Why is this time different?

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midlifesally
midlifesally Posts: 26 Member
in Getting Started
I am turning 50 next month *gasp!*
In January, New Years resolution, turning 50 I would be thin and fabulous. Instead I"m still fat and depressed.

For those of you who have lost weight and are currently losing, why is this time different for you?

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  • midlifesally
    midlifesally Posts: 26 Member
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    I just wanted to add. For me, I think this time will be different because I am feeling so much shame over my body size. And I'm tired of lugging around the extra weight. But shame = great motivator.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I did it the easy way this time. Instead of trying to do what I "should" do, I've done what I like and what I need. I.e.: No planned exercise - I walk and run for fun; no diet foods - I eat traditional healthy food that I like.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,499 Member
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    Because I am doing it the right way. I am taking it slowly and do/did not expect miracles. I'm doing it one step at a time - first lowered calories, then added some exercise, then worked on macros, then added more exercise. I made changes I could live with - trading out my convenience foods for healthier options that tasted good and finding exercise I actually enjoyed. I learned about nutrition and which foods kept me full for longer. Also, I didn't cut out anything. I still eat everything I enjoy, just in moderation. I went from being the little fat girl to being nicknamed "Miss Fitness" at my office. I think I like it. :)
  • JeffBrown3
    JeffBrown3 Posts: 161 Member
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    Although I am eating healthier foods, I do eat what I want when I want. I either make them lower calorie or just make them fit into my calorie goal.

    The most important thing that's different this time, is that I realize this is how I am going to eat from now on. That this isn't a diet that I'm going to quit once I reach my goal. It's a lifestyle change.
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
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    Why is it different this time? I will be 60 in the spring. Been retired for just over 4 years. When I worked, I had summers off and returned to school after Labour Day. I would diet like a trooper to be bathing suit ready for a Caribbean holiday, and then go back to my old routine of eating whatever I wanted. In retirement, there is no return to routine in the fall, no Christmas romp on the sunny beaches. Therefore when should I trim my fluff? Luckily I had been careful my last year of work, so I was at the top of healthy BMI, but healthy! Well, that got difficult. We winter in an active adult community with wonderful access to physical activity but, alas, a huge group of friendly potlucks weekly, lots of wine in the afternoon. So..... I managed to keep my weight fairly stable but avoided the scales for a while. My clothes fit well all winter, but at home for the summer season, I was bored, less active. I mean gardening us my passion, but how does it substitute for active cardio? Not well. By this past winter I had gained. Lots. Then we got home in April, and well, I know I am a stress eater, and a darn good cook, so.... I was self-hating. Luckily my dear husband has finally learned to keep his lips shut and said nothing as my rear end blossomed. I had some day surgery July 30th so when I went to my family doctor for the pre-op, he asked my height and weight. I honestly thought I was 5'10" and 195. He said no and I used his scale. 206. OMG. That did it. I started watching what I eat that day. Since I found MFP and began logging August 13th, as of today I am down to 175. I know it's fast.... I have been lots more active, treadmill in the am and badminton in the afternoon or evening, but alsohave huge family problems right now which have triggered lack of hunger this time, instead of stress eating. I am back to my 2011 weight, but would like to be around 148 as an ideal weight. We return south for the winter mid October. This time I am confident that I can keep eating healthy and grown stronger in body and willpower. I am so sick of being fat.....
  • LilannB
    LilannB Posts: 99 Member
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    I developed health problems related to my weight. So I mentally decided that I had to lose weight and that I was willing to do the things necessary to help me lose weight. I started out just logging my food which showed me how much I was really eating. Then I cut my calories, then I cut my calories some more. It took me over a year before I was able to add regular exercise. But I found an exercise I could do and I've been exercising 5-6 days a week for the last month.I also didn't deprive myself of the things I enjoy. I either ate them less often as long as I could fit them into my daily calories or I switched to a lower calorie version. One example instead of a 20 oz coke which is 240 calories. I'll have a mini can of coke which is 7.5 oz and 90 calories. I've also learned to take things one step at a time. I'm losing slowly it's taken me a year and a half to lose 60 pounds. But I'm consistently losing and not gaining so I'm heading in the right direction.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    For me, I'd had enough for feeling like the 'overweight' one when I went out with my friends. I'd had enough of not being able to wear latest trends because my size made them look grotesque. I'd had enough of looking in the mirror and trying to spot where I looked particularly overweight that day. I'd just had enough. I've lost 30lbs so far and I'm feeling so, so much better for it - mentally and physically.

    Wishing you the best of luck.
  • Rawrishh
    Rawrishh Posts: 4 Member
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    I originally started my journey in February of last year. At first I was doing it because I didn't feel confidant and comfortable in my own skin. It caused really bad social anxiety for me. I lost 46lbs by the time December came around. Then I found out I was pregnant and put the weight loss on the back burner. Gained a portion of it back.

    Now that I've had my baby, I'm back on the wagon. And not because I'm insecure or anything like before, the original loss has made me a much more confident person, even with my current weight gain... I'm doing it now because I want to be happy and healthy for my child. I want him to not just learn the better habits I'm working on when he's older, I want him to grow up into them and with them. I want it to be natural for him and for him not to have the struggle of dropping the bad habit of eating bad foods/overeating. If I have healthy habits, I'll be able to guide him into healthy habits (:
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
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    Because I realised I could do it. Because I realised it was easier than I thought, and therefore there were no excuses.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,121 Member
    edited September 2015
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    midlifesally wrote: »
    I am turning 50 next month *gasp!*
    In January, New Years resolution, turning 50 I would be thin and fabulous. Instead I"m still fat and depressed.

    For those of you who have lost weight and are currently losing, why is this time different for you?

    First, I have spent most of my life in the lower half of my normal BMI range. But about 5 years ago, I had gained enough weight so that I was nudging the overweight line, so I lost about 13 lbs to get myself back down into the middle of the range again. That was fine and I maintained it for a while, but very gradually over the next 4 years, I put on about 30 lbs.

    Second, those 4 years were very unsettled. Good, but unsettled. We spent 8 months in there travelling the world (and eating lots of good things!) plus there was the preparation for that trip for a good 6 months prior, and the process of finding a place to settle again after ... lots of moves in quick succession. And focusing on weight loss then wasn't a priority.

    Third, I have had "lose weight" on my list of things to do for a while now. And I have taken steps over the past 4 years to ensure that the weight gain didn't get out of hand.

    And now, we are finally settled ... for the time being. So I felt like I could focus on a couple things I wanted to accomplish now. One was to get my weight back down to what it used to be so that I could participate in long distance cycling events again. The second is to go back to university. I'm doing both.

    44 lbs down now, and really close to my old long distance cycling weight. :)

  • emmagrace0818
    emmagrace0818 Posts: 211 Member
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    I want to get rid of my depression for GOOD!!
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
    edited September 2015
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    I am not as restrictive as i was before_
    accepting days that i go slightly over my calorie goal and move on and proceed for better.
    ...I don't set time frames as in I need lose this much weight in that much time..I get there when i get there..
    I also eat much healthy then what i did before more filling food <>less junk food..
    I don't pay attention to scale numbers as much as i did before_ I relie on photos, mirror view and measuring tape as progress..
    oh and i prelog alot of my meals now.. just so i know where iam going (cals)

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