So you just woke up one day and...

JenniferLynWhatx wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

Five pounds in a month is a great loss, at a bit over a pound a week.

I told myself that it was going to take a long time. I figured eighteen months to my goal at the time. In reality, I've been at this since January 2014 and have been off track for the past 8-9 months, so I'm only now buckling down. But I've learned what works for me (moderation) and what doesn't (restriction).

Have you read this thread? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

None of that is new information for me... Honestly I don't think there is any "new" information. 5lbs a month isn't enough for someone at my size.

I obviously just don't care enough about myself to do better.

Why is 5lbs/month not enough? It'd add up to 60 lbs in a year.

I used to think like that too. If it can't be big, it doesn't count. I dropped that noise and just trucked on with my "sad" 1lb/ week, at most. Two years later I'm under 200 lbs for good and no reason to ever go back. In the time it took me to lose at such a 'pathetic' rate I've developed the life skills to eat the amount of energy for my body. My short, old, desk job working self cannot eat what I 'want' (amounts). That change wasn't going to happen fast so my slow loss is actually a blessing to the long term goal-maintenance. I won't be one that regains. That's all that matters to me.

JenniferLynWhatx wrote: »

So all you successful people just woke up one day, started eating less and working out, and never stopped?

Disclaimer: I'm not "successful" yet, but I am on my way to it.

No, it didn't happen to me one day, not at all... except that it did. As John Green writes about love, it happened for me "slowly and then all at once".

And it wasn't a list of actions (wake up, eat less, work out, don't stop) that happened for me... it was a switch being flipped in my brain. All those actions you list, those are daily choices which are slowly becoming more routine than battle.

What had to happen for me was a complete rewiring of my brain. My brain just doesn't think the way it thought before.

For me it was like being in a movie, in a dark room, with my hand on a light switch, trying to turn on the lights in ultra, ultra slow motion... the flipping of the switch took years, but the moment where darkness became light was an instant, even in slow motion.

In my case, it was getting a fitness tracker (ironically, for the sleep tracking and not even for the steps) that rewired my brain. I could go on and on about this process, but it's beyond the subject of this thread.

The light is either on or off, my friend, no matter how many years you've been flipping the switch, and right now yours is still off. It will turn on, if you give it enough time, and frankly if the years spent in the dark are painful and scary enough, and the hope of the light is promising enough to keep your hand on the switch. The only way it doesn't, is if you take your hand off.

This isn't like anything else I've ever done. I tend to doubt myself, my possibilities, my future. But that I will succeed at this, I do not doubt.

And that, for me, is worth more than the pounds I've lost. I am finally, finally becoming the me I have somehow always been.

Which I'm sure makes sense to no one but me.

Of course you're having a bad day.....but you do need to "suck it up!" My bad day was 745 days ago. I had to stop crying about my weight and wondering why I was heavy and change my ways! Here I am after logging everything I put in my mouth now 85 pounds lighter. It took me one year to lose and I have had a successful year of keeping it off. Eat more protein, vegetables and fruits and less carbs and exercise! Have one "cheat" meal or day a week. Anyone can do this! I think of it this way: It took me years to put on the weight, I can spend ONE year or so getting rid of it.

I became hooked on MFP and really stuck with it once I saw that I could lose weight without a huge deficit. I tell myself that if I'm not suffering, then why shouldn't I stick with it? So just figure out what it takes for YOU to stick with it. Do exercise you enjoy (whatever that is) and try to eat food you enjoy, yes enjoy! I always falter when I start to feel too deprived so that gives me a clue that I need to plan my meals a little better and make room for treats that fit into my calorie goals, rather than just grabbing whatever and then feeling bad about it. Also, success begets success. Once you've accumulated many days of staying on track, you will start to see patterns of what kinds of foods fill you up, make you happy and which ones don't. Best of luck. You are worth it!

Just to add on an already full and GREAT thread....everyone has hard days- really really *kitten* days. We TOO, like YOU can struggle and do.
But you know what we've learned-some the hard way---is to get the hell over it- get out of our own way and start again tomorrow!...or better yet NOW.

The "ah-ha" moment when you realize you are changing your life--for LIFE- your time frame expands indefinitely and your potential for long term quality body changes is infinite!

Its only over when you quit.
So dont.

WordWhisperer wrote: »

JenniferLynWhatx wrote: »

So all you successful people just woke up one day, started eating less and working out, and never stopped?

Disclaimer: I'm not "successful" yet, but I am on my way to it.

