I don’t know if I can do this whole weight loss
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I don't know what approach you're taking but if it's a struggle then perhaps you're trying a method that isn't right for you.
There's no rule that says weight loss needs to be hard work or a punishment. There's loads of different paths to calorie deficit so if the one you're using is onerous then try something different.
Perhaps:
- change what you're eating. If you've made drastic changes to the food you're eating and you don't really enjoy that food then go back to what you were eating before and eat less of it to create a deficit. Leave 'healthy' eating and macro tracking for when you're feeling stronger and eat 'bad' food at levels that are within your goal.
- Change why you're eating. Check in and notice why you're eating when you do. Are you only eating breakfast because "breakfast is the most important meal of the day"? Are you only eating lunch because it's lunch time/break? If you don't feel like a meal and skipping it doesn't cause you to overindulge later then go for it and only eat when you feel hungry.
- Change when you're eating. Related to why your eating try seeing if an eating pattern outside of the '3 squares a day' suits you better. Try One big meal a day, try 15 little meals a day, try a few IF patterns, try tracking your calories weekly so you can have 'good days' and 'bad days' that all even out to give you a deficit.
The point being there are loads of techniques and methods that you can use. Try them, use what works. If you get sick of or bored with one method the do something different. Take the path of least resistance!
G'luck6 -
Weightloss takes a long time, but weight maintenance takes forever. You will have to eat and move every day for the rest of your life anyway, so why not do it in a way that is conductive to health? To lose weight, you just have to eat a little less and maybe move a little more, but consistently. So it's simple, but not necessarily easy. To figure out how much to eat, and how much to move, is simple, a stupid calculator can do that. To actually not eat too much, and move more, can be a little more challenging, because you have to do it consistently and forever, so this is where you have to put in your effort. Your job is to eat less and move more AND find ways to make it as easy/fun as possible, because it is of no use if you just do it for a short while, and you can't do it forever if you feel like you're suffering. And finally, even the most optimally personalized regimen will still require some occasional use of discipline. But no suffering.
So whenever people talk about how hard it is to lose weight, I ask myself if they're doing unnecessary things, or have unrealistic expectations. So I'm going to ask you too: are you doing unnecessary things? How do you expect losing weight to be?4 -
I saw a poster one time that says
Being overweight is hard
Exercise is hard
Pick your hard.
For me no brainer. If you are tired of quitting, stop giving up.8 -
Losing weight is really a lifelong commitment. Approaching it from that angle, and remembering why you're doing this in the 1st place, should help.
Think of it as a trade-off. Ok, you don't have enough calories in your day for that brownie, so not eating it contributes to your health, weight loss, and overall wellbeing.4 -
Don't put all of your eggs in the weight loss basket. There are other things that are just as, if not more important.
It's taken me about 5 months to lose 6 of my 8 Lbs of winter weight...so a long slow grind. Meanwhile I've gotten back into my cycling groove and my lifting groove and have regained the fitness I lost over a busy winter of buying a house, selling a house, moving into a house, and making that house a home.5 -
Think of the long term...10, 20, 30 years down the road. Just take of your body- eat well and keeping moving and you'll prevent a lot of health complications down the road. The scale can be misleading and discouraging sometimes, that's when you'll have trust the process.0
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evangarciakarlo wrote: »PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »If you think it's taking a long time now, imagine how long it'll take if you quit.
Take your time, for however much time it takes.
Thank you. I have been logging accurately just the scale does not show justice.
Your profile shows that you joined a week ago - perhaps it's your expectations that need to be adjusted.
Take some Before pictures and measurements now and revisit them 6 months from now.11 -
Typical healthy weight loss means 0-2 pounds a week. I currently have 160-ish i want to lose. That’ll take me at least a year, 5-6 months. If I dwell on that, I’ll likely give up. If I focus on 8-10 ish pounds a month, then it’s not as scary. I lost 120 before in about a year, then another 20 of skin removal. Then life happened and I gained it back over the last few years. It’s all about what you focus on.2
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evangarciakarlo wrote: »I’m slowly losing commitment, I have two choices 1) put the hard work in & believe it’s going to pay off 2) just give up pretty much. Any encouragement will help. It’s taking longer than expected!
