When you have to lose LOTS...

abbeyminor · January 2018

How do you stay motivated, losing just a pound or two a week, when ultimately you need to lose 50-75? And how do you convince yourself to go to the gym when it's -15 outside? And eat salad when all you want is something warm? These are real questions, I swear I'm not just lamenting

quintessential1 · January 2018

A website like this with lots of support helps. It also helps to be around like minded people in your journey.

TravisJHunt · January 2018

Well I look at it like its a marathon not a sprint so I've got time. A lb or two a week will get me there when I want to be there. Plus I've tried more extreme methods and well I'm here today again trying so it obviously didn't work. As for temperature, can't help there as I workout at home so I don't need to leave the house. There's a lot you can do just in your home. Calisthenics for example. As for salad, mix it up. Throw in something different. Try adding dried cranberry for that sweet taste.

aeloine · January 2018

Well, you don't have to go to the gym to lose weight. It's all about calories in < calories out, so just eat at a deficit.
You don't have to eat only salad - soups can be quite low calorie, nutritious, and warm!

And this last point is just to say that 50-75 can often be done in the course of a year. I'm just about to hit 50 down and have 50-75 to go. It's discouraging to look at it as a whole picture, so break it up:
1 pound a week gives you 10 pounds down by April! And that can actually be EASIER because you have such a long time line, so there's no PRESSURE to lose quickly, just consistently.
10 pounds is often a dress size.
A dress size might mean new jeans or a new dress.
Look at belt notches, pay attention to how much easier it is to climb stairs or even SLEEP.
Slow weight loss makes it EASIER in the long run, not harder, if you only change your mind set.

rach7heck · January 2018

My motivation for the gym when it is cold outside is some quiet time spent warming up in the sauna my gym has.

Additional motivation comes from a gym partner I have. We go between 4 and 5 times a week and discuss what we are working on that day and sometimes hang out afterwards. We also both log our food in MyFitnessPal and look at each others food diary. We also send each other gym/workout memes. Because laughter is important too. Talking about working out and eating healthy on a daily basis with someone helps immensely because it makes you feel like you aren't in it alone. Even if i eat something less healthy or skip the gym I still talk about it.

Are you working on building strength in addition to losing weight overall? I am and its a domino effect. Building strength helps you keep going because as the weeks go by and single pounds you are losing add up so does the pounds you are lifting. Before you know it you have lost several pounds and are lifting more pounds.

seska422 · January 2018

abbeyminor wrote: »

How do you stay motivated, losing just a pound or two a week, when ultimately you need to lose 50-75? And how do you convince yourself to go to the gym when it's -15 outside? And eat salad when all you want is something warm? These are real questions, I swear I'm not just lamenting

The time is going to pass whether you lose the weight or not. After you've lost the weight, you'll need to keep it off (hopefully forever) so does it really matter if it takes 12 or 18 months to get to maintenance? Experiment to find a comfortable way of eating at a calorie deficit and just settle in.

I'm not a gym person. I didn't exercise at all until I got close to my goal weight and now I walk. Find something you like that involves movement and that way it may be something you look forward to doing rather than feeling like a chore.

I eat the warm thing. Honestly, salad tends to have more calories (the way that I fix it, anyway) so I don't eat nearly as many salads now as I did before I got serious about weight loss. My main meal yesterday was a can of soup with a lot of veggies added. It was warm, filling, and delicious for about 400 calories.

gracegettingittogether · January 2018

I also stated out with 76 lbs to lose. I've now lost 20lbs, and I've been so cheerful and non stressed because I don't feel deprived at all. It's a huge difference from earlier efforts. The people here really helped me when I wanted to rush the process, by reminding me that previously when I wanted to rush, I would starve myself and I inevitably would binge. And I want this to last. Also, the time will pass regardless of weight loss or not. If I start something and stop because it wasn't sustainable, I'm going to regret it in several months, when I haven't made progress or even gained weight. Whereas, if I keep going at a slower rate, I'll be so glad I kept in ip in a couple months.
It's now a couple months later and I'm so glad I'm continuing to lose while feeling very motivated and not feeling deprived at all!
Trust the people here! They really know what they're talking about!

gracegettingittogether · January 2018

Also no need to eat salads in winter! You can eat whatever you want, as long as it fits your calories. You might need smaller portions, or substitute other foods to make room for whatever you want.

jojobean1316 · January 2018

I have been doing Keto, and I find is works great for me because i can sacrifice breads, but still get cheese, butter, meats and fats! Find the right plan for you. I have lost 5lbs this week!

