Changing Mindset
scottlwl
Posts: 14 Member
Hi All,
I am new on these board but have been on a mission this year to get fit and lose weight.
I started the year 93lbs heavier than I am now.
Started with Slimming World then took up running and moved to fitbit and calorie counting. As I reached my goal i signed up on MFP as I thought Macros would be better for me than calorie counting (although the link with fitbit and MFP is broken at the moment which is another challenge)
My problem is my mindset. I run about 30-40 miles a week over 4 runs, walk for 4 miles with dog in morning on days i am not running, rarely do less than 15K steps in a day - so I am pretty active on the burn... but I can't seem to get my head out of the must watch everything, must not let bad stuff pass my lips.
I want to be able relax and enjoy my lighter size, but to be honest I am not. I am so scared I will get fat again.
I eat OK probably about 2000 calories a day, nothing is fatty or processed.
Any one have any tips on changing the lose mindset to maintaining mindset?
I am new on these board but have been on a mission this year to get fit and lose weight.
I started the year 93lbs heavier than I am now.
Started with Slimming World then took up running and moved to fitbit and calorie counting. As I reached my goal i signed up on MFP as I thought Macros would be better for me than calorie counting (although the link with fitbit and MFP is broken at the moment which is another challenge)
My problem is my mindset. I run about 30-40 miles a week over 4 runs, walk for 4 miles with dog in morning on days i am not running, rarely do less than 15K steps in a day - so I am pretty active on the burn... but I can't seem to get my head out of the must watch everything, must not let bad stuff pass my lips.
I want to be able relax and enjoy my lighter size, but to be honest I am not. I am so scared I will get fat again.
I eat OK probably about 2000 calories a day, nothing is fatty or processed.
Any one have any tips on changing the lose mindset to maintaining mindset?
3
Replies
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Stop avoiding "fatty" and "processed", that's a "surrogate endpoint" which doesn't really help you - fat is good for you as long as it's not trans fat, and balanced with other parts of your diet; processed doesn't mean much - most food is processed in one way or another before we eat it. You may become more relaxed by aiming for a varied diet of foods you like, balancing nutrition and taste, eating enough but not too much.
This has been a help for me and many others: http://ellynsatterinstitute.org/hte/whatisnormaleating.php10 -
You already named exactly what you need to do, change your mindset. It is as pretty simple as when thoughts run your mind, change the subject and think about something else. Only you can do this.
40 miles a week is a lot of miles. Any reason for this many miles? Are you in training?
Secondly besides the mental change, you really can still eat anything you want to, you deem it unhealthy and bad, and if X food does not make it on "your healthy list", then simply do not buy it, do not eat it. You make your own diet and you make your own choices.
For maintenance, you simply take all that you learned through weight loss and carry that right into maintenance. I am quite sure you made a lot of good changes along the way, maybe even make wiser food choices, you are well aware of how to eat and how much to not eat, so just carry that on into maintenance and eat within your maintenance calories (slowly incorporate calories back up maintenance if this will help you better than making a jump into more calories at once)2 -
Congratulations on your fantastic progress to date.
I can certainly relate to your problem, in fact there are many blog posts that talk about "former fat guy/girl syndrome" - the irrational fear that overweight people can have in relaxing or even eating to add muscle (which requires a surplus).
My advice when moving to maintenance would be:- Gradually increase the calories- add in about 200 and see how you go from there.
- Be prepared for some water/in transit gain when upping the calories.
- It's advisable to weigh yourself and measure frequently (helps to determine "real" gain versus water gain).
- Logging is just as relevant now as it was when losing fa t- Get maintenance sorted and THEN consider the long term benefits/drawbacks to logging and consider how you will monitor going forward. Fix one thing at a time.
With respect to the attitude and bringing in "bad" foods:- I try not to fall for the good/bad foods concept but can relate to the worry.
- The additional calories to maintain - consider these to be your "cheat" or "luxury" calories.
- Take a look at the eating habits of some top sports people - look at the types of foods that they eat and understand that, on a rational level at least, you can be healthy, very fit in fact, and still eat chocolate/ice cream/whatever.
- Look into If It Fits You Macros (IIFYM) eating protocols - although highly tilted towards bodybuilding/fitness competitor/muscle growth it is a useful way of thinking about food as fuel and something to be enjoyed.
- Think of a food that you have banned in the past but you really enjoy - Cake? Wine? Beer? Poptarts? Plan some into your week and just eat it - then review your feelings on the matter. Note that you did not gain a load of fat and the world did not end.
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I am rapidly becoming @StealthHealth stalker and biggest fan
Personally I would buy something I really want to eat, but might have stopped myself...log it so I have accounted for the calories and eat it with conscious attention, savouring it and accepting that because I am within my calories it is fine ..perhaps even telling myself out loud so that the ears hear the words and you get that reinforcement
Do that enough and your mindset will start to change
Also I would hazard a guess that 2000 might be a bit low for your TDEE...have you tried increasing calories? Your weight will fluctuate but will settle in a few weeks ..go for +100 calories for a few weeks then do it again3 -
Thank you for the replies.
