Can't stick to anything. How to overcome this?

sevans85mfp
sevans85mfp Posts: 25 Member
I gained a few lbs during my pregnancy and then a few more in the 10 months after. I'm really unhappy with my weight right now and I want to do something about it.

I've started 'healthy eating' about 20 times since having her. On Myfitnesspal with a goal of 1lb per week. It literally gets to 10am and I give up and say....I'll just start tomorrow.
Any advice how to overcome this?

I've been exercising twice a week doing a 10k and my daughter is my exercise the rest of the time as I'm constantly up and down chasing her.

So it's got to the point now that my pre pregnancy clothes won't fit, I'm literally wearing the same 3 outfits over and over again as I don't want to go out and buy more clothes in the next size up.

So...it's not that I have a problem losing weight as I haven't even tried. I have no willpower. I've never done a diet before, being a mum is a whole life for me and I'm in the house more and picking at food constantly.
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Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Batch cook, pre-plan, weigh out and pre-log

    And stop making excuses - starting tomorrow is no solution

    Your alternative is to accept your bigger body
  • sevans85mfp
    sevans85mfp Posts: 25 Member
    Pre log might be an option. If I have something to stick to it might be easier. Thanks
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Yep, stop making excuses.

    You need to do what you need to do, because the time will pass anyway and you'll accomplish nothing.

    Forget about trying. Forget about motivation. Just do it.
  • KHS86
    KHS86 Posts: 29 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Batch cook, pre-plan, weigh out and pre-log

    And stop making excuses - starting tomorrow is no solution

    Your alternative is to accept your bigger body

    qft
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    You don't sound that committed to me

    It won't work until you commit, every single day

    Go and jump up and down in front of a mirror naked that might help
  • sevans85mfp
    sevans85mfp Posts: 25 Member
    edited July 2015
    I'm not committed at all. That's the problem.

    I'm committed to fitness but the food aspect gets ignored. I need to sort my head out and get to it.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    I'm not committed at all. That's the problem.

    I'm committed to fitness but the food aspect gets ignored. I need to sort my head out and get to it.

    That sounds like excuses. Stop it!
  • robideg
    robideg Posts: 1 Member
    I feel you! I am the Master of "I'll start Monday" and by Wednesday I'm all for throwing in the towel. One of my motivators in my Personal Trainer. He has access to my food log and if I try lying about my diet he knows right away!

    Maybe find a buddy. Someone who won't let you cheat. Share your food log with them so you'll be accountable for every single bite!
  • vogel712
    vogel712 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi Sevans85mfp, to discover your commitment: - answer this question: why do you want to loose weight? I mean not the superficial reasons. Your personal deep inner reasons. Write it down, anticipate your goal and how good you feel being there and then remember it every day. Let nothing else get in. This will boost your motivation and commitement.
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
    I was told a long time ago to stop calling it a "diet". What's the first part of that word? DIE. lol. When you "diet" you feel restricted, bored...etc. Try calling it something else to boost your mentality towards it. Honestly, you can eat SUPER YUMMY when you eat healthy. You've just gotta find what works for you. And who says you have to cut out "naughty" good? Have it, just moderate it.
  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
    Make smaller changes over time maybe if all at once doesn't work for you. Since you actively are gaining instead of eating to lose every week try eating at maintenance for a couple weeks, then 0.5 lb, then 1 lb, then 2 whatever. That way you'll taper your intake into it. Maybe not ideal but even switching to maintenance would stop the gain and if you don't eat back exercise calories you might see verrry slow loss. Maybe just try to stay on target for a few meals to build consistency and then increase or something. The worst thing is to just give up and act like you aren't capable of doing it. You're an adult and can make decisions, so start making better ones. Whether you lose or continue to gain is 100% up to you.
  • timtakel
    timtakel Posts: 50 Member
    It would be much better for you to not do the 10ks and to lose weight instead. If you are overweight and fit your health is still worse, than being in a normal weight range without sport. Think about your child, do you think it's nice to have a fat, immobile mom, who dies early? I don't think so. Take care for your child and change yourself. We know you can do it, because we did it!

    It's not that hard. You don't actually need to change anything for step one. Step one is to log your food, just eat regular and do it. To think about the food you eat is only the second step.
  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
    timtakel wrote: »
    It would be much better for you to not do the 10ks and to lose weight instead. If you are overweight and fit your health is still worse, than being in a normal weight range without sport. Think about your child, do you think it's nice to have a fat, immobile mom, who dies early? I don't think so. Take care for your child and change yourself. We know you can do it, because we did it!

