How do you stay focused?
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I think some of us make weight loss more complicated than it really is and that throws us off track. Start out just monitoring what you eat on a daily basis and then look for areas where you can realistically cut back. That little bit of success can build into a greater focus to continue.
Once you've accomplished something with your diet (noun) then add in some exercise to speed the process up, and maintain some muscle mass and strength, and you're good to go. Don't agonize over bad days or turn them into bad weeks...........move on and get back to it. It's like a job really.
Yeah, I completely agree with that. It's so easy to make this harder than it really has to be. I overthink things so bad, and it throws me off. It shouldn't have to be difficult, right?
One of my main objectives was to get my eating habits under control before I start to exercise, because I know that if I can't get the first right, then I'll end up wasting the hard work put forth with working out. My husband and I are planning to utilize the gym here, but I want to make sure that I become more consistent with my eating first. Work on one good habit at a time.
I certainly have a lot to work on. Lol. But I'm excited about it.0 -
DTrippBarton wrote: »You're procrastinating because you know it's gonna be hard. You're right. It doesn't make it not worth doing. It makes it more worth doing. Stop putting it off just because it's uncomfortable at first. You have done this before. It will be easier this time. You aren't traveling into unknown territory, you're getting yourself back. Don't you want to get your self back? Time for action is now.
“Resist the short term temptation of procrastination; the immediate pleasure and relief that it brings does not fair in comparison to the long lasting damage it does to your dreams and goals.”
― Noel DeJesus
That's definitely a huge part of it. I'm anticipating the discomfort, and it's putting me off. It feels so much easier for me to just give in and give myself that "comfort" than to just dig my heels in and do it.
Thank you for your response. I'm truly taking that to heart!
I will be checking back in on you!!!!!
Thank you so much!
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DTrippBarton wrote: »Like others said, you're not always going to be motivated. Sometimes you just need to put one foot in front of the other and do it. It's not always going to be fun. Everyone can come up with excuses why they can't, don't have time, etc. What you need to do is take even 15 minutes and do SOMETHING, everyday. Then you can start building on that.
That's fantastic advice! Thank you!
That's a huge vice of mine - making excuses. I feel like I'm the queen of them, I do it so often. I need to learn how not to do that.
What about re-wording your excuses? Instead of them being why you can't or won't, word them to be excuses for why you can or will. I know the word "excuse" has a negative connotation but try making it a positive one.
Good luck!0 -
This thread is awesome
A little trick I use, I find I snack a lot in the evenings because I'm bored, so I started finding ways to keep busy while watching tv, like cross stitching, or seeding a pomegranate Or even better, watching TV while on the treadmill 
My biggest motivator is exactly this, using the MFP forums and blogs. Reading posts like these rekindles my drive every single time! I've also got a few motivational quotes from Pinterest printed out and posted in my office at work. My strategy is to keep my eyes on the prize! I visualize myself at my goal weight, and then think, "What can I do today that's going to get me there?" That helps me a lot
Good luck to you! You've got the power to do this!! You just need to keep that focus at the top of your mind all the time. And feel free to add me as a friend if you want a buddy! 0 -
DTrippBarton wrote: »Like others said, you're not always going to be motivated. Sometimes you just need to put one foot in front of the other and do it. It's not always going to be fun. Everyone can come up with excuses why they can't, don't have time, etc. What you need to do is take even 15 minutes and do SOMETHING, everyday. Then you can start building on that.
That's fantastic advice! Thank you!
That's a huge vice of mine - making excuses. I feel like I'm the queen of them, I do it so often. I need to learn how not to do that.
What about re-wording your excuses? Instead of them being why you can't or won't, word them to be excuses for why you can or will. I know the word "excuse" has a negative connotation but try making it a positive one.
Good luck!
That's a great idea. Kind of like turning the tables on myself with those excuses. I like that! 0 -
erindunphy wrote: »This thread is awesome A little trick I use, I find I snack a lot in the evenings because I'm bored, so I started finding ways to keep busy while watching tv, like cross stitching, or seeding a pomegranate Or even better, watching TV while on the treadmill
My biggest motivator is exactly this, using the MFP forums and blogs. Reading posts like these rekindles my drive every single time! I've also got a few motivational quotes from Pinterest printed out and posted in my office at work. My strategy is to keep my eyes on the prize! I visualize myself at my goal weight, and then think, "What can I do today that's going to get me there?" That helps me a lot
Good luck to you! You've got the power to do this!! You just need to keep that focus at the top of your mind all the time. And feel free to add me as a friend if you want a buddy!
That's also a great idea! Finding things to keep myself distracted. I love doing crafty things (like cross stitching and making cloth wreaths).
