I can never stick to it, how do you?!
Replies
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I am not much help because I am right there with you, but feel free to add me and maybe we can get us both to get our butts up and do this! I have been in this spot for years now, wanting it but never being able to get the motivation. I recently gave birth to my second child 5 months ago so I took a break for that haha but I am wanting to loose this weight I have from now my two pregnancies and just me being plain lazy for the last few years.1
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I struggle with the same thing! There are a few things that help me to get motivated:
1) I make short term goals for myself. I set a deadline (maybe before a party or trip somewhere) for a specific amount of weight I'd like to lose by that time.
2) I look at pictures of myself when I was feeling content with my weight and my body. I also gain inspiration from others' success stories and pics. It helps me focus on my goals without feeling as if it's unattainable.
3) When tempted with food that will push me over my calorie deficit, I cut the amount of the "extra" food that I want in half and still log the calories.
5) I give myself "breaks". I sometimes go thru periods of time, usually after I lose a lot of weight consistently and somewhat quickly (weight loss makes your body produce more ghrelin, the hormone that makes you hungry), I will become ravenous. If so, I will take a "break" with the mindset of it only being temporary.
4) I try not to beat myself up about it if I fall off of the wagon for a little but instead still consciously think about the foods that I am consuming. It helps me not to completely forget that I have goals that I'd like to complete.
I also find that as I start to lose weight and the scale goes down and my clothes start to get looser, It motivates me to keep going. Nothing is more motivating than seeing progress!
These things may not work for you, but I find that they really help me. I fell off the wagon for about 6 weeks after losing 24 lbs and gained 3 lbs. But I am back on now and the extreme hunger has subsided and I feel as if it is "doable" for me again. I have set a small goal for myself and am determined to do the best that I can between now and then.
Good luck to you! You can do it!1 -
One of the things that has really helped me is the Ilvermorny challenge (new term starting next week): Check here for more info: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10764371/harry-potter-fans-geeks-nerds-looking-for-a-fun-magical-challenge-join-ilvermorny-term-11/p1
I've met some fantastic, supportive, creative, brilliant friends here. I don't participate competitively (but that's an option if it helps you), but it's the people and story that keep me coming back; they inspire me to want to do better. Another part of this challenge that I love is that it encourages total wellness so there's challenges for nutrition, cardio, strength training, and flexibility, but also mental health and emotional well-being. I also like that even though there's a foundation in the Harry Potter universe, the story is completely new and it doesn't emphasize the Harry Potter story; to me, it makes it fully accessible to anyone who enjoys fantasy, even if you're not a huge Harry Potter fan (i.e., my least favorite part of the Hogwarts challenge was the trivia about the books that I felt had no value other than checking my google skills).0 -
I want it more than anything, to lose weight, be happy and confident in my skin.. But laziness, unmotivated, procrastination, self pity always takes over with the stresses of life. I can mentally think all this, but physically I cant stick to it. Mind is not over matter in my case and I need it to be.
How did you flick that switch?! What changed you, what made it *LIGHTBULB* in yourself.
"Ill start Monday" is no more... But thats my point, I mean it when I say it in my head but on Monday my hands steer the car home after work, not to the gym, and they grab the chips out of the cupboard, not the carrots.
On the upside, I have managed to up my water consumption consistantly, so I am capable of changing habits. But eating healthily, and gyming are my downfalls. I have taken on swimming, which I actually enjoy, I plan to go once a week and gym the rest of my excercise days.
I know the answer to all of this is "Just do it" and thats what I should do, but what is the answer when that doesnt work?
There's a part of it that's just execution; being a responsible adult, practicing self-care. This doesn't happen overnight, it comes from building habits, removing obstacles, iteratively refining your plan and your process to make it better. Any time you "fail"/"fall off the wagon" don't just hit reset and start over, figure out what threw you off your plan in the first place.
It sounds like OP's struggles are similar to many users; the right/healthy/intended choice isn't the one of least resistance. Remove obstacles that make that choice easier or make the easy choice harder.
Personal obstacles I've identified and how I manage around them
- Trips to the vending machines at work - stop carrying cash/small bills
- Unhealthy choice for lunch - plan and pack a lunch instead of going out (also saves money)
- skipping afternoon workouts - switch to mornings, get to bed on time, lay out clothes, put your alarm across the room, whatever it takes.
- not logging 100% - turn it into science -> it's not just something I do, it's data collection and data integrity is important to me, since I'm a weird data nerd.