    It's not that hard. You don't actually need to change anything for step one. Step one is to log your food, just eat regular and do it. To think about the food you eat is only the second step.

    Exercise is almost always good, especially what she is describing and some people can certainly be overweight to an extent and in better health than skinny fat people who don't exercise or do crap.
  • cupcakesplz
    cupcakesplz Posts: 237 Member
    The thing that got my eating under control is the thought of the fact
    I have little or no control over my life (kids and hubby)
    The one thing I do have control over is what I put into my mouth. It's me who eats it. its me that gives in.

    For me it was a mind thing. During my first week I felt dizziness, fatigue, hunger and lightheadedness. I have learnt how to control that now
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    There is a minimum level of commitment required to make any progress at all, otherwise you wont get anywhere.
    Sit down and think about if you really want to lose weight and understand the changes you have to make.
    It will help if you educate yourself on how weight loss works because that will give you an idea what you have to do. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    Controlling he amount you consume is the most important. Lean how to use this app an just weigh (with a scale) and log your food without restriction focusing on one day at a time. No need to restrict, just monitor how much you are eating. At the end of 7-10 days when you have the weighing and logging mastered then start with a calorie limit and decrease it every few days till eventually you are down to a deficit. Be patient and focus on each day. You cna eat what you like just not in the qyantities you want.

    Log your exercise, but if you use mfp then ionly eat 50% of the calories it awards as its common for it to overestimate as well as people overestimate their own effort.

    Make small changes so you transition into a routine. Keep taking it one day at a time and if it goes a bit off try and do better the next day, but keep going. Once you start losing weight that will encourage you.

    It wont happen till you are ready to commit. Its easier to commit if you understand what it is you have to do, how to do it and can follow a plan which lest you focus on each day.
  • cupcakesplz
    cupcakesplz Posts: 237 Member
    999tigger wrote: »
    There is a minimum level of commitment required to make any progress at all, otherwise you wont get anywhere.
    Sit down and think about if you really want to lose weight and understand the changes you have to make.
    It will help if you educate yourself on how weight loss works because that will give you an idea what you have to do. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    Controlling he amount you consume is the most important. Lean how to use this app an just weigh (with a scale) and log your food without restriction focusing on one day at a time. No need to restrict, just monitor how much you are eating. At the end of 7-10 days when you have the weighing and logging mastered then start with a calorie limit and decrease it every few days till eventually you are down to a deficit. Be patient and focus on each day. You cna eat what you like just not in the qyantities you want.

    Log your exercise, but if you use mfp then ionly eat 50% of the calories it awards as its common for it to overestimate as well as people overestimate their own effort.

    Make small changes so you transition into a routine. Keep taking it one day at a time and if it goes a bit off try and do better the next day, but keep going. Once you start losing weight that will encourage you.

    It wont happen till you are ready to commit. Its easier to commit if you understand what it is you have to do, how to do it and can follow a plan which lest you focus on each day.



    Well said
  • timtakel
    timtakel Posts: 50 Member
    hekla90 wrote: »
    Exercise is almost always good, especially what she is describing and some people can certainly be overweight to an extent and in better health than skinny fat people who don't exercise or do crap.

    Skinny fat people are overweight, with all the disadvantages, but there is not such thing as a fit skinny fat person. But there are fit overweight people. So losing weight and then being skinny fat is still a way better position, than just being overweight. The exercise can start at the end of the main weight loss.

    Yes, exercise is always good and being overweight and fit is also better than just being overweight. But overweight fit people still have the same health risks than only overweight people, just in a smaller degree, they still don't have a healthy lifestyle.
  • lewissheldon125
    lewissheldon125 Posts: 11 Member
    I don't know from your post but it could be that when you try to do your "healthy eating" you go into into it to hard to soon. My wife used to do the same, decide on healthy eating, set out a plan that was way to restrictive and fail days into the process.

    I've found that if you go to hard, i.e exercise 5 times a week and eat clean it is almost always a short term plan and you end up losing interest.

    Your doing your 10k runs so this is fine for fitness, perhaps scale back how extreme your healthy eating is, set yourself a goal of keeping to the calorie deficit MFP sets you 5 days a week and have two days off, if you know you have a day off coming you are more inclined to stick to the clean days, if you have no days off in your plan life just seems a bit boring and you give up.

    When i say day off it doesnt mean binge eat, could be something as simple as having a treat dinner.