No, it didn't happen to me one day, not at all... except that it did. As John Green writes about love, it happened for me "slowly and then all at once".

And it wasn't a list of actions (wake up, eat less, work out, don't stop) that happened for me... it was a switch being flipped in my brain. All those actions you list, those are daily choices which are slowly becoming more routine than battle.

What had to happen for me was a complete rewiring of my brain. My brain just doesn't think the way it thought before.

For me it was like being in a movie, in a dark room, with my hand on a light switch, trying to turn on the lights in ultra, ultra slow motion... the flipping of the switch took years, but the moment where darkness became light was an instant, even in slow motion.

In my case, it was getting a fitness tracker (ironically, for the sleep tracking and not even for the steps) that rewired my brain. I could go on and on about this process, but it's beyond the subject of this thread.

The light is either on or off, my friend, no matter how many years you've been flipping the switch, and right now yours is still off. It will turn on, if you give it enough time, and frankly if the years spent in the dark are painful and scary enough, and the hope of the light is promising enough to keep your hand on the switch. The only way it doesn't, is if you take your hand off.

This isn't like anything else I've ever done. I tend to doubt myself, my possibilities, my future. But that I will succeed at this, I do not doubt.

And that, for me, is worth more than the pounds I've lost. I am finally, finally becoming the me I have somehow always been.

Which I'm sure makes sense to no one but me.

This actually makes perfect sense to me! The same thing happened to me as well: my entire thought process changed. Slowly. Can't really pin-point an "aha!" moment, but I can trace it to an unusual (somewhat fitness related) discovery that started the process. Thanks for sharing your story! I can relate.

“It is a painful thing to look at your own trouble and know that you yourself and no one else has made it.”
Sophocles

“A sign of wisdom and maturity is when you come to terms with the realization that your decisions cause your rewards and consequences. You are responsible for your life, and your ultimate success depends on the choices you make.”
Denis Waitley

The cold cruel reality is that no one but you made the decisions that got you to where you are today, and no one but you can make the decisions that will change that. That is true for each one of us here, who keep making decisions (on a minute by minute basis sometimes) to do what is best for us as individuals, and that will move us toward our goals.

Thats all life is, isnt it? A series of decisions. I hope you can find the strength to make the choices that work for you.

I had this epiphany a while back when reading one of these, "help, I want to lose weight fast!" posts.

In almost every aspect of our lives, we complain about how fast the time goes.
'Can't believe it's almost Christmas....'
'Kids are getting so big, wish they weren't growing up so fast'
'Where did the summer go'

Except weight loss. We always want weight loss to be faster. So yeah, you may not be satisfied with 5 lbs in a month, but as others have pointed out, if you kept on that track, it would be 60 lbs in a year. In a year from now, you'll be a year older, with other potential major life changes (you seem young from your profile picture). Do you want those life changes to be at your current weight? At a higher weight? Or would you like to just commit to keep doing what you're doing and a year from now, be 60 lbs less than you are today and probably 3-4 sizes smaller in clothes. Everyone will look at you saying, "wow, you've lost so much weight! What's your secret?".

And you can smile coyly and say, "I just woke up one day and....."

JenniferLynWhatx wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

Five pounds in a month is a great loss, at a bit over a pound a week.

I told myself that it was going to take a long time. I figured eighteen months to my goal at the time. In reality, I've been at this since January 2014 and have been off track for the past 8-9 months, so I'm only now buckling down. But I've learned what works for me (moderation) and what doesn't (restriction).

Have you read this thread? https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

None of that is new information for me... Honestly I don't think there is any "new" information. 5lbs a month isn't enough for someone at my size.

I obviously just don't care enough about myself to do better.

All-or-nothing thinking is a major red flag sign of depression. Since you can't be perfect at . . . (insert activity here) there is no reason to try. I think your problem may go deeper than the weight or your ability to stick to an eating plan.

Please read the book, Feeling Good by Dr. David Burns. It outlines how to combat depression with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and T.E.A.M (Testing, Empathy, Agenda Setting, Methods). His methods are well-researched and peer-reviewed. I learned about him during one of my PhD level psychology classes.

He has a website at:
http://feelinggood.com/

Basically, yes, that's exactly what happened. I woke up one day and enough was enough. It was like something clicked and suddenly I was ready to commit.

I've started MANY times before without success, but something is different this time.

Believe it or not, when you're ready, it's ALMOST easy. Not going to say that it's not a lot of hard work and dedication, but once it clicks, it's much easier.