Any tips for the mental/psychological part of weight loss?

It needs to be important to you, like a college degree, or a pet. Then you will do it.

Stick to it long enough so that it becomes habit.

Just know that a big part of making it a habit is finding a diet and exercise routine that is feasible in the long run - meaning that you can see yourself following the routine even years from now.

It needs to be important to you, like a college degree, or a pet. Then you will do it.

Very true. After years of this, I feel like I have an advanced degree in taking care of a very annoying, high maintenance pet.

I schedule it in as a priority like any other aspect of my daily life - both logging and getting my workouts in. I do my logging first thing in the morning while I have my breakfast, and I plan out my workouts on the calendar and cross off each day when I do them.

I also tend to focus on being stronger rather than being skinnier. After a workout, it's always nice to think about how I pushed myself to the limit and improved my endurance and strength. That helps get me past those days when I feel like I don't look as attractive.

It needs to be important to you, like a college degree, or a pet. Then you will do it.

Very true. After years of this, I feel like I have an advanced degree in taking care of a very annoying, high maintenance pet.

this and lol @ high maintenance pet


Additionally, you have to value yourself enough to really believe that you are worth the work that is involved in this. A lot of times people say "you don't want it badly enough"... well sometimes that's true but it's also often the case that the person does want it, but doesn't think they deserve it because they don't like themselves very much.... you have to learn to love and accept yourself for who you are, and really want to change because you know you deserve a fit, strong, healthy body and to look fantastic... wanting it isn't always enough. Understanding that you deserve it is also very important.

:drinker: We should treat ourselves like high maintenance, pedigreed pets so unique even Lloyd's of London won't insure us. And at least I'm housebroken. Gotta give myself that one.

It needs to be important to you, like a college degree, or a pet. Then you will do it.

Very true. After years of this, I feel like I have an advanced degree in taking care of a very annoying, high maintenance pet.

Perfect description :laugh:

Find your trigger points. Does the number on the scale bother you? Do you get upset and want to quit if it doesn't change? Then use the scale sparingly like once a week or even once a month. Are you more likely to overeat desserts or sweets? Don't have them in the house but enjoy a sweet when you are out to eat or at someone else's house.

Even if you are financially strapped, find a way to reward yourself with something to wear in your new size, even if it is just a t-shirt from the local thrift store, and then get something in your next size goal. Personally, I feel wonderful and in control when I can wear a size smaller than I had been (in my case, many of those are hiding in my closet).

I agree with the other posts that it first has to be important to YOU.

Personally, I took full advantage of my employer's healthy lifestyle coaching program where I was paired up with a nutritionist and a LCSW. I once struggled with emotional eating and my coaches really helped me to see how emotional eating was not the way to deal with the things in my life that bothered me. Every 2 weeks I had to give them a progress report on my eating and exercise. I was given great strategies to try when I felt the need to eat out of emotion. I will never forget, I was doing push-ups in boot camp and the light bulb went off in my head and I finally told myself "YOU ARE WORTH IT". 2 years later, I am still in the program. Their expertise and MY desire to change saved my life. Patience with yourself is critical and takes time. If you are employed check with your HR or Benefits Professional to see what is available to you.

I would love to know how you make out.

I will end this the same way I started, It first has to be important to YOU.

One thing that really helped me was being around other people with similar habits and interests. I am not saying that one should drop all of their old friends, leave their mate, etc. But for me it did kind of work out that way (not THAT extreme)...in the past I was married to someone who was also obese, and our main entertainment was dining out and eating a lot of snacks, going to buffet type places, getting takeout. His gamer friends came over every night and I cooked/baked huge meals for everyone. Of course I was going to partake of that, even though I'd BEGUN a healthier lifestyle and would head off on a 4 mile walk while they played video games...I didn't lose much weight or very quickly and I think a big part of it was being in that "culture" of eating vegetables only on a huge stuffed crust pizza. That was the norm in my circle.

Now I am remarried to someone whose life is centered around pursuit of hobbies, travel, and exercise. It's the norm to cook and eat healthy food. I am around friends and family who eat moderately and understand that treats are treats, not a 4X-daily thing when you are bored or feeling stressed. This has helped tremendously with the mental aspects of weight loss for me. While I didn't fully recognize it before, I thought of myself as being in that "fat & lazy club" before...where eating excessively and being sedentary was normal and fine. Now I am in a new lifestyle completely and it causes me to view myself differently. Before I pick up a cheeseburger laden with mayo, I think "is this going to feel great when I take my bike ride later?" and the answer's often no. So I'll choose something else. I just have a different way of thinking entirely.

You need to learn about yourself more and find out what your mental blocks are. For me it was not loving myself enough. While on one level I wanted to improve my body, fitness and health, because I didn't love myself I didn't work hard for it because I didn't think I was worth the effort.

Figure out what it is that is holding you back.

Lack of self worth?
Fear of failure?
Lack of emotional coping mechanisms?
Fear of success?

Good luck.

i went to the doctor. I knew my lifestyle was unhealthy, but didnt realize how bad until i got the actual numbers and such. That motivates me to get healthy. So if you havent been to the doctor,i would go.

Things that helped me:

1. What's the easiest healthy change you can do right now? If it's easy you will stick to it. Example: I used to skip breakfast and get to work hungry and buy a 500 calorie muffin and still be hungry. Instead, I eat a huge, satisfying meal at home around 300 calories. Little by little you learn to add more healthy behaviors.

2. Get in touch with your feelings. If you find yourself slipping- analyze yourself. If I realize I'm eating poorly because I'm upset, I take a long deep breath and dig deep to see what the problem really is.

3. I don't set time goals. I just made up my mind to continue to get as healthy as I can throughout life. You are better off getting to goal in 2 years and keeping it than losing it all in 3 months, going back to old routines and finding yourself in 2 years heavier than when you started.

What everyone else said.....plus, I once heard someone say "When your desire to lose weight becomes greater than your desire to eat - only THEN will you lose weight". I hear that in my head all the time now and ask myself which I want more on a regular basis.