lack of discipline, gained all what i lost

Options
EmmyAleem
EmmyAleem Posts: 3 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi everyone, in August 2013 I hit 190 lb (i am 5 ft). For my health it is crucial to drop weight and maintain it. Since this date I dropped 23 lb and gained them all back, and lost 12 and gained them back and so on. I used to go to the gym, had a personal trainer....etc but for few months after which i stopped going. So consistency and discpline are a problem for me. I want to start all over again & thought to seek support & advice from you guys.

Replies

  • EmmyAleem
    EmmyAleem Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    Thank you :). Yes this is what I am trying to do. My lifestyle is sedentary, 90% of my job is reading and writing, computer! I am an emotional eater. Yes i did buy everything healthy this weekend, organic, healthy fats...etc. and will try to pack my lunch everyday instead of eating out. I just hope I keep it up. I am very well educated in all that, my main problem is the discipline :( and consistency. I can be very disciplined for 3 months then the total opposite, and so on :(
  • HStheBusyBee
    HStheBusyBee Posts: 1,366 Member
    Options
    Meal prepping might help you with this! It's so much easier to eat healthily when all your meals are already made.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    Options
    Are you looking at this as a lifestyle change? That's the best way to do it, I think. That means you probably shouldn't do anything to lose weight that you aren't willing to do forever. For me, that means I eat chocolate and cheese every day.. really whatever I want as long as it fits into my calorie and protein goals. The other thing that struck me is that you said you eat emotionally. I think it could be a good idea to try working out some of that out either on your own or with a support group or counselor, if you think it's going to continue to be a challenge.

    The last thing I really want to say is if you're going to start small, really start small. For me, cutting out all processed food is not small. It's huge! Small, for me, would be to switch out one processed snack for something natural.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    Also try to change your mind set a bit. Focus in on feeling strong and healthy instead of a number on a scale. Think of all the gains (strength, stamina) you have lost instead of the pounds you replaced. You are beautiful and worth the time and effort to become healthier, stronger and more active... Forever - not just 3 months
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
    Options
    Agree with the above- changes have to be something you are willing to do for a lifetime or they won't last and you'll go off the plan. Start small- change a few things until you get used to those things and then change a few more. Forgive yourself if you have one bad day- don't let it turn into a bad week or month. Just log it and move on. Everyone has days where they are off of their plan- special occasions, stressful days, extremely busy days, etc.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    Wonderful advice here. I would like to add that relying on discipline should not be necessary if you make healthy eating a lifestyle. You'll be eating the way you like, so why would you stop doing that? Planning your meals and bringing your own lunch is great! Your diet will be healthier for every good choice you make, up to a point where you are optimally nourished (but nobody knows exactly where that point is, so we have to use common sense :D ); no single food will make or break your diet - you can have chocolate every day and still eat healthily, as long as you also get in your fruit and veg and some meat, grain, dairy, etc. Be aware that "organic" very often is just an expensive label; but look out for the "dirty dozen" if you feel that buying organic is important. (Labels with "health" claims are also more often than not, on less healthy than real, ordinary items at half the price.)
  • Karyn1120
    Karyn1120 Posts: 184 Member
    Options
    I found that starting with small goals really helped me - mini goals (like 5 pounds to start). Also, I made a commitment to get in a 30 minute walk every day. Doesn't matter the speed, just 30 minutes of walking. It's helped me tremendously, and was an easy thing to do. I sit at a computer all day too, and get stiff and sore sitting for so long. I actually look forward to taking my walk every day.
  • Dallas97701
    Dallas97701 Posts: 5 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    Good advice above. I'm right there with you... gained all my losses back this winter. Reason: not any regular exercise for 3 months. Solution for me: spend money. I already have an excellent treadmill out in the garage which has been my main vehicle for weight loss. The trick for me is getting my mind engaged in a good movie/documentary or anything that I can look forward to and carve out of the day and call my own special time. So I am upgrading my TV, bought a Roku box, and signed up to the CuriosityStream. (There is a limit to how may times you can watch LOTR, Deadwood, West Wing, Lonesome Dove, Weeds, etc.) My wife eats the right foods and doesn't exercise. I exercise and eat everything. Between the two of us, we have one healthy person. So is there any chance you could get one of those walking workstations?

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    OP, just wanted to chime in on the "don't try to do too much".

    I started out by eating all the same stuff, but I measured out portions on the food scale and logged everything for a couple of weeks.
    Then I looked over my logs and noticed where a lot of calories were going and how I could tweak my eating habits to make it easier to stay within my calories.
    I found that I have a tough time "moderating" cookies and crackers, so I stopped buying them.
    I also found that weighing out one serving of Ben & Jerry's and eating that was very satisfying, so I still eat ice cream 4 or 5 times a week.
    I looked up the nutrition info online for the fast food places I like and made a list of different meal combinations I could get so it was easier for me to make a smart choice.
    Batch prepping for the week and pre-logging my days really helped.

    You can do this - good luck!
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    Options
    - It's ok to start small and build. This does not have to be an all-or-nothing proposal. Make a few changes at first, give yourself a couple weeks to adjust to it, and then make another change. It's slower, but doing so will be easier on you and you're much more likely to stick with it.

    - You don't have to stop eating anything you don't want to. You just need to learn what a proper portion is and adjust to that. Get a good digital food scale if you don't already have one; they're much more handy than you might think.

    - As someone said above, small goals is also good. You have one big goal, to get to X weight range, but if that's really far away, it's easy to be discouraged at the slower pace. Aim for 5-10 pounds at a time. That's when you have to recalculate your calories anyways, and it's progress that shows up quicker.

    - If you have issues with going overboard on snacking or eating certain foods, one thing that helps some people is to banish it from your house/work desk. Period. Doesn't mean you can't have a cookie or chips, but if it's not in your house, you won't finish a bag without realizing it, something I have issues with! If you give it an hour and still want the snack food, go to the gas station and get a single(ish) serving of it. You get a treat, you don't have a huge amount in your house for habit or emotional snacking, and if the gas station is close enough you can even walk.

    - Exercise is great for you, but not needed for weight loss. If you're having trouble adding that in, work on logging and relearning eating habits first. Once you get the hang of that, then add some mild walking back in. Go outside, walk for 10 minutes, turn around and walk back. Bam, 20 minute walk! Doesn't have to be fast, doesn't have to be far, just needs to be a starting point. When you can do that distance comfortable, add 5 minutes each way. Bring music/book on tape/walking app with you to listen to; I've found if I've got music or my zombies run app playing, it focus on that more than how much I hate walking!

    - You will make mistakes. Days you go over by accident, unexpected celebrations, days you just don't give a frack. When it happens, it doesn't make you failure or sabotage your progress. It makes you human. Log it, learn from it, and move on. Learning to forgive yourself for mistakes is a hard lesson for many people to learn, but it makes things easier once you do!
  • EmmyAleem
    EmmyAleem Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    I can't thank you enough y'all for the advice and taking the time to write. I have a food scale and a fitbit, apps on my smart phone that measure my steps...etc. Meaning I have no excuse, I have a gym membership, I live close to trails! No excuse really :( It is just getting up and moving! After reading your responses I realized the mistake I do over and over again. Someone mentioned "all or none". Yes, this is me, I either do it all or none, no gray zone! and thank you Lizzy622 :)

Categories