Trying to get back, motivation how?
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solska
Posts: 348 Member
Happy new year everyone,
Between fall of 2016 and spring of 2017 this forum helped me as I lost around 40 pounds, starting at 216+pounds. With some ups and downs, this summer I was in the low 170s at a time. Then since November, as I tried to get back at it, thinking I need to eat all that I will miss when I wasn't on, I got up to 190+ now. So now need to get back to it, get back to where I was, lose the 15ish I'd lost and put back on a couple of times over and then continue towards my goal of 139.9. Any suggestions on how to get back and find the same motivation as if for the first time are welcome.
The greatest culprit for me was too much work -- this won't change anytime soon -- and not finding time for sleep or self care or exercise, and food prep-- this diet requires food prep. Yet, I feel so so much better when I'm keto, in every way. I have to do this to be healthy but also to feel good. I've soft started today. I also have a sinus cold now so not feeling great. But I did start. Hoping not to completely fall off the wagon now. Please add me if you wish to share your wisdom, experience, or if you are trying to stay on track.
Between fall of 2016 and spring of 2017 this forum helped me as I lost around 40 pounds, starting at 216+pounds. With some ups and downs, this summer I was in the low 170s at a time. Then since November, as I tried to get back at it, thinking I need to eat all that I will miss when I wasn't on, I got up to 190+ now. So now need to get back to it, get back to where I was, lose the 15ish I'd lost and put back on a couple of times over and then continue towards my goal of 139.9. Any suggestions on how to get back and find the same motivation as if for the first time are welcome.
The greatest culprit for me was too much work -- this won't change anytime soon -- and not finding time for sleep or self care or exercise, and food prep-- this diet requires food prep. Yet, I feel so so much better when I'm keto, in every way. I have to do this to be healthy but also to feel good. I've soft started today. I also have a sinus cold now so not feeling great. But I did start. Hoping not to completely fall off the wagon now. Please add me if you wish to share your wisdom, experience, or if you are trying to stay on track.
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Replies
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Happy New Year to you, too, and welcome back!
You've already taken several important steps in terms of getting back; logging in, posting, starting back to low carb eating, and asking for help - good for you! I'm not sure what 'soft started' means; but, any step back to a healthier way of eating is a plus.
While I think there are some common factors which motivate people to eat healthy and lose weight, there are many different potentially motivating factors. What's important is to figure out what YOUR key motivating factors are at THIS time. You mention how much better you feel on keto - this is an important motivator, which many others share including me. Have you ever sat down and reflected on the various ways you feel better on keto and put it on paper? Would having something you wrote about how keto makes you feel better be helpful as a reference and motivation tool when you are struggling?
In addition to how I feel on keto, other motivating factors for me include improvements in my health, the ability to wear cuter clothes, and not having any larger clothes to wear if I gain weight because I got rid of them.
In terms of food prep - There are lots of ways to approach keto. Food prep can be very helpful and I do this but I have the time. But, keto doesn't have to involve a lot of special, time consuming recipes. Today, I was busy and simply grabbed some pepperoni, string cheese, and Romaine lettuce for lunch. It was yummy, filling, and only 1 carb. I would argue that planning ahead in terms of what you are going to eat (pre-logging helps me - I use it as a guide rather than a carved in stone meal plan) and having keto friendly foods on hand are more important than extensive food prep.
Good luck - you've done this before so you know you can do it! Hopefully, your cold will be gone in a couple of days and you'll feel better not just physically but also about your ability to stay the keto course.5 -
For times when I simply can't food prep, I have a few standby options I tend to go for.
Eating out - any place with decent salads or burgers (subway, wendy's, five guys, etc) or any place that offers breakfast (ihop, waffle house, etc), clearly eating out is more pricey, but in a pinch I can find somewhere quick to grab a meal.
Grab & go places like Wawa or Sheetz almost always have some kind of meat/cheese option in their cold case like pepperoni/cheddar or cheese sticks or hard boiled eggs.
Deli - lunchmeats at a decent deli can also be a lifesaver, I particularly like to hit Giant for a pound of their pepper turkey or their shrimp salad, but any place you can buy sliced meats or already mixed tuna/chicken/shrimp salad by the pound are great, and many of them now offer pre-portioned options in half pound packaging for the truly in a hurry to just grab.