DanerTee · January 2018

aeloine wrote: »

Well, you don't have to go to the gym to lose weight. It's all about calories in < calories out, so just eat at a deficit.
You don't have to eat only salad - soups can be quite low calorie, nutritious, and warm!

And this last point is just to say that 50-75 can often be done in the course of a year. I'm just about to hit 50 down and have 50-75 to go. It's discouraging to look at it as a whole picture, so break it up:
1 pound a week gives you 10 pounds down by April! And that can actually be EASIER because you have such a long time line, so there's no PRESSURE to lose quickly, just consistently.
10 pounds is often a dress size.
A dress size might mean new jeans or a new dress.
Look at belt notches, pay attention to how much easier it is to climb stairs or even SLEEP.
Slow weight loss makes it EASIER in the long run, not harder, if you only change your mind set.

SO incredibly well said!

aeloine · January 2018

DanerTee wrote: »

aeloine wrote: »

Well, you don't have to go to the gym to lose weight. It's all about calories in < calories out, so just eat at a deficit.
You don't have to eat only salad - soups can be quite low calorie, nutritious, and warm!

And this last point is just to say that 50-75 can often be done in the course of a year. I'm just about to hit 50 down and have 50-75 to go. It's discouraging to look at it as a whole picture, so break it up:
1 pound a week gives you 10 pounds down by April! And that can actually be EASIER because you have such a long time line, so there's no PRESSURE to lose quickly, just consistently.
10 pounds is often a dress size.
A dress size might mean new jeans or a new dress.
Look at belt notches, pay attention to how much easier it is to climb stairs or even SLEEP.
Slow weight loss makes it EASIER in the long run, not harder, if you only change your mind set.

SO incredibly well said!

Thanks!!

EvesApples · January 2018

I totally understand. Personally, I set short term goals. Like losing 8-10 pounds each month. And a reward system when I reach certain goals. For example a pedicure, or nails done or buying something for myself.
As far as salads, you can add a hot protein to eat with it or instead of salad you can do broccoli or something else warm and healthy. Try doing in home workouts, look some up on YouTube.
I’m currently trying to reach 20 pounds lost but understand that it takes time. So far I’m at 16 lost but hope to hit 20 by the end of the month. Slow and steady wins the race!

PS... You didn’t gain all the weight overnight, so don’t expect to lose it overnight!

crazykatlady820 · January 2018

I set out with 200 pounds to lose. The time's going to pass anyway, so I may as well spend it working to accomplish this goal because it is important to me. This is a lifetime lifestyle change for me, so it doesn't matter how much time it takes me to get to my goal. Of course, I'd be thrilled if I got there in 2-3 years, but even if it takes 4 or 5 or 10... I just won't stop.

cmunson1983 · January 2018

I have tried for years to reach a goal weight by working out at a gym, drinking diet shakes, eating salads...you know...the stereotypical stuff. The only thing that changed was that the next time I tried, the amount of weight I needed to lose increased. So, the last time I decided to get real about my health, I did some deep reflecting. And here's what I realized and how I decided to solve it:
1. The only kind of cardio I like is cycling, but if I have to drag myself to the gym to do it, I quit going after a month or two. So, I bought a stationary bike.
2. I can only do shakes and salads on a regular basis when it's warm outside. When it's cold outside, I crave warm things and wind up eating out (and not in a healthy way) if I don't have warm-food options on hand. So, I left the kids with the husband and went to the store and spent a LONG time reading labels, checking recipes that looked good on my phone and on here, and I found things...I'm still working on building the list of things that are low calorie, filling, and yummy. As someone else said, soups are good. I also do baked potatoes a lot.
3. If the only goal is the end goal weight, I give up. For me, my end goal weight is a long-term goal. Every goal-setting guru out there will tell you that you need to set short-term goals to help you reach that long-term goal. So I set smaller goals. I also realized that if my only motivation was the number on the scale, I either give up pretty easily when it doesn't change very fast or get lax when I get close to my goal (which leads to no weight loss, which leads to me giving up). So, my first goal was just to work out 5x's and log my food every day for 1 week. Then 2 weeks. Then a month. Then I got close enough to 200lbs that it seemed attainable to get under 200lbs. So that's my next goal, but I try to make them non-weight related. I still find myself saying things like, "If I ever get to 145lbs, I'm treating myself with a trip to the Bahamas", because deep down that doesn't feel attainable yet. But 199lbs does...and that brings me to the last thing I have learned over my years of yo-yo dieting.
4. When it comes to weight loss, I need extrinsic motivation. In literally, every other aspect of my life, just meeting the goal IS the reward, but weight loss is different for me. I haven't figured out why, but it is. So, I reward meeting my goals with something extrinsic. When I worked out 5x's a week and recorded my food everyday for a month, I bought some new workout clothes. When I hit 199lbs, I'm replacing my cheapo fitness tracker with a Fitbit Charge 2. And WHEN I hit my goal weight, I'm going to the Bahamas.

