Tried and failed many times, what changes to make it work long-term?

Pretty open-ended question... I've been on here for years, done stints of a month or two of logging, and quite often give up on it just due to the time and effort required to log non-processed meals.. when there's a nutrition label or a barcode it's easy!

I'm here again and giving it another go, I am right back up to 208lbs, my goal weight is somewhere near 180, or even 160-170. I am 5'6".

The first few times I failed I gave up due to my beer consumption was making dieting impossible. I've cut back on that to where I drink once or twice a week at most, and I can even cut down on that if it's preventing progress...

What are your thoughts on what makes it STICK?

Replies

SamanthaLouiseMence

I gave up a few times thinking I had to eat certain things
This time, I'm just eating what I would anyway, just in moderation, I still have a bud or two or a couple glasses of red once or twice a week and the weight is still coming off
Just so long as your in your calorie goal you can eat and drink what you like (within reason lol) and the more you move the more you burn

This way works for me, some foods are processed, some are fresh
It might not work for everyone though I'm sure x

CincyNeid

gostumpy wrote: »

What are your thoughts on what makes it STICK?

What reason do you have to lose weight? IF you're wanting to do it, just to do it. It's not going to happen. People with a purpose will fight a war. People without a purpose will fall every time.

For me it's my Wife and Daughter. Wanting to make sure I grow old with them, and watch them dance the Waltz we called life.

Find a good reason for your weight loss, and it'll happen.

STEVE142142

CincyNeid wrote: »

gostumpy wrote: »

What are your thoughts on what makes it STICK?

What reason do you have to lose weight? IF you're wanting to do it, just to do it. It's not going to happen. People with a purpose will fight a war. People without a purpose will fall every time.

For me it's my Wife and Daughter. Wanting to make sure I grow old with them, and watch them dance the Waltz we called life.

Find a good reason for your weight loss, and it'll happen.

I totally agree with what you say and this is my philosophy. To me you have to find a why. That why has to be totally selfish. It can't be about the kids and can't be about the significant other it totally has to be about you. Once you find that why all your other whys will take care of themselves.

Also don't look at this as a diet look at it as a lifestyle change. I still enjoy the occasional Wendy's hamburger slice or two of pizza or beer on the beach. If I had to give those up I coulf never do it.

To me if you find that why you will succeed. The process to lose weight is simple. I've actually enjoyed the past six months it hasn't been hard at all and the results totally blow my mind. I'm doing things now I could never have imagined before at 56.

Lynzdee18

After nearly a year, I think I've got the weight beaten. Finally. I began this journey on July 30 of last year and I'm maintaining over 60 pounds lost for a few weeks now.

What really did it for me was seeing myself in candid photos over the past winter, after I had lost the bulk of my excess weight. I look so much younger and more healthy at this reasonable weight. I like that. Very much.

This past month I finally purged my closet of all my fat clothes. I never want to be that size again.

In retrospect, to answer your question, you'll just know you want to be different. It just feels like time and losing will be not easier, but more bearable. You'll start eating to live, not living to eat!

The journey hard, but the destination is satisfying!

OlyCapitalChick

It is not important enough to you yet.

unknown

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Nikion901

It's a mindset. It's a life-long change in habits, not a temporary band-aid. It does NOT mean banning foods from your list of items you eat; it DOES mean it's all about choosing wisely and in moderation.

Heard this before ... "you didn't get overweight in a short time, and you will not slim down in a short time either" ... or different versions of that thought, and it's true. Give it time. Stick with a plan. Don't go 'gung-ho' and deprive yourself cause you'll only feel like dirt when your willpower loses steam and strength (and it will).

Don't give up ... just know you cannot pig-out on either food or drink and expect a lean machine.

emdeesea

You have to want it.

I gave up a lot because I wanted it. And I got it.

1Nana2many

IMHO you have to value yourself enough to believe that the time it takes to log all the food you eat every day is worth it because YOU ARE WORTH IT! Ultimately you do have to be a little selfish about doing what's best for you. The longer you log your foods, the easier it gets as long as you start typing them in the same way every time because you develope a log of foods that will pop up when you start typing. Learn what a proper serving size is. Weigh and measure your foods for a while until you get the hang of it. You need to learn what foods make you feel full longer. For many people, that involves proteins. For myself, I make sure I drink a glass of milk every morning because I know that if I don't I am starving by 10:00 am. I eat less bread and pasta, but I do still eat them. I've switched to thin crust pizza to save calories but I'm still eating pizza. Don't snack out of boredom. Keep some lower calorie snacks like lower calorie cheese sticks or even Rice Krispie treats on hand for when you must have something to eat. Don't kill yourself with exercise, just try to be a little more active than you were yesterday. Be kind to yourself and start every day as if it's a new day. Keep your calorie goal in mind and pick what you are going to eat to stay within that goal every day. It is a conscious effort, but you ARE worth it.

mealpreprockstar

I calorie count and keep track of nutrition because I want to be healthy. I want to have energy to do everything I want in life. My paternal grandmother died of coronary heart disease because she choose food over life. My father loves to eat hates to exercise and is now in a walker. It breaks my heart and it is so tough to watch him. So I press on. Every single day is a battle to eat right and exercise and I get tired but I remind myself never to give up.