Scrambled eggs - nothing is easier for me as a hot go-to lunch than scrambled eggs with cheese (or ham or whatever else is laying around and easy)...I can bring a couple dozen eggs to work at the beginning of the week and a pack of my favorite cheese and have a hot lunch all week...it does take a few minutes to make scrambled eggs in the microwave since it's lots of short cooking times with stirring the eggs, repeat...however, it's worth it if you want a quick hot meal that can be made at work and I keep plastic forks and big paper bowls in my cube, so cleanup is also a breeze.
I also keep peanut butter, beef sticks, and nuts in my cube so I can grab easy snacks if I get held up and can't get away to lunch.6 -
There are times when life has just been too much. And I don't take as good care of myself as I know I need to. It happens. And it's not helpful to pretend it doesn't. But, when I realize it's happening, I start small. Small, meaningful steps are more manageable for me and lead to a "OH! I got this!!" moment.
So my suggestion to you, is start small. one more cup of water a day, one less starch a day, park one space farther daily. when I do that kind of thing, I find them adding up and soon, I find myself saying "I'm back"
Give yourself the grace you deserve. You're worth it.9 -
Thank you @bametels . Your post really encourages me on this day when I'm more ill and don't crave but keep thinking that some carbs might make me feel better. I'll return to read your post whenever I need to find motivation.Happy New Year to you, too, and welcome back!
You've already taken several important steps in terms of getting back; logging in, posting, starting back to low carb eating, and asking for help - good for you! I'm not sure what 'soft started' means; but, any step back to a healthier way of eating is a plus.
While I think there are some common factors which motivate people to eat healthy and lose weight, there are many different potentially motivating factors. What's important is to figure out what YOUR key motivating factors are at THIS time. You mention how much better you feel on keto - this is an important motivator, which many others share including me. Have you ever sat down and reflected on the various ways you feel better on keto and put it on paper? Would having something you wrote about how keto makes you feel better be helpful as a reference and motivation tool when you are struggling?
In addition to how I feel on keto, other motivating factors for me include improvements in my health, the ability to wear cuter clothes, and not having any larger clothes to wear if I gain weight because I got rid of them.
In terms of food prep - There are lots of ways to approach keto. Food prep can be very helpful and I do this but I have the time. But, keto doesn't have to involve a lot of special, time consuming recipes. Today, I was busy and simply grabbed some pepperoni, string cheese, and Romaine lettuce for lunch. It was yummy, filling, and only 1 carb. I would argue that planning ahead in terms of what you are going to eat (pre-logging helps me - I use it as a guide rather than a carved in stone meal plan) and having keto friendly foods on hand are more important than extensive food prep.
Good luck - you've done this before so you know you can do it! Hopefully, your cold will be gone in a couple of days and you'll feel better not just physically but also about your ability to stay the keto course.
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Thank you @tcunbeliever . This is really useful. I find it very hard to eat out and will often have to or I will eat a ton of nuts which is not helpful. These are good reminders for easy prep with not much time, I hate to get into this moment of where will i eat where can i eat and spend the time and that decision making takes so much energy.tcunbeliever wrote: »For times when I simply can't food prep, I have a few standby options I tend to go for.
Eating out - any place with decent salads or burgers (subway, wendy's, five guys, etc) or any place that offers breakfast (ihop, waffle house, etc), clearly eating out is more pricey, but in a pinch I can find somewhere quick to grab a meal.
Grab & go places like Wawa or Sheetz almost always have some kind of meat/cheese option in their cold case like pepperoni/cheddar or cheese sticks or hard boiled eggs.
Deli - lunchmeats at a decent deli can also be a lifesaver, I particularly like to hit Giant for a pound of their pepper turkey or their shrimp salad, but any place you can buy sliced meats or already mixed tuna/chicken/shrimp salad by the pound are great, and many of them now offer pre-portioned options in half pound packaging for the truly in a hurry to just grab.