All that say. Maybe it's time to do some internal reflection. It sounds like you've already identified some hurdles in your weight loss journey, but now instead of trying to plow through them, figure out what's the best way to get you over them.

cmunson1983 · January 2018

Oh. I also do visual reminders for my goals. When my goal was to exercise 5x's a week and log my food everyday for a week, I actually made a paper that I hung on my fridge that a tab for everyday. I tore a tab off for everyday that I did it. I haven't done that in awhile, but it was good a good reminder for me in the beginning.

xAbiCatx · January 2018

It's hard, but logging your food and exercise on MFP is good motivation..Since adding a couple of friends on this app i've found it a lot easier, just having others to 'like' your progress makes you feel less alone.

"Losing weight is not a race, it's a journey" and even a half pound loss a week is progress. I have a 60lb weight loss goal and i look at it week by week, weigh in by weigh in - breaking it down into smaller weekly goals helps.

Ive found that while it's been cold outside, soup has been a god send. So many varieties, plus its quick and easy and warms you up. There are many other meals (not just salad) that you can have as long as you stay within your calorie goal

ShinyFuture · January 2018

abbeyminor wrote: »

How do you stay motivated, losing just a pound or two a week, when ultimately you need to lose 50-75? And how do you convince yourself to go to the gym when it's -15 outside? And eat salad when all you want is something warm? These are real questions, I swear I'm not just lamenting

I have 100 lbs to lose. 1 lb at a time is the only way I can do it - "1" or "5" is always my next target - I get far to overwhelmed if I keep thinking "100" - and I celebrate everything single one - I never think "only 1", it's always "Yay! Another one gone!". Too cold (hot, wet, windy) to go to the gym? I work out at home - youtube, dvds, and I have a stationary bike for when it's too whatever for going outside. I don't watch a lot of tv, but if I do I'm moving while I'm watching. Too cold for salad? There's no rule that "salad" has to mean cold lettuce - it can mean any number of hot options - I'm partial to roasted veggies (I do like mine with greens of some sort). There's tons of non-lettuce and/or hot/warm salad options.

It's simple, but not easy. I got fat keeping things easy. When I feel overwhelmed I hit the forums - the success board never fails to give me a good kick in the butt. Good luck to you.

Cheesy567 · January 2018

Make yourself a good soup instead of salad— blend some cauliflower, or squash, or zucchini, or broccoli as a base. Blend it with broth. Add veggies, meat, noodles, seasonings as you want. You’d be amazed at how filing it can be, and how low calorie it can be.

kgirlhart · January 2018

abbeyminor wrote: »

How do you stay motivated, losing just a pound or two a week, when ultimately you need to lose 50-75? And how do you convince yourself to go to the gym when it's -15 outside? And eat salad when all you want is something warm? These are real questions, I swear I'm not just lamenting

Just concentrate on the pound or two a week and not on the 50-75 pounds. Setting short term goals might be more motivating than setting a long term goal. If you want something warm, eat something warm. I mostly eat salads in the summer. I eat a lot of soup when it is cold. You don't ever have to eat salad to lose weight unless you want salad. You just have to pick foods that you like that fit your calorie goal. I have never been to the gym. I started out walking, then added yoga dvds and then started running. I do have trouble getting myself out when it is cold. You either have to just do it, or eat less. You don't have to exercise to lose weight. But it is good for your overall health to exercise and you can eat more if you exercise.

amusedmonkey · January 2018

I want to lose the weight and not regain it, so everything I do now is for that purpose. It kind of becomes more about the process than the numbers because building habits now, however long it takes, sucks less than losing 150 pounds then regaining them, in fact, it makes things easier in the long run.

I measure my success by new habits I'm able to form, or new strategies that I discover, and weight is just a byproduct. If I keep weight as my main focus I may be tempted to eat too little, over-exercise, and do things that I know are not sustainable. I don't like gyms, I don't see myself sticking to going to gym a month from now, let alone 10 years from now, so I don't go to the gym. I found other forms of activity that I'm more likely to keep up. I don't eat a salad unless I want a salad. If I want something warm there are plenty of lower calorie warm things. If I want something particular that's higher in calories, I have it, I just have to decide how much and how often it's worth it.