Don't do the whole weight loss. Don't do it. Maybe do a few pounds. Next month, maybe do a few more.4 -
You gotta stay in the day and don't forget about the motivating losses (big or small) that will occur motivating you along the way.2
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Here are a few ideas.
- set weekly goals unrelated to weight. I suggest behavioural goals.
- Find an accountability partner. It sure helps me if I have to report to someone!
- Get some ideas for behavioural goals from Duhigg’s book.
I use an app called Habit Bull to set goals and track my progress towards them.
In addition to maintaining my weight (it was losing weight), I have fitness goals like improving my VO2 Max and being able to do certain yoga poses and being able to hit weight lifting goals. OH! And spend more time on the surf board than falling off it the next time out.
Give your self something else to focus on that is health related (and not—I also have a goal to read every day). For me, the fitness goals give me motivation to maintain my macros and my MFP calorie goal. I see myself get closer and I realize how I’m treating myself by not overeating (or underrating) makes a difference and it helps me stay the course.
I also have a goal for not beating myself up the days I do indulge—I’m only human, after all.
And the highly structured and organized person I am LOVES checking off those little circles each day.1 -
I have been skinny most of my life. I’m losing weight because I’ve gotten fat from being sick. I’m losing weight because I can’t do the whole fat thing. It’s no way for me to live.2
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evangarciakarlo wrote: »I have been skinny most of my life. I’m losing weight because I’ve gotten fat from being sick. I’m losing weight because I can’t do the whole fat thing. It’s no way for me to live.
Lucky you for being skinny, I wish I was skinny now I have to work hard to have one, I always been big, hopefully small body one day!!!
It wasn’t luck. I’ve always looked after myself. The only times I’ve gotten fat were from pregnancies and a recent sickness. My health has always been my priority and I’ve always consciously chosen a goal of a healthy weight.
I have a chronic disease and I still choose to lose this weight I’ve gained. I choose a good life and good health. We all have to work for it10 -
Believe you can or believe you can't either way your probably right4
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Set realistic goals, ones that you can meet shorter term. For example if you have to lose 100+ lbs consider that your overall goal but it will take a fair bit of time to reach that goal (took me 2yrs to lose 130lbs). Set weekly or monthly goals like, I will be 4lbs down in 4 weeks, I will walk 60 miles in the next month. This way you will see the benefits of what you are doing sooner and will help keep you motivated.
Its tough but you need to be persistent and focused and you will achieve your goals.0 -
evangarciakarlo wrote: »Weight loss can be a very black & white approach
I see your point here. Associate the group of things you understand to be part of your weight loss with one of those colors. Stay there. See? It's really as simple as you want it to be.0 -
Losing weight is not a race, so as long as you are making steady progress, don't worry about how long it's taking you. You need to build sustainable healthier eating habits that will last you far into the future. Getting there as fast as possible, especially if you are depriving yourself unrealistically, only sets you up for failure on down the road.1
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evangarciakarlo wrote: »
Lucky you for being skinny, I wish I was skinny now I have to work hard to have one, I always been big, hopefully small body one day!!!
This comment here, and the one about the scale not showing "justice" shows one huge part of OP's issue. He thinks healthy people are that way by luck and he has somehow been wronged by the universe because he's fat. Until he breaks out of this way of thinking, nothing is going to change for him.
Evan, you made the dietary and exercise choices that got you fat, and now, if you want to change your body, you have to change the choices you make. Period.6 -
You can't make a lifetime of future choices in one decision. Just make the next one. You just make each decision as it comes. Make most of them correctly. Miss one once in awhile. It'll happen. Move to the next one.
Just about all of life is like that - not just food choices. Make each small decision yourself and own it - good or bad. Learn along the way.2
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