Scrambled eggs - nothing is easier for me as a hot go-to lunch than scrambled eggs with cheese (or ham or whatever else is laying around and easy)...I can bring a couple dozen eggs to work at the beginning of the week and a pack of my favorite cheese and have a hot lunch all week...it does take a few minutes to make scrambled eggs in the microwave since it's lots of short cooking times with stirring the eggs, repeat...however, it's worth it if you want a quick hot meal that can be made at work and I keep plastic forks and big paper bowls in my cube, so cleanup is also a breeze.
I also keep peanut butter, beef sticks, and nuts in my cube so I can grab easy snacks if I get held up and can't get away to lunch.
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@mmultanen thank you, i needed these words so much today. i'm overwhelmed with work and health stuff, i need to recognize the power of the little steps in making space for self care.There are times when life has just been too much. And I don't take as good care of myself as I know I need to. It happens. And it's not helpful to pretend it doesn't. But, when I realize it's happening, I start small. Small, meaningful steps are more manageable for me and lead to a "OH! I got this!!" moment.
So my suggestion to you, is start small. one more cup of water a day, one less starch a day, park one space farther daily. when I do that kind of thing, I find them adding up and soon, I find myself saying "I'm back"
Give yourself the grace you deserve. You're worth it.
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Thank you @bametels . Your post really encourages me on this day when I'm more ill and don't crave but keep thinking that some carbs might make me feel better. I'll return to read your post whenever I need to find motivation.
I'm sorry you've sicker; hopefully, you'll turn the corner soon. I'm glad my post is helpful, and thanks for letting me know.
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Never forget that you are worth every effort it takes to keep yourself in the game too! We do so many things for others! We go out of our way to help and do special things for them, but we are just as deserving! Remembering that can help sometimes! I know it has helped me!
I hope you feel better soon!5 -
You need to break up with food. You give it too much power over you. You are the boss. You choose what you want to eat. Don’t let garbage cravings rule you.
The fact you went on an eating spree as a final send off demonstrates a big emotional connection to food. Recognize and address that first then work on changing the emotional aspect to one of pride in every good choice you make. Don’t let any poor choices take away from the times you are killing it though. When you mess up, you owe it to yourself to beat your previous record of consistently good choices. Don’t make it a “punish” or “reward” system. Make it a “I am doing awesome taking care of myself” or “I can do better” system.
You can do better and you will. Sometimes will be better than others but every good decision is one to be proud of.
Change your value system regarding food. Teach yourself to value healthy food and regard unhealthy food as not worthy of investing.
You can do it. You have to decide it’s so.10 -
thank you all. still very ill. seems the cold was really a flu that's dragging. ended up having to eat out at a restaurant and the bread served with my soup was too yummy and good looking. well. but still on, i won't let one night off the wagon turn into a month totally off the rails again.0
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thank you @mmultanen this should be the way to think. it does suck though to lose progress made. i don't wanna dwell on it too much but really want to make this the attitude so one night of indulgence doesn't become a month and fifteen pounds.1
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I totally, completely, 100% understand. While in the process of losing my initial 30 lbs eating low carb I had a couple of evening binges that made me feel really bad about myself. I worked to remind myself that hey, *kitten* does in fact happen and the only thing you can do is say ok. Well, I don't want this particular *kitten* to happen again so let's get started and get back at it. Acknowledging those moments helped me move on from them.
AND I STILL HAVE THOSE MOMENTS. I found myself eating my youngests half eaten tortilla last night as we cleaned up dinner. W.T.F So I brushed my teeth, got my La Croix in hand, and made myself go up stairs to monitor homework, bug the teenager, fold laundry DO ANYTHING BUT STAND IN THE KITCHEN WHERE CLEARLY I HAD NO SELF CONTROL. It's hard to adjust an attitude in a moment like that. Good for you for doing that work!!
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@mmultanen, I want to be you when I grow up. I need to take better care of myself and be kinder to myself. I have a tendency to be a perfectionist and that lends itself to an all-or-nothing mentality with me.
I lost 30 pounds pretty easily 09/16-12/16 and then maintained for a year eating lowish carb. 12/17 started working out. Didn't lose more pounds but lost a size (gotta love heavy lifting!). Got a promotion, work stress, insomnia, health scare with my mom...made me take a gym break for the month of September which lasted until...two days ago.
So now I'm back, back to keto, back to the gym. Thank goodness I didn't gain anything back (and I'm actually happy I was able to maintain a loss for 2 years without really tracking or trying hard). I have a goal of losing 2 pant sizes - which I'm hoping to achieve in 6 months - and then will reassess.