I think keeping your eyes on the very long term and your focus on the very short term is a good way to handle weight loss because medium term goals can feel daunting, while short term goals feel attainable, and because very long term goals are lifelong and contain many parts they don't have that same sense of rushing that can make a person impatient and they're easy to compartmentalize.

laurshortall · January 2018

Don't eat salads if you don't want them. You can literally have anything that fits into your macros and calorie count for the day, leaving you plenty of warm options. Also, homemade soup (made with unsalted meat or veggie stock) often has lower sodium than the canned variety. Butternut squash can be a good base for creamy ones.

If you want to make a big batch of soup to meal prep for the week, crockpots are the best!

grinning_chick · January 2018

abbeyminor wrote: »

And eat salad when all you want is something warm?

After Googling it, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn (as I was) that apparently warm salads are a thing now.

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=OjhdWqaXBqGWjQOqqZEg&q=warm+salads&oq=warm+salads&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l10.448.1706.0.1838.12.10.0.1.1.0.109.845.8j2.10.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.11.847.0..35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i20i264k1j0i131i67k1.0.vczE572t6uE

estherdragonbat · January 2018

I've dropped 97.8 so far, but it's been over 14 months. Basically,

1) The kick I needed that got me here was developing an obesity-related complication. One that required daily nursing visits to change a dressing on my leg and medical orders not to walk. It can't be cured, but it can be controlled. With compression stockings and weight loss. It took almost three months for the wound to heal and I did not want that to be my life from then on. My primary motivation was to do everything I could to ensure it wouldn't be.

2) I realized that I was never going to make it if I felt I could 'never' have dessert again. And that I wouldn't be happy if I was having apple sauce, while everyone around me was having apple pie a la mode. So I decided to leave some room aside for indulgences. At first, it was sitting down and asking myself, "What exactly do you need to eat to feel that you had something tasty, that was worth it, and now you can stick to lower-calorie options?" Funny thing, if I could figure it out in advance, when I wasn't staring at the pastries, I could reply along the lines of "One cookie." Or "Half a custard doughnut." And if I logged it ahead of time and saw that it could fit my day without taking me over on my calories, I found I could stick to it. A big part of it was that by recognizing that I wasn't 'breaking my diet', I got to skip the side of guilt and negativity that had always been included with the pastries.

3) I keep my homemade desserts to 200 calories per serving or fewer. That still leaves me with cookies, unfrosted cakes (I made maple-apple cake this week at 130 calories/serving), sorbets, granitas, meringues, truffles, mini muffins...

4) I try to switch out higher-calorie snacks. Popcorn instead of potato chips. Dry cereal instead of cookies. String cheese. Cold veggie dogs. I buy more fun packs and fewer bulk items. And I log before I eat. So, much less mindless eating.

5) I'm a stress eater, an emotional eater, and a boredom eater. When I started exercising, my stress levels went way down, my moods improved, and it takes up a good chunk of my time. Win-win-win.

Slow and steady. Baby steps. You've got this.

SnowDog16 · January 2018

Your in the right place. So many of us need 1 to 2 lbs a week and need to lose 50 to 100 lbs. So it is going to take sometime. Not just a month or 2 but maybe years and then to learn to eat better for life. I find logging in my food every every day! The most helpful. Even if you over eat one day or one week. Even if it was a birthday, or Christmas. I hate salad sometime too. I have been making vegetable soups in big batches. I then freeze them for lunch or add to dinner. Many are low calorie. I have used yogurt instead of sour cream with a beet soup I like. I love carrot and ginger soup. I also like to save a few calories for some popcorn in front of the TV.

cowleyl · January 2018

Losing weight is about mind games as much as anything else. Focus on non-weight loss things to feel good about yourself NOW as well as focusing on your diet and exercise. On my many dieting expeditions, all I did was focus on what I would feel like when I reached that magic number. You can feel better about yourself immediately - for example, I totally focused on my hands and made sure I gave them lots of extra attention with manicures, exciting colour combinations and such. I also focused on exercise and bargained with myself to make sure I did a certain amount. I've weaned myself off weighing many times a day, invariably followed by throwing in the towel when the scale didn't do what I expected and I weigh once a month (mostly). Sad to say, 1-2 pounds is about all most people can lose in a week but you don't have to feel bad about yourself while striving to reach your goal. I lapsed in and out of dieting mentality but my mantra was to try to minimise harm while I was 'out of it'. I lost 36 kg and put back 14 kg but I remind myself that I've lost 22 kg and I'm back into it now (along with manicured hands). It's tough but it's worth it. Good luck.

jennybearlv · January 2018

abbeyminor wrote: »

How do you stay motivated, losing just a pound or two a week, when ultimately you need to lose 50-75? And how do you convince yourself to go to the gym when it's -15 outside? And eat salad when all you want is something warm? These are real questions, I swear I'm not just lamenting

It took me years to put on the weight, so I figure it will take me years to lose it. Makes sense to me. I find it way easier to break things down into 5% mini goals. Before I knew it months had passed and I'd lost 25% of my starting weight. I'm currently working on getting to 202 because 140 is kind of a crazy far number.

