehow just logging those calories and keeping up that habit helped.
  • kirili3
    kirili3 Posts: 244 Member
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    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.

    You can definitely do it! The success stories on MFP are a great inspiration. The great thing about calorie counting is that you don't have to deprive yourself of particular foods, just be creative with how you make stuff.
  • SteampunkSongbird
    SteampunkSongbird Posts: 826 Member
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    I personally believe there is such a thing as being ready. For years I've hated my body, hated my face and generally self-loathed a monumental amount. I've whined about wanting to lose weight, wanting to tone up my flabby bits, wanting to eat better, trying to start various diets and quitting them after 6 months or less, wanting to make more of an effort, but I never got off my *kitten* and actually seriously did anything about it, I just pined for the look I wanted and stuffed my face on chocolate cookies (I comfort eat a lot, my mental health has always been shaky.) It's definitely not an age-specific thing for everyone but something clicked in me when I turned 28 this year. I was sick of moaning about being fat and ugly, and for the first time, I went looking for proper help (found MFP) and have been logging daily and trying to combat my sugar cravings, which admittedly I haven't mastered yet, but I am trying harder now than ever before and I feel like this time I'll do it, because I am 100% ready. I've now lost weight for the first time, I've increased my activity, and I know now that I wasn't ready before, my heart wasn't in it, no matter how much I may have wanted it.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    As a rule, I think there's a point at which I was ready to lose weight. It was at the point that I was tired of feeling bad about myself. I didn't have a lot to lose, but it was enough for me to say it's time.It took me almost a year to lose 27 pounds and now I'm on maintenance, but considering three more pounds of loss.
  • Bumblebee3441
    Bumblebee3441 Posts: 67 Member
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    bump
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    For me, absolutely. I knew for years that I should lose weight, but I knew also from experience that half-assed diets just don't work long term, and that if I wanted to lose weight, I had to be ready to make a lifetime commitment. So I didn't do anything about it.

    After the scale tipped over at 213, after I maintained around 200 for years, I started paying more attention to online friends losing weight. That's when I heard about myfitnesspal and counting calories. It still took me a few months to be ready to do it (and it happened after I ate horribly during the Holidays and actually made myself sick of food).

    IMO You HAVE to be committed, or you'll lose a few pounds and just yoyo diet forever. The reason it's a lifestyle change is that pretty much what you eat when you start is what you'll maintain on later (with maybe 200 extra calories). There's no going back to your old eating habits ever. You have to understand that and be willing to do it when you start, or you're setting yourself for failure.
  • jennalor
    jennalor Posts: 84 Member
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    Thanks again everyone. I have definitely been lacking in my level of commitment, I've been losing and finding the same 5 pounds for a few months now.

    I think its interesting that there have been thoughts from both sides of it, the readiness factor, and the just do it side.

    For now I think I'm going to focus on what choices I can do today to be successful. Weight loss isn't complicated but the level of commitment it requires can be challenging. Which is not to say every day must be perfect, but ideally every is a little better than the last one.

    Cheers!:drinker:
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
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    I actually talked/thought about it, and did research about different programs for ablout 6 months before I found MFP (Which isn't one of the "programs") I just stumbled across it, and decided to check it out. I didn't give it my all at first, and didn't even start walking until a couple of months in. I'm now considering lifting and am wondering when I'll consider myself "ready" for that. (I know just do it already) The fact that you're on here is a start. Start small. You have to Eat the whole elephant one bite at a time. And if you mess up a day, start over. Don't just quit,

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