Things You Wish You Would Have Known Back Then

NancyMarie13
NancyMarie13 Posts: 193 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey all,

I am just REALLY struggling. Lack of energy, lack of motivation. I am starting over... again... for the 50th billion time it seems and I just want it to work this time.

What are some things you wish you would have known or done when you first started out?
What are some things that have kept you motivated?
What are some things that have attributed mostly to your weight loss success?

Thanks for your kindness and thoughts.
~Nancy

Replies

  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    I wish I would have stayed off the scales for the first 3 months--or at least limited myself to weighing only every 2-4 weeks.. I was obsessed with THE NUMBER,; I weighed every day, and when it went up, it affected my whole day--or multiple days in a row.

    If I had stayed away from the scales, I might have been aware of more "non - scale victories" --that I basically ignored because I was so scale-obsessed--like my workouts getting a little easier as I got stronger; my undies not bunching quite as tight; my wedding ring getting looser; certain clothes fitting better; even my hair and skin improving because of better nutrition.

    I missed all of those little signs that I was on the right track and let the number on the scale dictate whether I felt good about myself on any given day.
  • heathervazquez75
    heathervazquez75 Posts: 33 Member
    I wish I would have watched my weight from my twenties onward and been consistent about managing my weight long term. I wish I would have exercised consistently every week of my life rather than being a yo yo exerciser and dieter. I am now on a personal mission to age beautifully and to take care of myself as I get older. I am 40 and when I turn 50, 60, 70 ? I want to be fit, healthy and full of life. Not tired, fat and old! I would reset my goals and motivators every birthday and never take my health / life for granted again. I would log my weight every day no matter what. I learned that if I am not logging it I am not watching it. Love yourself, take care of yourself and take care of the one body you got! You have to take it everywhere!

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    I wish I had kept up the fitness and hood weight I achieved at age 31 snd not have to lose 150 pounds when I reached age 59. I wish I would have gone to see the perdonsl trainer when his sign went up rather than driving by it everyday gor 10 months.

    Consistency has been the key for me. I just decided to do what I had to do then did it and kept doing it. I don't wait for "motivation". I never forget how badly I felt physically and mentally before I started. I don't want to go back there, do I keep moving forward.
    SW 301
    CW 197
    GW 150
    60 yo/f
    14 months since start
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited August 2015
    NancyMarie13 wrote: »
    Hey all,

    I am just REALLY struggling. Lack of energy, lack of motivation. I am starting over... again... for the 50th billion time it seems and I just want it to work this time.

    Why don't you have energy? Bloodwork ok? How's your sleep?

    Are you trying to do too much for your schedule? Maybe a different approach would help.

    What approaches to dieting have you tried in the past? What are you doing now? Maybe your deficit is too large (I feel like that's the case a lot of the time :/)
    NancyMarie13 wrote: »
    1. What are some things you wish you would have known or done when you first started out?
    2. What are some things that have kept you motivated?
    3. What are some things that have attributed mostly to your weight loss success?

    Thanks for your kindness and thoughts.
    ~Nancy

    1. I wish I never tried running, and I wish I stayed away from high impact activities (injuries)
    2. Initial motivation was that I broke up with someone, and wanted to date & look better etc. Deeper motivation that emerged, and endured, as I lost - self-empowerment, seeing that I could achieve my goals (weight, yes, but mostly fitness goals, like how many pushups or burpees or whatever I could do.) I had to stick through some initial pain to get there, though. Current main motivation is maintaining health, wanting to be as mobile & active as possible all through my life, wanting a long and good life without serious health issues (if I can avoid them, not always possible).
    3. Making rules - like, do some kind of exercise for 30 minutes every day. Making things easy for myself, like initially not having trigger foods in the house, and eating foods that I like and keep me full (that took some reading and trial and error). (And going to a gym right by my place, and having backup gear at home). Having a conservative deficit, which made it much easier not to overeat (or feel bad if I did). Taking an objective approach to weight loss info (calories, scale weight).
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    I wish i would have known too much of this site are self congratulatory idiots and just keep my nose to the grindstone.
  • Roza42
    Roza42 Posts: 246 Member
    I wish I had known I was allergic to dairy.
  • ARC1603
    ARC1603 Posts: 113 Member
    rosebarnalice wrote: »
    I wish I would have stayed off the scales for the first 3 months--or at least limited myself to weighing only every 2-4 weeks.. I was obsessed with THE NUMBER,; I weighed every day, and when it went up, it affected my whole day--or multiple days in a row.

    If I had stayed away from the scales, I might have been aware of more "non - scale victories" --that I basically ignored because I was so scale-obsessed--like my workouts getting a little easier as I got stronger; my undies not bunching quite as tight; my wedding ring getting looser; certain clothes fitting better; even my hair and skin improving because of better nutrition.

    I missed all of those little signs that I was on the right track and let the number on the scale dictate whether I felt good about myself on any given day.

    This! I'm having faith now that I'm doing the right thing and I will get to where I want to be by doing this every day.

  • hollyberry6182
    hollyberry6182 Posts: 345 Member
    I wish I never lived in my leggings! They stretched as much as I did and I didn't realise how big I had got.

    I love the number on the scales to start with. Now they are not budging or keep fluctuating up and down. People are saying it looks like I've lost weight but I know I haven't.

    I REALLY wished I'd taken measurements right from the start. ..around my thighs, hips, waist, bust and arms and then I could have concentrated on that instead of the number on the scales.
  • NoIdea101NoIdea
    NoIdea101NoIdea Posts: 659 Member
    I wish I had known that I didn't need to starve myself to lose weight (which would inevitably lead to binging).

    I wish I had known just how much my weight can fluctuate on any given day, especially around my TOM!

    I wish I had known to be more patient.

    I wish I had known how to love my body-I am nowhere near my lowest weight, but love my body more than I did at that weight.
  • NancyMarie13
    NancyMarie13 Posts: 193 Member
    This was so wonderful to hear! So much insight! I am in grad school, work two jobs and interning 16-20 hours a week. I am BUSY but there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for poor eating for me... finding time to workout.... it's a STRUGGLE when I have 15/16 hour days every day. I'm exhausted. But again... no excuse for poor eating. Nutrition has been my biggest downfall and consistency! I am determined though. Thanks for sharing!!!
  • NancyMarie13
    NancyMarie13 Posts: 193 Member
    Self-love.... my goodness am I learning a HUGE lesson in that.
  • JustChristy79
    JustChristy79 Posts: 156 Member
    Food prep=no chance of failure

    It's vital to my success!!!

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