I just can't seem to start or stick with it!
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vespiquenn wrote: »At the end of the day, calories are king. You can change your diet to something unsustainable in the long term as you clearly have tried, or you can begin counting calories, and simply eating less of the same foods you already enjoy. Unless for medical reasons, there's no reason to overhaul your diet. You know yourself that you don't stick to them, so it silly to continue trying something that doesn't work.
Make small changes over time rather than many big ones at once. It's overwhelming and can frustrate even the most successful folks of weight loss. For example, one week try to just count calories without changing the way or amount you eat to see where you stand. The following week, start bringing yourself into a deficit. Many think that it's an all or nothing game, and that's a dangerous way of thinking.
So much this, all of this, not just the bolded, but I am responding to the bolded.
You CAN lose weight and include your favorite foods and snacks. If eliminating foods and restricting heavily has always failed you in the past, it is time to change your approach to something you will stay with.0 -
There is a theory that one should only focus on losing ten pounds or 10% of your weight. The first and last 10 pounds can be the hardest.
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. But...I come from a family where everyone weighs between 250-400 pounds. I am lucky that I didn't ever let my weight climb that high. How far do you want to let this go before you do something about it? Isn't it easier to lose 50 pounds than 100? It is much easier to lose weight when you are young. Your body is very forgiving at your age and your skin may tightened up if you lose weight correctly and over time. As a 58 year-old women, I am begging you to deal with this today so you do not have lifetime of health issues and can enjoy being at a healthful weight. I hear a chorus of people my age agreeing that you need to get started right now.
I wholeheartedly agree! I just turned 37, and at my heaviest I was 320. I'm now down to 290. When I was 13, my mom weighed close to 450 so she went on a diet. I weighed 260. I only worked out with her 10% of the time- she lost close to 300 lbs, I lost 10. Now, I have to work out twice as hard as my 16 year old daughter. I do heavy house work, walk, yardwork and elliptical (on top of less eating) and I've barely lost any! My daughter has lost 32 just using the elliptical with little change to her eating habits! Do it now, while you're young and its not as backbreaking instead of when you're my age, looking back at all the weight you could have lost, and all the life you could have had!0 -
You don't have to change your eating habits to lose weight. You don't have to exercise to lose weight.
You just have to change how much you eat.
You need to create a calorie deficit. MFP works by telling you how many calories you should eat a day to lose weight, you log the foods you eat, stay within your calories, and you will lose weight.
It's only as hard as you make it out to be.
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You don't have to change your eating habits to lose weight. You don't have to exercise to lose weight.
You just have to change how much you eat.
You need to create a calorie deficit. MFP works by telling you how many calories you should eat a day to lose weight, you log the foods you eat, stay within your calories, and you will lose weight.
It's only as hard as you make it out to be.
I couldn't agree more.
Plus, use a food scale.1 -
I think the first step is being truthful with yourself and logging everything you eat. No judgement. You ate it, you log it. Just look at those numbers. You will get an idea of how many calories you eat compared to how many calories you should eat and you will get an idea about the stuff that really wrecks your diet.
If you find those things, look if you can find a better alternative you like. Try eating more of the alternative and less of the worse things. If you can't find an alternative and you can't cut it out completely, try to eat it in smaller portions and less often.
You don't need to change your whole diet. Most people can't stick to that in the long term. Try to adjust your diet in smaller steps.
And don't get discouraged. If you eat too much or the wrong things on one day, just accept it and try to do better the next day. One day won't destroy anything.1 -
You have to want it badly enough...1
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For me, I recently was told by my doctor that I'm prediabetic. So it's really been an eye opener that I need to change for me. I am motivated and will not let this stop me from reaching my goals, if you need support I'm here!2
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Though love is needed here, you are going to have to want it enough to start, get going and stick to it. Nothing complicated, eat the amount of calories set by mfp, log honestly (you are only lying to yourself if you don't) and get on with it. No one can motivate you but yourself.1
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The video is really useful! thanks AnarchistKitchen for posting!0
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I would say that you need to set progressive goals, and not just scale goals. Success is extremely motivating. Losing 10 lb, buying jeans that fit, cooking dinner for yourself 5 days in a row, getting a 30 day logging streak, completing some kind of fitness activity, hitting a certain step count. Whatever you set as your goals, achieving things is so motivating. It feels so freaking good. On the other side of the coin, don't let days that you don't achieve your goals get you down. Don't focus on that. Log it. Move on. Wake up the next day and try again. If you go over your goal for an entire week, just log in again on day eight and try again. Eventually you will get it if you stick to it. It isn't about being perfect. I can't tell you how many days I have gone over my calorie goal, not exercised, not hit my step goal, gained a pound. But I'm still here and I've lost weight and kept it off. I've been either losing or maintaining for three years now with the exception of the odd pound that I quickly corrected and a healthy pregnancy that I gained an appropriate amount during. And that's how I've done it.3
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Thank you everyone for your kind and encouraging words of advice!
When it comes down to it, I realized that I have to be the one to decide. And so I did. I'm down 2.8 lbs in a week! I realize that's a lot, but for someone my size I know weight loss can be a bit rapid the first few weeks and then slow to normal.