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LOL awwww thanks @Cadori I should also share that I had to physically restrain myself from the peanutbutter last night. If the littles are hungry at bedtime they can have PB as a snack and I WANTED IT IN MY FACE NOW. so I had to peace out and bug the teenager lest I tackle the 8 year old for his spoon full of crunchy peanutbutter. >_<
I put on about 10 lbs from about April-Dec this year because of exactly the reasons you state above. I forgot to take care of myself when family drama, work stress etc loomed large. I forgot that If I'm not in a good space, I'm no good to anyone else. It happens to the best of us!2 -
MOTIVIATION Comes from within, no one else can give it to you. So if you have not done so. Write down on real paper with a pen. What are your reasons for losing weight. So those are the pros. Write down what are the cons. Then which tells a more convincing story to you. And why you will do it. In other words you MUST DECIDE TO LOSE THE WEIGHT. No matter what happens, get sick, birthday, holiday and so on.
If you know things get crazy busy at work in certain months then you need to in advance make plans of how you are going to prep for it. So when you go shopping, consider buying foods that area already prepped, there are quite a few snacks you can do this with.
Me Sunday is grocery and prep day. That means I prep all my snacks for the next 7 days. So there is a dip with cream cheese I make and portion it out ahead of time. I literally will make my own fat bombs on Sundays and those too I have in little containers. Meat same thing, veges same. If I am having any fruit at all same thing. That way before work it is literally done and I just gather and out the door. This helps me, I set myself up for success.
I do not let myself set me up for failure.
Remember if you go somewhere where they normally serve a piece of warm bread with soup. Just tell them when you order you do not want the bread. That way the temptation is never there.
You can do this, but it takes planning and commitment. And motivation comes from within when we decide to make it happen.3 -
Whenever I see someone wanting motivation, I refer back to this post.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818701/the-myth-of-motivation-and-what-you-need-instead/p1
There is another post out there somewhere I wish I could find and if anyone knows where it is please tell me. The post was about why LCHF often doesn't work as well the second time around. One of the reasons was that we know too much after being successful the first time. Our first time involves very basic eating of meats, especially fatty meats, perhaps salads, and really limiting all carbs. However, while doing LCHF we learned all about almond flour, fat bombs, coconut oil, flax seed, and the like. So, the second time around we start out our LCHF WOE with all the tricks of the trade instead of doing just the simple, unprocessed, basic foods. I'd love to find that post again.5 -
PamamaJane wrote: »Whenever I see someone wanting motivation, I refer back to this post.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818701/the-myth-of-motivation-and-what-you-need-instead/p1
There is another post out there somewhere I wish I could find and if anyone knows where it is please tell me. The post was about why LCHF often doesn't work as well the second time around. One of the reasons was that we know too much after being successful the first time. Our first time involves very basic eating of meats, especially fatty meats, perhaps salads, and really limiting all carbs. However, while doing LCHF we learned all about almond flour, fat bombs, coconut oil, flax seed, and the like. So, the second time around we start out our LCHF WOE with all the tricks of the trade instead of doing just the simple, unprocessed, basic foods. I'd love to find that post again.
I’ve been thinking about this quiet a bit and I think it’s true at least to a degree. I could definitely eat much less fat head, much less cheese, nut butters etc.
Though without all of that I wouldn’t have been able to get keto, being that I don’t track, those good things are easy to have too much of.
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I've never really used the quick low carb foods, or the substitutes like fathead but I can easily find myself falling into the convenience of cured meats, cheeses, olives etc. When I'm focused on making the scale move those may be good "low carb" type foods but they do not help me with my larger goals and sometimes have slowed down the scale for me.
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I appreciate those things for they help me adapt quickly without feeling deprived. And I immediately feel so so much better. I really think I get ill e.g. the common cold etc.. only when I'm not keto. I also feel much less tired and so on. But I guess they are really easy to overeat, cause they are dense and even if one is full it really isn't too hard to have some more cheese or nuts. I think I really lose when what I eat is made up of a greater percentage of vegetables, plenty of olive oil, butter in my coffee etc.. and some to little animal protein.1