It sounds so simple out loud and my mouth can say those words about bad food, relaxing my mindset etc... But them my brain kicks into silent panic. Haha
I am trying to eat more. 2000 calories is more than I was eating a few weeks ago. I will aim to for 2200 on non running days and maybe 2600 or so on running days.
I am not training for anything, I just love running... The only pace I can filter out the noise of an over active mind. If that makes sense.? I do 10k Tues, Thurs and Friday. Then go for a long one on Sunday... Minimum of a half marathon. Working it out it is more nearer to 30 miles isn't it? Anyway. With that much activity I should be able to eat what I want right?
Tell that to my brain haha.... Wish me luck1 -
Sued0nim mentioned a key term, TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) - understanding that and your minimal nutritional needs to both loose and maintain weight is important - consistently under eating (which I know I have a bad habit of doing) is as bad as consistently over-eating. There are free online calculators you can use to do an estimate that takes into account energy level (I had my confirmed via a physiological test and the online calculator was within about 50cal of what the lab folks told me).1
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I am rapidly becoming @StealthHealth stalker and biggest fan
Hahaha... pretty awesome yourself there @Sued0nim ... don't think we haven't noticed you dishing out the good advice and common sense
@scottlwl good luck, but you can do it. It's a head game. Just take that 1st bite and keep a cool head.
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You could also do a bit of education on food advertising. Fat has got a bad rap for many years, mostly through advertising. A little education on food and their effects helped me to understand more about what I eat. Good luck and great job on the transformation to a better life.1
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deannalfisher wrote: »Sued0nim mentioned a key term, TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) - understanding that and your minimal nutritional needs to both loose and maintain weight is important - consistently under eating (which I know I have a bad habit of doing) is as bad as consistently over-eating. There are free online calculators you can use to do an estimate that takes into account energy level (I had my confirmed via a physiological test and the online calculator was within about 50cal of what the lab folks told me).
I just did a tdee calculator and it was a little more than mfp said I needed. And I have been consistently under that by 1000 calories for months.....
Strong thoughts Scott.... You can do this
Thanks you everyone you are a helpful bunch1 -
i know it seems insane, but when i started eating to my TDEE I started noticing body composition changes and my energy when it comes to working out3
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I see.... So I might even be able to run further?0
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Hi All,
My problem is my mindset. I run about 30-40 miles a week over 4 runs, walk for 4 miles with dog in morning on days i am not running, rarely do less than 15K steps in a day - so I am pretty active on the burn... but I can't seem to get my head out of the must watch everything, must not let bad stuff pass my lips.
I want to be able relax and enjoy my lighter size, but to be honest I am not. I am so scared I will get fat again.
...
Any one have any tips on changing the lose mindset to maintaining mindset?
Congratulations on your weight loss. I think your mindset is completely appropriate. Seven months is not necessarily long enough completely to internalize these habits. It can take years. Think of all the people who quickly regain weight because they revert to their old habits.
Stay calm, reflect on the good you've done in working on your eating and exercise goals. If you have some set meals whose calorie content is certain, make them so you don't have to worry about calculating calories. Try something like meditation or mindful eating. Hang out with other people who've accomplished a big weight loss who would rather die than put the weight back on.
You can struggle to keep the weight off, or struggle to lose it again if you regain it. Either way, there will be a struggle.
Re getting fat again. Be afraid. Be very afraid.2 -
Thank you for the replies.
It sounds so simple out loud and my mouth can say those words about bad food, relaxing my mindset etc... But them my brain kicks into silent panic. Haha
It's may or may not be simple, but it's certainly not easy. Losing and then maintaining weight in a culture like ours requires a major behavioral shift.
5 -
You've gone through a huge change and it's going to take a while to change your thinking. I lost about 70+ pounds over 2.5 years and have been maintaining for about 6 months. My mindset still isn't where I'd like it to be, but it gets better.
What helps me is to think about food as fuel, not good or bad. What can I eat to get me through this workout or through this run? That's what I eat. I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not. I try to think about food less in general
Congrats so far! Mindset is the hardest part but you'll get there!6 -
Thank you again everyone for the advice... Such a lovely and supportive community2
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Having lost a lot and gained it back, I would not advise to NOT relax just yet. Yes, enjoy your lighter size, but keep doing what you were doing when you lost weight, and just eat more calories of the same healthy foods you've been enjoying. Keep tracking, keep running and keep logging. That doesn't mean don't have the treats you enjoy -- just be vigilant.4
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If you want to eat less healthy food, approach it the same people do when trying to add healthier food--small steps. Add one or two new items each week to give your brain a chance to gradually get used to the new approach.1
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Thank you for the replies.
It sounds so simple out loud and my mouth can say those words about bad food, relaxing my mindset etc... But them my brain kicks into silent panic. Haha
I am trying to eat more. 2000 calories is more than I was eating a few weeks ago. I will aim to for 2200 on non running days and maybe 2600 or so on running days.
