3rd Times A Charm, Right?

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megganjana
megganjana Posts: 61 Member
in Getting Started
This will be the third time trying this. My first attempt at this, I lost 40 pounds and swore up and down that I wouldn't ever gain the weight back, but since then I've gained 77 pounds. Isn't that just grand? A few months ago I decided to lose weight again and stuck with it for maybe 4 days; I obviously wasn't motivated enough. I am now for the third time trying to lose weight. In order for me to reach my goal weight, I'll need to lose 85 pounds. It's gonna suck and I know there are going to be many times that I get frustrated and cry because I'm not seeing the results I want, as quickly as I want. I know this is going to be a journey and I know this is going to be frustrating, but I'm going to try my very hardest to keep my motivation and stick with it. Any help, advice, friends, motivational partners, anything would be SO VERY helpful. Thanks y'all :)

Replies

  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
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    Good luck!! I'm starting for the ...well, I've lost count...and I feel like I can't do it...but, I can't give up. Hope that others give you some tips or encouragement that can help me, too!!!
  • FindingLaurie
    FindingLaurie Posts: 32 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Hi, Megg--
    I'm so glad you're trying again! I've been there, and I probably started over WAY more than 3 times. But this time I've kept at it since Thanksgiving 2014--and I'm down 50 lbs! I have about 50 to go, but for the first time, I've stuck with it longer than just a few weeks/lbs. So it's beginning to feel POSSIBLE for me to lose the rest. I wish the same thing for you. Just keep coming back, keep tracking your food, keep reading, and don't quit! You'll get there too!
    Laurie
    70780789.png
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
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    Hi Meg. At first I thought you were talking about husbands. lol Oh well. Best advice I every received was to buy a food scale. Weigh and log everything you eat. Stay in a calorie deficit. Working for me. Good luck!
  • gaiagrrl
    gaiagrrl Posts: 5 Member
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    All the best - this is my re-start too...you can do it. I can do it. We have to believe that change is possible and attainable. Keep going!
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    I PROMISE you - you can do this. I think you know *how* to do it but struggle with staying motivated - which is where MFP comes in. Try and log in once a day, even if it's just to flick through the forum or check out some of your friends' status'. Get in to the habit of this community being routine for you and it'll definitely help you stay on track food-wise/fitness-wise. There is SO much inspiration, understanding and support here.

    Break your weight loss into smaller increments (example: 5 pounds per month) and it'll make it seem a little less daunting and a lot more exciting! Once again, you can do this. You just have to dig deep and find that willpower I know you have in you. Stay positive, stay focused - You'll never see those 85 pounds again.

    Good luck.
  • megganjana
    megganjana Posts: 61 Member
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    PinkPixiexox wrote: »
    I PROMISE you - you can do this. I think you know *how* to do it but struggle with staying motivated - which is where MFP comes in. Try and log in once a day, even if it's just to flick through the forum or check out some of your friends' status'. Get in to the habit of this community being routine for you and it'll definitely help you stay on track food-wise/fitness-wise. There is SO much inspiration, understanding and support here.

    Break your weight loss into smaller increments (example: 5 pounds per month) and it'll make it seem a little less daunting and a lot more exciting! Once again, you can do this. You just have to dig deep and find that willpower I know you have in you. Stay positive, stay focused - You'll never see those 85 pounds again.

    Good luck.

    thanks love. :)
  • jersey_54
    jersey_54 Posts: 278 Member
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    not if you quit again
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Start small and build. Log everything for a week and see what your eating patterns are and then start changing things a little at a time. What you need to do is not 'diet' but change your eating habits. That takes time, but will help you out a lot more in the future. By retraining your brain and body to what a normal food portion is, you'll prepare yourself for keeping the weight off.

    Make sure you log EVERY DAY. Even if you go over. Don't stress about going over now and then, everyone does it. Doesn't make you a failure, just makes you human. Log it and start fresh the next day. If you're going over all the time, look at the pattern of what you're eating and when and adjust. This is a balancing act, it will take some time to get it right.

    Also, you may be someone that will need to log for the rest of your life. I know I will be. Now that I'm close to my goal, I'm not as accurate as I used to be, but seeing what I've eaten over the course of the day helps me resist late snacking when I'm not really hungry, but want to snack from habit. Logging keeps me honest with myself. Granted, I don't have the best diet in the world! I don't eat 'clean' or do any low carb, low fat, extra protein (or whichever is the new one, i don't keep track) fad type things when I eat. I still eat things I enjoy, I've just learned how much of those things is appropriate and can fit them in. If I want a cookie, I fit it into my daily calories and eat the damn cookie! XD

    Bottom line is, you have to find a way that works FOR YOU. We can all give you advice and tell you what we did, but everything boils down to burning more calories than you consume. Some will do it with just controlling calories in, some by burning more, some with a combo. How you do it is up to YOU, as long as it's not going to damage your health. *coughdetoxcough* Find YOUR balance and what works for YOU and you'll do fine.



    Edit to add: PinkPixiexox has a good piece of advice: break your weight loss down into smaller increments. By setting smaller milestone goals within your bigger goal, you'll have many moments of success, which translates to making you feel better about what you're doing and can help keep you going.

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