What worked for me is in 2012 I started meal prepping. In recent years I also started to semi-fast one day a week drinking only fresh vegetable or fruit juices or broth. But I also allow myself 3 splurge meals a week which reminds me that life is not all about counting calories.

vingogly

I'm 69 years old, have lost weight many times in the past, and always put it back on. I'm running out of time to get this right. After I started using MFP and doing a reduced carb diet (choose complex carbs, protein for snacks, adequate hydration, good fats, avoid added sugars) at the suggestion of my doctor, I lost about 40 lbs. Then I got bored with it, and stopped logging - though I kept my improved eating habits. Some weight crept back on, but I kept most of it off. Then last November, I started logging again and have lost an additional 32 lbs (total: 72 lbs).

Here's what I've decided I need to do in maintenance to make it lifelong, based on my experiences so far:

Eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm satisfied and wait 20 mins; I can always eat more if I choose
Eat what I want and enjoy it; no mindless eating or bored eating
If I want to eat for emotional reasons, find something else to do instead
Monitor my weight at least once a week, and if I go up five lbs reduce my calorie input
If I eat a lot at breakfast and/or lunch, go light with dinner and snacks
Continue logging until I don't need to any more, or I die, whichever comes first

Oh, and one other thing: absolutely no candy bars or ice cream ever again. Just kidding, I just had a dish of ice cream a couple of nights ago and a chocolate bar yesterday. Both were logged -- and I enjoyed them immensely.

bmayes2014

The alternative to counting calories (using MFP as your strategy) is weight gain it seems. So, you will have to decide if it's worth it to you. I used to get annoyed logging but now it's 2nd nature. I'd rather do that and work towards my goal than to gain monthly. Even 1lb a month is 12lbs a year= 24lbs in two years. It sticks because I choose to commit to it. Also, it takes time to find what is sustainable and what 'works' for you to keep it sustainable. It sounds like you have worked to get the beer drinking under control - that's really great. Enjoy yourself a beer within your calories so you don't feel deprived. I drink wine within mine. You can do it as long as you don't continue to stop or give up.

15feb

I'm sure what is going on with my weight what worked before doesn't seem work any more I need to lose 50 pounds under a lot of personal stress not sure if that it but here I am starting over and my goal is to get my 10,000 steps in each day on the treadmill and any thing else is extra moving steps so I can enjoy having wine in the evening so I'm depriving myself I prob eat 2 meals a day and not a lot so not sure what the prob 57 years old I need to get back into my clothes.. any suggestions??

PantoneRed

OP by @kcd1961

Relapse is Normal – The average person making a serious lifestyle change, will fail around 7 times before succeeding. When you fail, you can berate yourself for being weak and stupid, or you can use the “failure” as an opportunity to discover barriers that need to be overcome. Actually you can do both, just don't omit the second.

Write Down What Works – Each time you have a period of success, even briefly, it shows that you can actually do what is required. When you start over – make a list of the things you KNOW from your experience, work – even if only for a limited time. They are clues for how to proceed.

What DOESN'T Work – Also make a list of the things you have tried that DON'T work. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. But be careful about what you define as “not working”. For example – aiming for 1kg of weight loss per week – means a very restrictive calorie intake (around 500 calories less – every day of every week) compared to 1 pound weekly. Many people simply cannot sustain that. But that doesn't mean deficit eating doesn't work. It means a BIG, SUSTAINED deficit does not work for you.

What Derails You? For every failure, there is usually a small range of events that lead to abandoning a plan that is working. They may be external – e.g. Walking past the Krispy Creme shop. They may be internal events, thoughts or sensations– i.e. the thought, “This is too hard, I can't stand it” the sensation of hunger, or the feeling of low mood or motivation. Succeeding means finding a way to address these barriers. If you know – write a list – in two columns – one for external events and one for internal events. If not...

Get Better at Noticing – Part of overcoming barriers is learning to spot them before you actually commit to an unhelpful response (like placing the apple pie with cream in your mouth). A helpful skill is “Mindfulness” - being able to tune into the present moment without judgment. Being able to STOP, step back, observe your thoughts and feelings without impulsively reacting is critical to success. Most people fail because of an impulsive response to a trigger, and the chain of self-defeating behavior that follows.

Minimize the Damage – One “failure” is never a cause for serious concern. Even if you eat 3000 calories in a sitting (pretty hard to do) – you will gain a pound and delay your goal by one week. It is the ongoing overeating and avoidance of healthy activity that leads to “square one”. So if you fall off the wagon, focus on NOW – not tomorrow.

Face your Demons – At some stage in your journey – it is helpful to mindfully expose yourself to the “enemy”. Train your “willpower” in small steps. Mindfully observe your body and record your hunger out of 10 every hour. What did you notice? What thoughts showed up? Spend some time each day paying attention to your thoughts and feelings about food and weight loss, writing them down in a journal or on a scrap of paper. Start with small, manageable exposures and build up. If you don't trust yourself, do it with a MFP here.

Log In. Be accountable! MFP makes this as easy as it is going to get. All you need to do is allocate 2-10 minutes a day entering your food and exercise.

MFP is the ultimate weight-loss, healthy living platform.