It's strange, I found my motivation in the weirdest way. My cousin got me tickets to take myself and his son to WWE's Tables, Ladders, and Chairs pay per view last Sunday. I saw an amazing match between my favorite female wrestler and another girl and it just got me really pumped up for some reason! I've been logging consistently, replacing some of the bad foods with good ones, and finding constructive ways to battle cravings for the last week. I'm trying not to change too much too soon so that I can sustain.
Anyways, advice and tips are always appreciated!! Thank you, everyone.4 -
The video is great. Thanks for sharing.0
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I did it by accepting the following truism
If I don't start and stick to it, I will stay fat.7 -
Make sustainable changes and don't go overboard with a huge deficit, intense exercise that you hate, and crazy food restrictions. It's really the best I can tell you. And when you have a bad day, you don't give up and you start again the next day. I wanted to lose 80 pounds and picked '1 lb a week'. It wasn't too crazy, I was still able to eat what I liked... just in reasonable quantities. And I walked a lot because it's what I like to do.
Unfortunately... motivation has to come from inside. But whatever you do... make yourself log it.0 -
For me, it's come down to making lifestyle changes rather than going on a diet. That's part of it, and it sounds like you were/are working on that.
The other piece for me is figuring out my relationship with food. That's involved keeping a journal and noting what's going on with me emotionally, at work, etc. when I go off plan.1 -
Demanding "constructive criticism" retains for yourself the editorial privilege of deciding what you shall regard as "constructive". Grow a hide, snowflake.0
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AnarchistKitchen, super video, thanks for sharing
All I can say is I have been trying to lose weight for over 45 years and every day of the 45 years, I have thought about losing weight and wanting to be a different weight. Now I am old. Yes, I can still do this but I still struggle to lose. But I believe my life would have been filled with joy and self esteem if I was able to maintain a healthy weight in my 20's. You can do this! Best of luck!1 -
I don't have any tips but I'm in almost the exact same boat. I'm a couple years older at almost 25 but same height and weight. I know I need to get my act together but I just can't make myself do it. Sometimes I'll do really good for breakfast and lunch then just lose it at dinner. As far as exercise goes I haven't done any. I'm at meat cutter at a grocery store and it makes my hips hurt so bad. Once I get home that's pretty much it for the day. I've considered hypnosis but I know for most it's a mindset thing. If you go in believing it will work, then it probably will but if you to in skeptical then it will probably be a waste of money. Feel free to add me!0
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Hi everyone!
My name is Evelyn and I've been on MFP for about three years now. Before we begin, here are my stats:
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Height: 5'4"
CW: 261.8lbs
GW: 135lbs
Lifestyle: Sedentary
I've experienced a lot of ups and downs. I have had moments when I log and exercise consistently and lose weight (last one of those was around a year and a half ago) as well as moments when I gain it all back and don't open the app for a year, but it's starting to really get to me.
When I started MFP as a Senior in high school, I weighed 210 pounds. It was the most I had ever been and with the help of my Dad, we transformed our diet in to a whole foods, plant based lifestyle and we both lost weight. He lost nearly 100 pounds while I lost around 30.
Now, I weigh 261.8lbs. 30 of those 261.8lbs I gained in the last year. I can't seem to get it off for the life of me. It's never been this bad where I just can't stick to anything. I don't even know where to start. I can't afford a personal trainer so I've told myself to start with small goals: drinking more water or taking a walk every other day, but it's like all motivation in me is dead.
Any tips on how to get myself started? Am I doing something wrong? Is there something I can do to make a transition in to a healthier lifestyle easier? I might as well be new at this as I have no idea what to do. Everyone says to just suck it up and do it, but I've tried and tried again.
Any and all advice, tips, encouragement, or constructive criticism is appreciated.Hi everyone!
My name is Evelyn and I've been on MFP for about three years now. Before we begin, here are my stats:
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Height: 5'4"
CW: 261.8lbs
GW: 135lbs
Lifestyle: Sedentary
I've experienced a lot of ups and downs. I have had moments when I log and exercise consistently and lose weight (last one of those was around a year and a half ago) as well as moments when I gain it all back and don't open the app for a year, but it's starting to really get to me.
When I started MFP as a Senior in high school, I weighed 210 pounds. It was the most I had ever been and with the help of my Dad, we transformed our diet in to a whole foods, plant based lifestyle and we both lost weight. He lost nearly 100 pounds while I lost around 30.
Now, I weigh 261.8lbs. 30 of those 261.8lbs I gained in the last year. I can't seem to get it off for the life of me. It's never been this bad where I just can't stick to anything. I don't even know where to start. I can't afford a personal trainer so I've told myself to start with small goals: drinking more water or taking a walk every other day, but it's like all motivation in me is dead.
Any tips on how to get myself started? Am I doing something wrong? Is there something I can do to make a transition in to a healthier lifestyle easier? I might as well be new at this as I have no idea what to do. Everyone says to just suck it up and do it, but I've tried and tried again.
Any and all advice, tips, encouragement, or constructive criticism is appreciated.
Start really small and slowly. Set short term realistic diet goals every week. Every week change something about your diet.
Week 1: no sugar
Week 2: no fast food
Week 3: no snacks/ crackers
Week 4: start strength training
Week 5 add cardio.
At your current weight any change to your diet that is consistent will result in weight loss
Good luck0
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