How do you do it!? Looking for Motivation!

Hi, I'm new too and wanted to tell you that I'm facing the same issue! Maybe we can face it together. I ate horribly today, but did write it down so at least I could see the damage in real numbers.

Good luck, and I hope more people respond to your question so I can pick up the tips too!

I would love to know as well! I have been at it for a couple weeks and the biggest things is actually seeing what you are eating! It is crazy what a serving is and how much more I was eating. You have to find the foods you like and know you will actually eat. I bought a food scale and measure everything out the night before. I would also recommend look at peoples food journals, it is a good way to get ideas.

My motivation at the moment is my husband. He has lost almost 50 lbs in 3.5 months just with watching his calories and exercising (and that was before we found this site!). He definitely pushes me which is sometimes aggravating because he thinks I should be able to keep up with him...but he won't give me the chance to stop at this point.

Add me if you want!

Motivation is really important if you want to do this. I've attempted losing weight for a few years but it's always come back. The key thing is you really have to want it. When that mind set clicks in your mind you stay on the path. And yes do I miss the food? Sure who doesn't? But I think to myself is it worth it? That usually stops me. Now the way I find to really eliminate those cravings is to make sure the food you eat is really to your taste. Healthy food doesn't have to be bland and tasteless. Healthy food can actually be absolutely delicious. And that's been the key to me. Keeping food tasty not only curbs my previous cravings but really motivates me to keep on the path. You can do it, just believe in yourself!

You know, sometimes I find its down to shear bloody mindedness, being stubborn and having to be stronger and more focused on WHY you are doing this and walking away from the chocolate/crisps/whatever and it gets easier, honestly, when you start feeling better in yourself, seeing a difference in your clothes/on the scales. I've only been doing this a few weeks and already I'm actually feeling repulsed by many of the fatty, stodgy and unhealthy food that I used to love.

exercise, seriously it is fantastic. I find it also helps me make better choices by knowing I have to do X minutes running to work off that chocolate muffin or whatever which then helps me to way up if its actually worth it.

The other thing I have found really worthwhile is having friends on here that I can share my success/frustrations/challenges with. It makes heck of a difference to see a 'nice workout', 'great burn' or a 'I know how you're feeling' post, on there.

Make yourself small goals every weeks, like you are going to eat a piece of fruit at breakfast, or you are not going to eat fast food for the week. Start slow! If you go to change everything at once you probably won't stick with it. Most importantly, you have to want to change...this is not a diet! I can't tell you the last time I had McDonalds or Burger King but I can tell you I have stopped craving it. I always looks up my calories before I eat and most of the time that stops me right there from wanting it. If you want a piece of pie, eat it. But don't go crazy and eat 2 or 3 pieces, it's all about moderation. If you ignore the craving, it's just going to come back stronger.

I'm wondering how do you all do it?
-What motivates you to stick with it?
-How do you fight the urges to eat crap?
-How do you avoid overeating in general?

I started 4 months ago. You have to really want it and find a way of eating/living you can stick with.. I went Primal. Check out Mark's Daily Apple. Lot of info. I do let myself have one "reward" meal a month. Spend the rest of the month dreaming about it! lol

For me it was just about finally getting to that tipping point and making the needed changes. The weight coming off makes me feel a lot better than eating crap and overeating ever did.

Exercise helps me the most. I know I haven't lost a lot of weight but I have just begun to try again after almost a year of not. I have been to the gym every day since Saturday though and all of a sudden you become in the mind set again. When you get home from the gym it seems like a total waste to eat something unhealthy so you end up eating better. I am the worst for pubs and crappy greasy food but the more you work out the easier it is to say no! You can friend me if you want. I know my profile is bare and boring but I could use the encouragement too!

Hey your not alone in this as you can tell and please add me as a friend if you'd like.

I sometimes have a hard time finding motivation until one day I found a two pictures one was me shoving a piece of cake into my mouth and at my heaviest weight (horrible picture trust me) and another one was a picture of me at a healthy weight where I looked happy and healthy. I now have these two pictures on my fridge whenever I want something in there I look at them and the post it saying Really?

Secondly I have put all the sweets and high carb snacks up on a high shelf in a kitchen cupboard (i'm short) so if I want something I have to get a chair not a stool to physically get it. Most of the time while I'm thinking about grabbing the snack I can talk myself out of it and just grab something healthy from the fridge. That being said if I feel like I need a sweet I will log onto MFP and see if I have the calories if I don't I either go do 30min of exercise (which most of the time distracts me long enough for the craving to disappear) or I have the sweet but I know that i worked for it.
It is tough though

Over eating I now can avoid easily. I try to have 4-5 small meals a day with lots of protein, I find protein keeps me feeling full longer. For the going out for dinner and such (like Friday nights is always girls night) I plan ahead by looking at the nutrition info for that restaurant and plan accordingly.

I also have come to realize that I am my own worse critic and can be hard on myself so when I slip up I just tell myself it's ok tomorrow is a new day and go from there. Before I would eat the pity away and vicious cycle. Know that you are not alone and if you slip up one day just dust yourself off and start again.

Everyone has good days and bad days. It's a daily struggle. The biggest thing is to not quit on yourself. If you have one bad day... you have one bad day. Not the end of the world.

Also, if you are really, really honest with yourself and actually log everything that you eat, you'll see what it is that you're putting into your body every day. When you don't like it you'll consciously make a change! If you need any help feel free to let me know

If you have an open diary then knowing that you have to log it in for others to see is a huge motivation not to eat the crap:laugh:

I find making small changes over time to be key. Whenever I try to change a ton of stuff at once it doesn't work. For example, I don't drink soda...ever. I used to drink 6 or more full caffeine, full sugar sodas a day. Do you know how many calories that was?!?!? So, I gave that up but didn't give up any of my other bad habits. Then, when that one was accomplished, I picked another one. Then another. And so on. My diet is still far from perfect but it is waaaay better. And, I have come to realize that certain things are not going to change....my life is happier with Cheese and wine in it, for example.

For me, tracking calories is absolutely essential. I have been on this road more than once and I will get to a point where I am happy with my weight and tell myself that I know how to eat now and I don't have to track my calories anymore. I really don't know how many times I am going to have to relearn that lesson!

Exercise is a big one for me. The days I don't exercise I feel less motivated and I also struggle a lot with eating. I eat all my exercise calories (which also motivates me to exercise.

Come here and read the forums...helps me keep focused.

Best of luck!