I would need convincing and lots of layers to run outside when it's -15, but how that applies to working out in a gym I'm not sure.

I don't have lettuce in the garden in January and therefore am not obligated to eat salad. Soup is warm, tasty, and generally lower in calories than any salad I would be willing to eat.

rheddmobile · January 2018

Who says you should eat salad all the time? Eat what you like.

How do you stay motivated for long enough to lose that much weight? You don't. Because you are not trying to stay motivated for a period of time. Unless you want the weight to come right back and bring friends, you are not on a diet for a period of time, you are changing your life and your attitude towards food and your body, permanently.

Compared to the rest of your life, six months to a year to lose 50 lbs is nothing! You have the whole rest of your life to be healthy and strong and beautiful and happy. Start becoming more happy today. Getting healthy is a good thing, not torture. Find foods you enjoy making and eating, and eat them, in the right quantities to make you the weight you should be, with lab tests that make your doctor ask what you're doing so he can tell the rest of his patients to do it too. Find activities you love and do those, or if you can't bring yourself to love exercise, find something that challenges you in a way that makes you eager to keep going.

By the way, it's supposed to drop to 6 degrees F and then snow tonight, and you will not see me going to the gym tomorrow. I'm going to stay home and do a bunch of lower leg bodyweight stuff probably, some plyo, maybe ab roller. But I did get in my run today when it was warm, even though it was supposed to be a rest day for me. How did I motivate myself to run on my rest day? I have a 5k Saturday, and every time I run 5k my time gets a little better. That's fun enough to be worth getting out of bed for.

tmaths · January 2018

I need to lose approximately 60 lbs by december, to avoid a surgery on my ankle ( the ankle itself is a mess, and they said if I don't get in shape so ankle can support weight, then I'll be bed ridden after surgery ) If I can get in shape, then physio will take the brunt of it.

I've cancelled out exercise because of Dr's orders for now, but I have been stingent about sticking to a 1900-2000 cal plan.

If it's even a cup of tea, I track it down.

I've also discovered a love for salads.. but as someone above mentioned; you can technically have a sub a day if you want, as long as you stick within your caloric intake for the day.

I'd suggest avoiding burgers because of the grease/cholesterol, but a sub/sandwich might be right up your alley.

You have amazing people here, who will you help you every step of the way. The only reason I know I can do this, is because I already had to do it once before. The power of motivation is a force that can be near unstoppable.

MaggieGirl135 · January 2018

I love having salads for lunch and on those days when it's really cold, I heat up the protein, typically chicken, in the microwave prior to eating.

JessiBelleW · January 2018

abbeyminor wrote: »

How do you stay motivated, losing just a pound or two a week, when ultimately you need to lose 50-75? And how do you convince yourself to go to the gym when it's -15 outside? And eat salad when all you want is something warm? These are real questions, I swear I'm not just lamenting

By reminding myself that if I don’t start now by June I’ll still be 60lbs overweight, and I’ll start next year and still be overweight and unhappy with my fitness and body. Times going for pass anyway.... may as well do something as it passes.......

I make green veggie soup. Warm and still nutritious. You don’t have to eat just salad, you could eat your veggies roasted, baked, stir fried, steamed and they will be both warm and low cal!

If you can’t force yourself out to the gym, find a work out vid on youvtube and do that instead

JillianRumrill · January 2018

How do you stay motivated, losing just a pound or two a week, when ultimately you need to lose 50-75? Focus on the journey, fall in love with it, don't stress about the outcome. Yeah it would be nice if I could snap my fingers and be 80lbs thinner, but at the same time, losing it slowly has taught me a thing or two...and will continue to teach me lessons. One of them being persistence. Remember: Nothing worth having comes easy.

And how do you convince yourself to go to the gym when it's -15 outside? I don't. I learn to make due with what I have in the moment (plus my poor eyesight makes it hard for me to drive when it's dark out so I'm usually going straight from work to home). So, I run in place or do yoga, or take frequent walking breaks from my office. I get creative.

And eat salad when all you want is something warm? I don't. I drink copious amts of tea during the day at work to keep warm and have a space heater in my office so by the time lunch rolls around I'm not eating to warm up, I'm eating to fuel up, and even then I'll have something light like a granola bar or oatmeal. I save the salads for summer. I find that if I stay warm, I'm not as hungry!

When you have to lose LOTS...

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