Thank you for the reassurance! I'm going to be taking a look back at this thread every single time I feel myself wavering. All of the advice and support given here today has been amazing. 0 -
I'm in the same boat with having past success and just getting going on losing weight I regained. I lost 25 lbs about 5 years ago- lost it slowly over 2 years. I had the workouts down but eating in a way I could maintain for life was my goal which is why I lost slowly. I gained it back cuz of eating more here and there thinking I'm feeling skinny now so I can do that, and slowly have gained most of it back. I'm finding I need more support this time around and am finding that that encouragement from posts about my real life frustrations is working for me. Im rooting for your success and hope you root for mine too:)DTrippBarton wrote: »I've been trying for years to lose weight. I had a successful bout back in 2011, when I lost 62 pounds. Unfortunately, since then, I've gained all of the weight back and have had difficulties with reclaiming some success.
Physically, I'm more than ready to try (and I've been trying constantly, and backslide every time). Mentally, I feel like I'm just blocked. I pull up my big girl panties and start up, but then something happens (either a stressful event, errands that mess up my routine, sabotages, etc) that throws me off course, and I start my self-sabotaging cycle all over again.
I've tried everything I could to motivate myself. I've tried before and after photos, doing this for my kids and my husband, wanting to feel better about myself and feel healthier, using apps and fitness bands, relying on friends to help, keeping it to myself, motivational memes, etc. Nothing is giving me that jolt of inspiration.
It's difficult. I want so badly to make this happen for myself. I'm just having a hard time removing that mental block.
If anyone has dealt with the same kind of difficulties and successfully moved past them, how did you do it? How did you get through the first few weeks of changing your lifestyle? How did you maintain your focus and your drive? How did you tune out all of the saboteurs (because I have a LOT of those in my life)? (Sorry for the bombardment of questions!)
I hate feeling this stuck. I want to be able to do this and move forward, and lose the weight and change my lifestyle.
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One thing about people who stay fit and lean.................they are consistent about it. A lot of their lifestyle is about proper nutrition, exercise and being consistent.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
[/quote] 0 -
And to maintain that consistency you have to have the right mindset, IMO. If you (general "you") view the lifestyle changes necessary to attain your goal as bad and uncomfortable and that you are missing out or giving up certain foods, then it's really hard to succeed long-term.0
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OP you ask some interesting questions. In my case, I had to ask myself why I wasn't allowing myself to be the best self I knew I could be. I had to face the answers, however hurtful they were, and only then was I able to commit to change. It's been so worth it.0
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Just a little tip that my sister gave me that helped...
You know those days when you just can't seem to eat enough, and you're devouring all the food, and you're thinking "Ah, may as well enjoy it all and start fresh tomorrow"? She told me this "There's no reason to wait until tomorrow to make better choices".
In other words, the change doesn't have to wait until morning (or the first day of the week or the first day of the month) - sleeping doesn't reset anything, the number and words on the calendar don't mean anything. If you want to be better when you feel out of control, stop immediately, not later. So you ate your calorie goal by lunch? You're way over your calorie goal because those chips at the party looked oh so good? Recognize you've had enough, you won't die, the discomfort isn't THAT bad PLUS its very temporary (you can eat again tomorrow when you aren't over your goal anymore), and stop where you are. Make better choices for the rest of the day!
Also - you might get to a point where you're thinking about it all the time. Her other tip was to "stop thinking about food". It's kind of true, the more you think about it, the hungrier you are. So plan your meals, know your game plan, think about it if you need to change the plan, but otherwise, tell yourself to stop thinking about it between those times if you start. Do that until it's a habit 0 -
register for a race. something six months from now. it should be easy to find one, as June is prime season for all kinds of races.
now you've payed money for an event and you need to prepare for it. mark it on your calendar. find a training plan, and fill it into your calendar. you can't lose focus now.0 -
Just a little tip that my sister gave me that helped...
You know those days when you just can't seem to eat enough, and you're devouring all the food, and you're thinking "Ah, may as well enjoy it all and start fresh tomorrow"? She told me this "There's no reason to wait until tomorrow to make better choices".
In other words, the change doesn't have to wait until morning (or the first day of the week or the first day of the month) - sleeping doesn't reset anything, the number and words on the calendar don't mean anything. If you want to be better when you feel out of control, stop immediately, not later. So you ate your calorie goal by lunch? You're way over your calorie goal because those chips at the party looked oh so good? Recognize you've had enough, you won't die, the discomfort isn't THAT bad PLUS its very temporary (you can eat again tomorrow when you aren't over your goal anymore), and stop where you are. Make better choices for the rest of the day!
