It’s hard
nocoffee2019
Posts: 2 Member
how did you do it? what motivated you? i find myself always wanting the stuff i can’t have, or over eating
0
Replies
-
That's why they say weight loss is simple, but not easy. Let me ask you this, why can't you have certain things? Is it possible you're being too restrictive? Are you putting foods into 'good' and 'bad'? Food is just food, the more valuable thing to learn is how to make the higher calorie stuff work. Maybe you decide that one day a week you'll eat at maintenance in order to have a treat, or you'll bank calories. Or you eat lighter during the day so the higher calorie thing fits. Maybe you find a lower calorie alternative that satisfies the want.3
-
What motivated me? I thought I was going to die. We had 2 little kids. Who would do something like that?
Fortunately, I woke up in time.
I started at 285lbs, 169 this morning. The kids have graduated college and are out in the world.
How? Persistence. And this- I took the easy road every time it came available. I didn’t try to beat myself into an eating austerity program, I just tried to operate within some reasonable limits.
I road two downward trends, 285 to about 215-220, and 215 to 184. More recently I’ve tried to get a bit lower to avoid some aches and pains. In between the down trends, I didn’t quit trying, I didn’t gain. I hated regaining. I hated losing the same weight twice.
If you can find a downward trend where you are satisfied with how you live, time can be an ally.
And there’s really nothing I can’t have. It’s just that certain things aren’t helpful. What I’ve found is that a lot of things I used to eat have lost their appeal. That includes feeling overly full.
If you are overweight and want to lose weight, you can do it. There’s no secret or special eating formula or schedule to be discovered. Just number crunching, the laws of physics and time. Struggling? Set you calories to lose .5 lbs per week and give yourself time with the calorie counting learning curve. You can adjust the numbers later if you want once you have control of the process.
7 -
thank you both! i just find myself unmotivated to do anything. even though i really really want to lose weight1
-
Just wanting it doesn't make it happen. You have to actually DO it. One day at a time, consistently, over a period of many days that will turn into weeks, months, and even years.
I don't expect to be motivated every day. I'm NOT motivated every day. I'm just doing what I need to do to be as healthy and happy as I can. As long as the good outnumbers the bad, and the unders outnumber the overs, I figure I'm all right.1 -
If it was easy everyone would do it.0
-
I wanted to wear my clothes! I also had a doctor appointment coming up. Yes it feels good to get back into those clothes I couldn't wear. You must be a little motivated, you are on here. It is hard being fat also.1
-
nocoffee2019 wrote: »thank you both! i just find myself unmotivated to do anything. even though i really really want to lose weight
Well, there’s working the weight loss process and then there’s wishing we weighed less. Only one will result in weight loss. Weight loss is a set of things to do. Only takes a couple of minutes to get started. That’s all the motivation you need.
And you really don’t have to make big sacrifices or radical changes to lose weight. Calculate a calorie deficit to lose.5 lbs per week and find some reasonable limits you can live with. Time will do the rest. Time can be an ally.
0 -
nocoffee2019 wrote: »thank you both! i just find myself unmotivated to do anything. even though i really really want to lose weight
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818701/the-myth-of-motivation-and-what-you-need-instead/p11 -
I think selecting a diet that isn't over restrictive and then trying to white knuckle it is possibly a good starting point. No foods are really "off limits" they just need to be eaten in moderation within our calorie goal. the only exception is some of us have trigger foods that we can't stop eating but this is rarely an entire "category" or "macro" but specific foods.
One can consider a smaller deficit (ex: 1lb/week vs 2) and fitting in some foods you enjoy so your still feel content with food in the day.
also no requirement to do any exercise you truly hate. exercise is beneficial but not a requirement to lose weight. but look at activities you ENJOY even if it means things like walking (which is my main exercise right now).2 -
nocoffee2019 wrote: »how did you do it? what motivated you? i find myself always wanting the stuff i can’t have, or over eating
I'm still really early in my journey (53 days in). What's motivating me are very vain reasons. I want to fit a size 8 again, I want to wear a bikini, I want family members who constantly comment on my weight gain to shut the *kitten* up (don't know if that's possible because years ago I was TOO skinny...)
What has worked thus far is I found the right mix of foods I can eat and enjoy while staying as close to MFP's calorie goal. So for me, that has meant no more rice and beans, no more fried foods (except every now/then) because they use up too many calories. However, I have all the meats, veggies and fruits I want. I also pre-log my breakfast, lunch and midday snack so I can see if I can "treat" myself for dinner. To date, I've lost 11 pounds which is a motivator in itself and makes me feel I am doing something right this time. I have tried to lose weight several times before but I was doing it the wrong way: Denying myself too many pleasures and giving up as soon as the scale either did not move or inched up.
Instead of setting an unrealistic goal of losing 45 pounds in 3 months, I'm attempting 45 pounds in 9 months. I've started working out but it's so discouraging because I feel like a fatty the entire time breathing so hard and getting tired so quickly.
Weight loss is a long journey but the payoff will be better health/lifestyle.5 -
nocoffee2019 wrote: »thank you both! i just find myself unmotivated to do anything. even though i really really want to lose weight
I really really want to be able to buy my first house. But a vague "I want" doesn't do anything for me. Motivation doesn't do anything for me. I need a plan, and information and good habits to be able to get what I want and it's the same here.
You have information; access to all the stickied threads here and a forum for questions, you have nutritional information for all the foods you buy and a database to make it easier. MFP calculates your calorie requirements, there's the basis for your plan. You just need good habits. Log your food every day. Engage with the process and it will absolutely get you what you want. This isn't a hope-and-a-prayer, "maybe this will get me what I want but maybe it won't so why bother" situation, the only failure here is a failure to actually Do The Thing. At that point not losing weight is only about deciding whether the food that will put you over your calorie goal is worth not losing weight and that's an informed decision.1 -
Sorry, title of the thread....I had to...
But on a serious note, I agree it's not easy by any stretch. I try and keep pictures of myself at my worst somewhat available so I have something to look at and know I can't go back to. Keeping progress pics seems to keep me motivated.
2
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.6K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.5K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.2K Fitness and Exercise
- 382 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.6K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.1K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 878 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.2K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions