Need Help & Tips for staying on track

kaillasue
kaillasue Posts: 10 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am trying to lose about 40-50 lbs. I perpare all my meals for the week and eat tons of water and veggie staying in a 1000-1200 calories diet. I feel like the minute Thursday hits it becomes very hard for me to not fall back to old habits ( drinking/going out to eat, ect.) Anyone have any tips for me? I'm not seeing any results and i'm pretty sure this has a big part to do with it. I think once i start seeing results i will have a easier time staying on track but right now i struggle. Any tips anyone has for starting a weight loss journey will be great

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    When you don't eat enough, it's really, really hard to stay on plan. Choose a reasonable calorie goal and it will be much easier to stick to your plan.
  • brneydgrlie
    brneydgrlie Posts: 464 Member
    This is exactly what I told someone asking the same question in another thread today - don't go only by what the scale says. Take your body measurements. It will save you a lot of frustration.

    Also, don't eliminate all the fat from your diet. Many people go overboard with this when they start a diet and then give up because they are hungry all the time. Healthy fats are a good thing, the body does need it to function, and it helps you feel satisfied. So go ahead and use the olive oil and eat avocado.

    And, as far as being hungry... sometimes we confuse feelings of hunger with being thirsty. If you think you are hungry, and it's not a regular mealtime yet, try drinking a glass of water before grabbing a snack. Then, if you still need a snack, have it and don't feel guilty about it.

    Furthermore, I agree with the person above. Try to eat at least 1200 calories a day, or maybe even more depending on your size and activity level. Less than that is not sustainable in the long term. And if you want the weight to stay off, it's going to have to be a long-term lifestyle change. If you can't go out with your friends and live a fairly normal life with your new eating style, then you are probably not going to be able to stick with it.

    Keep in mind that weight loss almost always takes longer than you expect it to. Try not to get discouraged. That's actually a good thing. Slower loss means you are not losing muscle mass.
  • Millicent3015
    Millicent3015 Posts: 374 Member
    Apparently it takes three weeks to break a habit, so if you can spend a few Thursdays kicking back, having those lovely meals you've made yourself, having a couple of non alcoholic cocktails, maybe indulging in a nice bubble bath or pampering session, you might start to break the mindset that has you associating Thursdays with going out, until you're at a stage where that urge has lessened or dissipated completely.

    You might not be seeing results just yet, but if you're consistently eating at a calorie deficit you will. There might be small changes to your body that you haven't yet noticed, if 'results' to you means a number on a scale, or a significant loss. But loss is loss, whether it's an ounce, a pound, or a kilo. Have you factored in water retention, ovulation and menstruation? They can cause fluctuations and mask weight loss. Keep plugging away and you'll see results.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    kaillasue wrote: »
    I am trying to lose about 40-50 lbs. I perpare all my meals for the week and eat tons of water and veggie staying in a 1000-1200 calories diet. I feel like the minute Thursday hits it becomes very hard for me to not fall back to old habits ( drinking/going out to eat, ect.) Anyone have any tips for me? I'm not seeing any results and i'm pretty sure this has a big part to do with it. I think once i start seeing results i will have a easier time staying on track but right now i struggle. Any tips anyone has for starting a weight loss journey will be great

    If your calorie goal was more reasonable you might find it easier
  • cspicer1954
    cspicer1954 Posts: 6 Member
    I have found adding more protein I seem not to snack as much
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    edited August 2018
    kaillasue wrote: »
    I am trying to lose about 40-50 lbs. I perpare all my meals for the week and eat tons of water and veggie staying in a 1000-1200 calories diet. I feel like the minute Thursday hits it becomes very hard for me to not fall back to old habits ( drinking/going out to eat, ect.) Anyone have any tips for me? I'm not seeing any results and i'm pretty sure this has a big part to do with it. I think once i start seeing results i will have a easier time staying on track but right now i struggle. Any tips anyone has for starting a weight loss journey will be great

    You're eating too little in the beginning of the week and then understandably losing control and eating too much for the remainder. It's a vicious cycle that's not going to do you any good.

    With 40-50 lbs to lose, you should be set to lose @ 1lb per week. You should also be logging your exercise and eating back at least some of those calories. So many people try to white-knuckle it through fast weight loss, crash and burn, gain it all back and continue to yo-yo until they give up.

    Check out these threads when you get a chance:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10503681/exercise-calories-do-i-eat-these-a-video-explanation/p1

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1

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