Also - you might get to a point where you're thinking about it all the time. Her other tip was to "stop thinking about food". It's kind of true, the more you think about it, the hungrier you are. So plan your meals, know your game plan, think about it if you need to change the plan, but otherwise, tell yourself to stop thinking about it between those times if you start. Do that until it's a habit
I love this. I saw this and it is just...amazing advice.
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I stay motivated by looking at before and after photos, the fact that I've gone down 2 shirt sizes, comparing how motivated I feel these days as opposed to a few years ago when I would get home from work and veg out or stay in bed for a few hours, and I tell myself stuff like "no pain, no gain". And sometimes I just do it without thinking. Some days I've had a long stressful day at work but I just drive myself to the gym and do it, because I know that within 20 minutes of working out i'll start to feel better and by the time I walk out of there the stress and tension are gone.0
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LifeInTheBikeLane wrote: »Just a little tip that my sister gave me that helped...
You know those days when you just can't seem to eat enough, and you're devouring all the food, and you're thinking "Ah, may as well enjoy it all and start fresh tomorrow"? She told me this "There's no reason to wait until tomorrow to make better choices".
In other words, the change doesn't have to wait until morning (or the first day of the week or the first day of the month) - sleeping doesn't reset anything, the number and words on the calendar don't mean anything. If you want to be better when you feel out of control, stop immediately, not later. So you ate your calorie goal by lunch? You're way over your calorie goal because those chips at the party looked oh so good? Recognize you've had enough, you won't die, the discomfort isn't THAT bad PLUS its very temporary (you can eat again tomorrow when you aren't over your goal anymore), and stop where you are. Make better choices for the rest of the day!
Also - you might get to a point where you're thinking about it all the time. Her other tip was to "stop thinking about food". It's kind of true, the more you think about it, the hungrier you are. So plan your meals, know your game plan, think about it if you need to change the plan, but otherwise, tell yourself to stop thinking about it between those times if you start. Do that until it's a habit
I love this. I saw this and it is just...amazing advice.
Thank you My sister's an intelligent lady. I should actually take her advice more too. 0 -
OP good for you for reading and answering everyones posts. Back to the issue of focus, because im extremely focused amd commited. One of the things that helps me in addition to planning I described in my previous post is to focus on the next target ive set myself, which could be the next lb. That narrows down to each decision I make, which is does it get me closer or move me further away. If it moves me further away then im a fair judge of myself to know whther its acceptable or just me not getting on with it. If you make a choice that moves you away from your goal, then justify it and be honest. This happens everyday, but it keeps me on track and focused, as well as the results it gets.
For example ive just been in the gym. I ran out of energy so I left on condition I go back and finish this evening. Keeping yourself on target like that allows flexibility, but it also keeps you on track.0 -
LifeInTheBikeLane wrote: »Just a little tip that my sister gave me that helped...
You know those days when you just can't seem to eat enough, and you're devouring all the food, and you're thinking "Ah, may as well enjoy it all and start fresh tomorrow"? She told me this "There's no reason to wait until tomorrow to make better choices".
In other words, the change doesn't have to wait until morning (or the first day of the week or the first day of the month) - sleeping doesn't reset anything, the number and words on the calendar don't mean anything. If you want to be better when you feel out of control, stop immediately, not later. So you ate your calorie goal by lunch? You're way over your calorie goal because those chips at the party looked oh so good? Recognize you've had enough, you won't die, the discomfort isn't THAT bad PLUS its very temporary (you can eat again tomorrow when you aren't over your goal anymore), and stop where you are. Make better choices for the rest of the day!
Also - you might get to a point where you're thinking about it all the time. Her other tip was to "stop thinking about food". It's kind of true, the more you think about it, the hungrier you are. So plan your meals, know your game plan, think about it if you need to change the plan, but otherwise, tell yourself to stop thinking about it between those times if you start. Do that until it's a habit
I love this. I saw this and it is just...amazing advice.