- running out of calories by the end of the day - pre-logging is awesome and helps me plan what I'll be eating ahead of time. If I'm eating out, I'll look up the menu and pick something when I'm not hungry that fits my calories/goals, and log it. It's not 100% but I do better than I do if I'm hungry and staring at a menu
- skipping workouts I don't like - do something else. exercise for the sake of exercise calories is a miserable way to spend one's time. find something you enjoy and make it a hobby.4 -
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I want it more than anything, to lose weight, be happy and confident in my skin.. But laziness, unmotivated, procrastination, self pity always takes over with the stresses of life. I can mentally think all this, but physically I cant stick to it. Mind is not over matter in my case and I need it to be.
How did you flick that switch?! What changed you, what made it *LIGHTBULB* in yourself.
"Ill start Monday" is no more... But thats my point, I mean it when I say it in my head but on Monday my hands steer the car home after work, not to the gym, and they grab the chips out of the cupboard, not the carrots.
On the upside, I have managed to up my water consumption consistantly, so I am capable of changing habits. But eating healthily, and gyming are my downfalls. I have taken on swimming, which I actually enjoy, I plan to go once a week and gym the rest of my excercise days.
I know the answer to all of this is "Just do it" and thats what I should do, but what is the answer when that doesnt work?
In my opinion, you have to want it more than you want anything else. If you don't go into this with your whole self, your whole WANT, then you're going to let things slide, because it's hard. There's days it is going to be so bloody annoying and hard and you're tempted and stressed... so you have to REALLY WANT it. You want that ice cream MORE than you want to lose weight, or you would say no to the ice cream. You want to comfort yourself with food more than you want to feel the satisfaction of seeing the low number on the scale or fitting into the size small. You want immediate gratification rather than the slow process of changing habits.
For me, I can easily turn down anything when I'm in this kind of mind set. I can overcome any hurdle, because I want weight loss more than I want any food. I won't make excuses. You can have excuses, or you can have results, but you can't have both.
This comes with the caveat that you have to make sure your goals are realistic and attainable. If you have 100 lbs to lose, it would be impossible to lose at 2 lbs per week indefinitely until you reach your goal. That may derail you. So instead, you might break it into more sustainable goals, like: I will lose the first 40 lbs at 2 lbs per week, then I'll take a 2 week break and eat at maintenance, then lose the next 30 lbs at 1.5 lbs per week, then 2 weeks at maintenance, then the last bit at .5 to 1 lbs per week. This is just an example, but the main point is that you have to adjust your goals as you go along, because losing 2 lbs per week until you're at your optimum weight is NOT an achievable goal. Plan to eat at maintenance calories at Christmas or other special holidays. If you plan for it, you will make sure it works within the overall goals.
Do what you can to help yourself reach your goal. Don't beat yourself up. Weigh yourself under the same conditions at all times (not at various times in the day when variables make it hard to really compare). Try to move more. Set smart goals. You can do it.1 -
Just take it one day at a time. Repetition and consistency can lead to motivation once you start seeing results and feeling differently physically. You'll get there, unfortunately it doesn't happen over night. Im a little over 3 months in and still have my moments but accountability comes into play and I remember why I started this journey - to be healthier and feel better physically
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Someone once told me: "if you have a broken leg, you'll need some leg support / cast and a crutch until your bones are healed". So I need my own special "crutch" and that's MFP and all those supporting members. Take it day by day, meal by meal and trust the good advise you can get on this site.2
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Planning something significant in the future is my motivating factor. I have a trip planned for next fall and need to be down at least 50 lbs by then which is pretty doable. (My blood sugar was crazy as well which also helped with motivation)0
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Such helpful responses here!0
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I want it more than anything, to lose weight, be happy and confident in my skin.. But laziness, unmotivated, procrastination, self pity always takes over with the stresses of life. I can mentally think all this, but physically I cant stick to it. Mind is not over matter in my case and I need it to be.
How did you flick that switch?! What changed you, what made it *LIGHTBULB* in yourself.
"Ill start Monday" is no more... But thats my point, I mean it when I say it in my head but on Monday my hands steer the car home after work, not to the gym, and they grab the chips out of the cupboard, not the carrots.
On the upside, I have managed to up my water consumption consistantly, so I am capable of changing habits. But eating healthily, and gyming are my downfalls. I have taken on swimming, which I actually enjoy, I plan to go once a week and gym the rest of my excercise days.
I know the answer to all of this is "Just do it" and thats what I should do, but what is the answer when that doesnt work?
There's a part of it that's just execution; being a responsible adult, practicing self-care. This doesn't happen overnight, it comes from building habits, removing obstacles, iteratively refining your plan and your process to make it better. Any time you "fail"/"fall off the wagon" don't just hit reset and start over, figure out what threw you off your plan in the first place.