I am not training for anything, I just love running... The only pace I can filter out the noise of an over active mind. If that makes sense.? I do 10k Tues, Thurs and Friday. Then go for a long one on Sunday... Minimum of a half marathon. Working it out it is more nearer to 30 miles isn't it? Anyway. With that much activity I should be able to eat what I want right?
Tell that to my brain haha.... Wish me luck
Ever considered meditation? Seriously. Doesn't have to be spiritual. And keep running! 4 -
I, too, try to look at food as fuel. I have successfully maintained a 140 pound weight loss for seven months. I measure and log everything and aim for my calorie and macro goals daily. One thing I did to try to stop classifying food as "bad" or "cheat" was to create "not fuel" category in MFP. This keeps me mindful of choices that are not tightly aligned with fueling my body, and enables me to track what portion of my daily intake falls in this category, and how those trends effect my weight.6
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Moving to maintenance is scary.
I recently took a two week break and that was hard enough. I gained 5 pounds (expected it, still hated it), but when I went back to my usual habits it fell off again.
As far as junk food goes it might help you to try 80/20, as in 80% of the time you are eating something that is healthier, but 20% of your diet may be less awesome. IIFYM is about that. Because saying "I will never eat X again." is mentally tougher than "not today", "maybe later", or "that food isn't worth it".
I'm still working on losing, though slower than before. Today I spotted a new flavor of chips that I really wanted to try, so I bought them. For lunch I had a sandwich (the usual for me lately), but with only one piece of bread, no cheese, and mustard instead of mayo. Then my 1 ounce of chips - not really a big deal.
And I'm another one that finds peace through exercise. I would just suggest that you try and mix it up some (walking, biking, rowing, resistance training) so that your joints don't get too beat up.
Good luck!4 -
Two comments.
First, try to think of food as nutrition/fuel for your body. You have a calorie budget in terms of what your body needs. In your financial budget do you ONLY pay for things that are absolutely necessary for existence? Or do you occasionally spend money on things you want for entertainment purposes? I'm guessing you do so, and feel ok about this as long as your financial needs are met. Try to think along the same lines for food. You need protein. You need fruits and veggies. And so on. But if those general needs are being met, then there is nothing wrong with spending some of your calories on wants.
Second, sign up for an event. If you're enjoying running, you will probably enjoy doing a mud run or a half marathon and perhaps training for a full marathon if you have the time to put into that. For me, having an event on the horizon helps me stay focused/motivated.11 -
kommodevaran wrote: »Stop avoiding "fatty" and "processed", that's a "surrogate endpoint" which doesn't really help you - fat is good for you as long as it's not trans fat, and balanced with other parts of your diet; processed doesn't mean much - most food is processed in one way or another before we eat it. You may become more relaxed by aiming for a varied diet of foods you like, balancing nutrition and taste, eating enough but not too much.
This has been a help for me and many others: http://ellynsatterinstitute.org/hte/whatisnormaleating.php
Thanks for that link!0 -
Well guys so far so good.
This weekend I gave myself permission to have a brownie, a few beers at a BBQ, and a Meal out with my family. I relaxed a bit but still kept tabs on my intake and outgoings of calories. Guess what? The world didn't blow up.... I didn't suddenly balloon back to my origin size. In fact over the week I still lost a bit.... Oops
It is a work in progress.
Tomorrow we go on our summer vacation. Sun, sea, and fun. I will keep myself honest by tracking... But I want to enjoy myself and not drive myself mad. Took ages to save for this holiday. I will take my running gear so if I have a blow out I can work the next day to equal myself out.... Or, just worry about that when I get home.
Thank you again all
9 -
Good work!1
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Well guys so far so good.
This weekend I gave myself permission to have a brownie, a few beers at a BBQ, and a Meal out with my family. I relaxed a bit but still kept tabs on my intake and outgoings of calories. Guess what? The world didn't blow up.... I didn't suddenly balloon back to my origin size. In fact over the week I still lost a bit.... Oops
It is a work in progress.
Tomorrow we go on our summer vacation. Sun, sea, and fun. I will keep myself honest by tracking... But I want to enjoy myself and not drive myself mad. Took ages to save for this holiday. I will take my running gear so if I have a blow out I can work the next day to equal myself out.... Or, just worry about that when I get home.
Thank you again all
That first hump is a worrisome pain. Glad you made it over!1 -
I am rapidly becoming @StealthHealth stalker and biggest fan
Personally I would buy something I really want to eat, but might have stopped myself...log it so I have accounted for the calories and eat it with conscious attention, savouring it and accepting that because I am within my calories it is fine ..perhaps even telling myself out loud so that the ears hear the words and you get that reinforcement
Do that enough and your mindset will start to change
Also I would hazard a guess that 2000 might be a bit low for your TDEE...have you tried increasing calories? Your weight will fluctuate but will settle in a few weeks ..go for +100 calories for a few weeks then do it again
Great thread, very informative0 -
It is so nice to read such a positive thread! Go Scott go!
0
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