Same here! I was going to quote it as well because I hope everyone reads it. Very helpful!0 -
I have been a yo-yo dieter all my life, carrying at least an additional 50 pounds (and upwards of 100) for the duration. I can completely relate to your post. It seems like success has always been preceded by some great motivational switch, then when I'm on, I'm on. During those times, I fear reverting to my old, self destructive habits. So, for the past 2 years now I have watched my weight creep back up after my last 60 pound loss, 5 years ago. I have regained over 40 of the 60. And I have spent 2 years trying to find that "Thing" to get me back on track. I have even gotten back on track a few times but it only lasted days or at most, weeks. I returned to MFP just a few days ago. Not with any great lightening bolt revelation/motivation, mind you, but with simple acknowledgement of my state of obesity, combined with an old addicts adage (My father was an AA guru) "JUST FOR TODAY." Contemplating a "diet" long term is completely overwhelming, and facing the need to lose 50 pounds just makes me want to grab a snack; but I know I am capable of logging in, eating right, drinking water, and even exercising a bit....JUST FOR TODAY. Many an addict has decades of sobriety behind them by using that one simple principle. I know that my relationship with food is no different...I'm a big comfort eater. So, here we go....no big lightening bolts, no upcoming class reunion, no before/after pics, just an awareness of my health....predisposition for diabetes....daily difficulty climbing stairs....and a craving to avoid a heart attack or stroke, walking with leg braces, dying of sleep apnea, etc. (With a touch of wanting to get back into cuter clothing...) JUST FOR TODAY. I can do this. And so can you :-)0
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I get it. Two years ago, there was nothing anyone would have been able to say to me that would motivate me to lose weight. I just felt helpless, hopeless, and didn't think that I could do it, so why try. I had the knowledge (done calorie counting before, but gained it all back), but no motivation.
Then I decided that I wasn't going to focus on weight, but health. I started exercising. I took up running (if you can call the speed that I was moving at running...) with the C25K program. I completed it, but hadn't lost any weight. I tried to "eat better", but still nothing.
Then we booked a vacation to Hawaii. That light a fire under my butt to start calorie counting. I'll be damned if I have to look at pictures of our trip for years to come and only be thinking about how fat I looked. I only had a few months before the trip, but I lost about 20lbs before going.
Although the trip is what motivated me to start, that's not what kept me going. Very shortly after I started (like two weeks in), I realized that it's really not as hard as I had built up in my head. I changed my focus to habit building. It's now just something that I do. No emotion built into it. I don't punish myself when I mess up, I just move on to the next day. This is why I've been able to stick to it this time and don't see myself ever stopping. I won't stop doing laundry, showering, brushing my teeth, so why would I stop calorie counting when its just something I do to take care of myself.
TL;DR: Building it as a habit is very important for long term success, but sometimes finding a motivating event (like a vacation, wedding, or even signing up for a fun run or something) can help you get over that "getting started" hurdle.0 -
Well, this is just my opinion but I don't understand why you go into this thinking it's going to be so hard? There are days that aren't as easy as others, but the truth is that it's just eating healthy foods with lower calories than others. I have struggled with weight for years and gone on a number of different diets. This is so easy to me because it's not a diet and I'm not really depriving myself of anything. I do look at the calorie content in some of the foods that I love and decide it's not worth that many calories, so I just don't eat it. But I can eat anything I want and just smaller amounts. I like food and don't like to feel hungry so I choose to eat more of the things that are low in calories. So many people post that it works if there is a calorie deficit and I'm finding that true. I've only been on this journey since mid October but am very happy with the 19 pounds I've lost. I plan to continue what I'm doing until I reach my goal and then may set a new goal. Once I'm to the point of adding calories to maintain, I'll continue to log my intake so I can do something about a weight gain of 5 pounds rather than waiting until it's 50.
I've had a couple of occasions where I allowed myself to go over for that day and I just start again at the next meal. The motivation for me is seeing the scale go down every few days. *Yes, I'm one of those people that still weighs every day*. lol
You CAN do this and I also agree, "Just do it"! Good luck0 -
(paraphrased b/c I can't remember the exact quote): "The time between today and your goal is going to pass whether you do anything or not so you might as well do it." If you do nothing and in 3 month's time look back on today you'll think to yourself that you could've been so much farther along if you had just started on that day.
I really like that quote! It's so true. I've been in that exact spot, like geeze I was supposed to start losing weight in September and here were are in December and I've not lost anything. If only I'd stayed on track 3 months ago, I'd be 20lbs lighter right now...that's actually pretty depressing.0 -
I am new (3weeks almost, the longest I've ever worked out. 6 days a week.) It may sound juvenile, but I basically dared myself. I either want to get into heavy lifting, or to be able to get into scorpion pose, as my goal. And I told myself that I have to commit to working out for 90 days before I can quit. I'm theorizing that by then it won't cross my mind. I'm entirely overanalytical too. I've been obsessing about my calories because I haven't lost weight, but completely ignoring the inches I've lost. I get bored very quickly with working out, so I basically do random workouts on YouTube every other day or so, then yoga twice a week, and walk on Saturday. I did figure out that I do much better with a video or DVD. If I just write down a bodyweight workout to do, I end up cheating and only doing like 20 minutes. But if I'm following a video I can do an hour. I read somewhere that when you're not feeling like working out, just give it 10 minutes, and stop if you're not feeling up to it still, but usually after 10 minutes you'll keep going. These are just things that have been working for me so far.0
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