It sounds like OP's struggles are similar to many users; the right/healthy/intended choice isn't the one of least resistance. Remove obstacles that make that choice easier or make the easy choice harder.
Personal obstacles I've identified and how I manage around them
- Trips to the vending machines at work - stop carrying cash/small bills
- Unhealthy choice for lunch - plan and pack a lunch instead of going out (also saves money)
- skipping afternoon workouts - switch to mornings, get to bed on time, lay out clothes, put your alarm across the room, whatever it takes.
- not logging 100% - turn it into science -> it's not just something I do, it's data collection and data integrity is important to me, since I'm a weird data nerd.
- running out of calories by the end of the day - pre-logging is awesome and helps me plan what I'll be eating ahead of time. If I'm eating out, I'll look up the menu and pick something when I'm not hungry that fits my calories/goals, and log it. It's not 100% but I do better than I do if I'm hungry and staring at a menu
- skipping workouts I don't like - do something else. exercise for the sake of exercise calories is a miserable way to spend one's time. find something you enjoy and make it a hobby.
The bolded cannot be understated. In evaluating the difference between the successful and unsuccessful execution is one of the key qualities. When questioned nearly everyone has some idea of what to do, but the majority over analyze and wait until perfection rather than execute and progress.
Seek progress, not perfection is a nice summary. Do what you can but ensure everyday you are executing in a positive manner.1 -
It is not easy. Most (if not all!) of us have started MANY times.
For me it is a matter of building habits. And also for me, logging my food and being a bit OCD about it helps. It also helps to have outside motivators. I recently signed up at Healthy Wage: where I committed $15 per month for 7 months that I will lose 15 pounds. (Which is roughly an average of .5 pounds per week, which is a reasonable # for me at the present.) When I meet my goal I'll get back my $105 and an additional $12 or so. Its not a big 'win' - because my weight loss goal is small and my bet amount is pretty much their minimum. But I do NOT want to lose the money I have committed, and the $15/mo is something I cannot cancel. Plus the 7 month time period will carry me thru the holidays and into the spring.0 -
Oh - and being OK with telling friends, family no. I am still pretty new to being 'back at it' and I will allow myself the option to eat at maintenance here & there. But not just yet. Last week there was an impromptu office lunch at a local Asian restaurant. I said no thanks. There is no way I can know the calories consumed and am too early in to allow myself the room to estimate.0
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The main thing for me I guess was finding a range of healthy snack staples for between meals that I buy every day and they are within my calorie goals. I like the snacks and it gives me several snacks to focus on that I can look forward to throughout the day and feel no guilt over.
I started off very addicted to sugar too so when I started I would buy a very small 30gm halabro snack to eat too. I’ve long cut it out now but wouldn’t hesitate to bring it back if I felt I needed it.
I went completely cold turkey on all soda even diet soda and chocolate. I am a sort of all or nothing binge eater and realised I couldn’t ration even a small amount. Besides I need the calories to fill up on better foods.0 -
I have finally come to the understanding and acceptance that it “takes time”. Focus on one day at a time, and while it isn’t going to happen as fast as I want; it will if I keep sticking with it. Even if it’s 2lbs a month in a year or so I’ll be where I want. It’s better than just giving up and continuing to be unhappy and unhealthy. If you have a bad day it’s ok - just try to restart the next day. I understand as it’s taken a few years of me being 30lbs over weight to finally stick with it and do what only I can do to make it change. You’ve got this!0
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I have finally come to the understanding and acceptance that it “takes time”. Focus on one day at a time, and while it isn’t going to happen as fast as I want; it will if I keep sticking with it. Even if it’s 2lbs a month in a year or so I’ll be where I want. It’s better than just giving up and continuing to be unhappy and unhealthy. If you have a bad day it’s ok - just try to restart the next day. I understand as it’s taken a few years of me being 30lbs over weight to finally stick with it and do what only I can do to make it change. You’ve got this!
I'd go one step further and say start again immediately. Just because you partook in one too many pastries at an unplanned morning tea is no reason to write the rest of the day off and compound the 'damage'. Log it and adjust the rest of your day accordingly by maybe tweeking the rest of your meals for the day downward slightly so you stay on track or perhaps skip one meal/snack if you can.
Or a better plan I think is to just accept that life happens and trying to be perfect every day is a fools errand so going over your 'planned' calorie target for 1 meal or even 1 day every now and then isn't 'bad', it's just normal and in the grand scheme of things one offs like that are utterly insignificant.2
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