Need help sticking with it

I'm a habitual starter upper too - because partway through I lose faith, I lose motivation, I lose drive. What I have learned is that nobody can create that for me.

I have to want it more than I want to just "fail." If that makes sense. About a week ago I came to grips with the fact that once again, I was at the end of the year and no further toward my goal than I was last year. But that was because of the way I chose to respond to various stressors and issues in my life.

This year I have a plan. I am going to breathe deeply 5 times before I give in to an urge to "just eat, whatever, who cares." I am going to remind myself "I have goals, I have a life, I don't want to be in pain. I cannot meet those goals if I continue to feed my obesity."

Every day I am going to get up in the morning and start my day with meditation and affirmations - and work really hard to remind myself, during the day when I want to say "Oh hang it all, screw it for today" that I have a goal - I have family, I have a life - I'm too young to wake up in pain, too young to suffer for being so fat. I'm also not getting any younger. I have wasted a LOT of time - I'm 48 years old and have spent the last 18 years of my life obese. No more.

Feel free to add me if you wish - I can't motivate you, but I can try to encourage you.

Start slow. Instead of changing your eating habits and exercise habits all at once, just change a few things at a time. I've found that you stick with it longer if you go slower. Sometimes making huge, sweeping changes can be overwhelming and that's why people quit.

When you want to quit, remember why you started. Motivation will always abandon you. I've found that being stubborn helps when the motivation leaves. Don't rely on being motivated all of the time.

Surround yourself with people who have the same goals as you. I follow a ton of motivating, healthy people on Instagram who are documenting their journey. They inspire me every single day.

Get rid of the negative people in your life who tell you losing weight is impossible, or who try to sell you/tell you about the latest weight loss fads. Fads don't work. A caloric deficit is what you need. How you create that deficit is up to you. But remember that wraps, pills and shakes don't work for the long term. You have to find something that you can live with for the rest of your life.

Throw away the excuses. We're all busy. We all have families. We all have responsibilities, but we do it anyway.

You will want to quit. Don't.

Best of luck. 2018 will be your year if you put the work into it!