    Start there and then try and increase training / decrease days off as and when you get to grips with it all

    Good luck anyway
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
    Everyone who has ever succeeded at making a change had their own "a ha" moment. Until you have yours you will alway find reasons for not sticking to it. A couple vanity pounds can be lost and gained without much thought or soul searching, but true over all change of everyday habits does require more. It doesn't have to be hard, it doesn't have to feel like a big sacrifice, it just requires consistency.
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 649 Member
    Figure out why you are giving up and change the pattern. You don't have enough leverage on yourself to make a change. You must at some level be ok with the extra weight. What is going on in your head that is making this okay for you?
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Get up every morning and pre-log your day, this is what I do.
    Don't stray from your plan/menu plan. It will give you structure and a simple plan to follow.

    "Dieting" is a pain in the butt, but the sooner you start , the sooner you'll be done and have it all behind you, and be headed into the blissful maintenance phase.

    Don't still be sitting there in 6mths time carrying even more weight and still wearing your several same outfits.

    Do it, just do it!! Most of us here have been, or are in your same position. You have all the help and support you need right here. It's up to you to get the ball rolling xx
  • SusanKing1981
    SusanKing1981 Posts: 257 Member
    You know what, I was like you many many times before, then something just clicked a year ago and I've not looked back. I'm not saying it's been easy, but once you start seeing the results you have the motivation to stick at it. It's the getting started that's the hard part.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Also, I'm 43 and never had a weight problem or dieted in my life.
    I put on 20 something kgs over the last few years. So last August I buckled down and lost the weight. It was difficult to get in that mindset, but I'm so glad I did it now! Because if I hadn't, no doubt I'd be even heavier right now and have more work ahead of me.

    It's hard to lose weight, but it's harder to be overweight. ..
  • sevans85mfp
    sevans85mfp Posts: 25 Member
    Thanks Everyone! I will take it all onboard.
    I'm confused about the exercise advice. Two runs a week makes me feel great and gives my mind a break from thinking about baby. Im not classed as obese, I just want to lose the extra weight I am carrying. I exercised through my pregnancy and had a great pregnancy. I don't believe it is stopping me from eating the way I should be.

    I'm going to record every mouthful on myfitnesspal. Might try recruit a buddy to help.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Losing weight is about calories. "Healthy eating" is generally a meaningless gimmick. Eat what you want, just stick to a calorie goal. It's really that simple.
  • timtakel
    timtakel Posts: 50 Member
    I'm confused about the exercise advice. Two runs a week makes me feel great and gives my mind a break from thinking about baby.

    Then keep it! :smile:
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Thanks Everyone! I will take it all onboard.
    I'm confused about the exercise advice. Two runs a week makes me feel great and gives my mind a break from thinking about baby. Im not classed as obese, I just want to lose the extra weight I am carrying. I exercised through my pregnancy and had a great pregnancy. I don't believe it is stopping me from eating the way I should be.

    I'm going to record every mouthful on myfitnesspal. Might try recruit a buddy to help.

    I'm glad you're confused about the exercise advice cos it made no sense

    You don't have to exercise to lose weight but it certainly doesn't hurt, it gives you additional calories to eat and is great for cardiovascular health

    Your primary focus for weight loss must be on your food consumption though

    Read
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    And

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1

    And commit

  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
    It is just a matter of getting sick and tired of being fat

    No way to dress it up

    That is what it took for me

    And a high school friend that was my size had is first heart attack

    Fat is more than not good looking, it will kill you.

    Plus my daughter needed her dad alive.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    It is just a matter of getting sick and tired of being fat

    No way to dress it up

    That is what it took for me

    And a high school friend that was my size had is first heart attack

    Fat is more than not good looking, it will kill you.

    Plus my daughter needed her dad alive.

    That's the first post I've seen from you where you haven't filled my screen with your bike ride jpg..thank you for that
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
    Thanks Everyone! I will take it all onboard.
    I'm confused about the exercise advice. Two runs a week makes me feel great and gives my mind a break from thinking about baby. Im not classed as obese, I just want to lose the extra weight I am carrying. I exercised through my pregnancy and had a great pregnancy. I don't believe it is stopping me from eating the way I should be.

    I'm going to record every mouthful on myfitnesspal. Might try recruit a buddy to help.

    If running makes you feel great of course you should continue! Exercise is good for your general health, your emotional health and it sounds like it gives you some 'me time' as well.

    Totally agree with the advice to batch cook, pre-log and then just stick to it. Try to make gradual changes. Don't set your calories for a maximum weekly loss, because it sounds like anything too restrictive will have you throwing in the towel. One bad meal is no reason to give up for the day, just keep going and try to do better tomorrow. You do need to be in the right head space. Just keep logging and trying to make changes. If your profile photo is current then your baby is still pretty young, so don't be too hard on yourself.
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