Please help by sharing what you do to keep yourself on track

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Replies

  • ncfitbit
    ncfitbit Posts: 1,058 Member
    Love all the awesome suggestions here! I needed to read this today. I've been looking for a way to get my head back in the game after I let the pandemic and a family member's illness fool me into thinking it wasn't important to focus on myself. The result is I'm up 10 lbs. The only reason it wasn't moer than that is I'm stubborn and I refuse to buy new clothes.

    Does anyone know of a "former maintainers" group for people who need some additional accountability to get back on track?

  • ALG775
    ALG775 Posts: 246 Member
    The words that you use to describe yourself have a powerful effect on your actions. For many years I described my self as fat, lazy, slob, and incompetent. Since joining MFP last March, I have lost 77 pounds and realize that many of those negative words were said to me but they are not my true self.

    I agree- what we say about ourselves and what we think about ourselves is powerful.

  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    edited April 2021
    The tracking during weight loss phase is continuing. I've only been in maintenance this time around since last October but intend to stay there for the rest of my life and never let myself gain any significant amount again. To that end, I continue logging on MFP - calories and exercise minutes/type and water. (I prelog my food for the day to make sure I can incorporate any "treat" that I might want to allow myself that day.) Plus I weigh and log that every week, too. Really makes a difference for somebody like me to be held accountable to somebody/something because I've learned I am incapable of going it alone with no support. I occasionally look at my "before" photos, too - especially when I see my face as "too round" or my belly as "too protruding" these days (now that I'm used to my appearance again) and have to remind myself of how it was when I was REALLY too heavy!
  • ALG775
    ALG775 Posts: 246 Member
    "because I've learned I am incapable of going it alone with no support."

    I think this is key for me. I need support- whether it be MFP, my Dr, etc. And with a little help from our friends, we can do it!
  • ALG775
    ALG775 Posts: 246 Member
    MaltedTea wrote: »
    Jovial yet berating self-talk followed by committing to positive change 🤷🏾‍♀️

    :smiley:
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
    ALG775 wrote: »
    "because I've learned I am incapable of going it alone with no support."

    I think this is key for me. I need support- whether it be MFP, my Dr, etc. And with a little help from our friends, we can do it!

    This is so important, I needed help and reached out. So many people in MFP have helped me, some a little harsh but I guess I needed tough love at times!
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    @Blakey1982 That's exactly the recipe another mentor of mine has used over the years with the same great results.
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    Oh, yum, socajam, both your salmon burger sandwich and your green smoothie sound so good!!
  • dianemeredith1072
    dianemeredith1072 Posts: 6 Member
    ALG775 wrote: »

    I think the biggest challenge I have is judging myself too harshly-then I give in to all or nothing thinking and give myself permission to eat.

    I know what I have to do-but I need to work on my mindset.

    What thoughts and beliefs have helped you do what you need to do?

    Thanks for your help

    Hi @ALG775,
    First of all, you’ve done the hardest part. Reaching out!

    The affirmation I have repeated frequently at times like your’s is, 🌀“The Past is Passed.” With a deep breath in & a big exhale out, down through my arms, shaking my fingrer tips. I.E. Relaxing. & Realizing that all we can control is THIS MOMENT.

    So, that eliminates the “I’ll begin tomorrow.” “I’ll begin Monday. The 1st of the month, after my birthday, after the New Year.”

    NOW.

    But what if the motivation isn’t there.

    My next affirmation: 🌀 “Beginning is the hard part.” I learned over time it took me 3 days to get back on track. So I sometimes gave myself a no food reward if I made it 3 days. Whatever it takes.

    The other thing I did for motivation is to dig deeply into WHY you want to lose weight?
    The Method that worked for me was to ask myself 🌀“why do you want to lose weight?and answer it and then dig more deeply & ask myself why do I want that thing? and answer that and then dig even more deeply “why do I want that thing?”

    In my case it led to being as active with family members for as LONG as possible.

    Every time I got off track this 🌀 “Big Why” got me back on track because it IS more important to me than any lousy piece of excess food. Definitely.

    Keep going until you find a reason or Big Why that makes you beam, or cry, or begin tossing/giving away the processed food in the cupboard!

    I simplified mine to “HealthFirst” & I also decided to be a tortoise 🐢 not a hare 🐰. I gave myself 3 years to hit my goal. It’s truly not a race.

    Finally, grief & the emotional toll of the pandemic are challenging for all. For the pandemic, I reminded myself that excess food wouldn’t fix it. In fact, I use this one a lot! 🌀”Food won’t fix this; it will just give me TWO problems to deal with.” And then I distract myself, go for a walk, call a friend, make little art pieces, Declutter, etc.

    Which reminds me...the whole time I was dieting I hated it. I’m honestly not very good at it! 🤣 So multiple times Every Day, I told myself 🌀 “I am NEVER doing this again.” That often keeps me from going off the rails. Never again.

    The “Half Size Me” podcast is very wise. And what I’ve seen in here jibes with it.

    She breaks what we have to learn how to handle into a few groups, to be practiced in this order:
    1. Weekdays
    2. Weekends
    3. Holidays/Celebrations
    4. Vacations.

    I see many who get thrown off by the latter 3.

    I’ve figured out the first 3 (so far- over 5-1/3 years.) working on vacations if I ever get to take one again. 🤪 They still scare/intimidate me some. [She has a plan for now to figure out vacations which I plan to do.]

    Sorry for the book, but I hope something might resonate with you.

    You’ve Got This!!

    Maddie

  • dianemeredith1072
    dianemeredith1072 Posts: 6 Member
    Also love Half Size Me podcasts. I have 2.2 to go to goal. I love your two problems quote. So true. But the old adage, Nothing feels as good as thin feels remains true for me. Not scared of dr. visits, or traveling, moving in bed is easier, walking without a cane is better. Best wishes.
  • swim777
    swim777 Posts: 599 Member
    I haven’t gotten this figured out yet, but one thing that helps me is exercising early. When I worked, I got on a treadmill at home before work. One mile twenty min allowed since I had a long commute. Not enough time to think about it just get on in pjs. Now I can walk outside on our quiet road two miles. It sets the pattern of taking care of yourself before you do 100 other things.
  • fitstrongfitlove
    fitstrongfitlove Posts: 58 Member
    @alg775 your question is a deep one:

    What helps me stop judging myself?

    Acceptance. Acceptance is not easy. I push things away that are uncomfortable. This doesn't change the past or change my actions. It's done. I made those mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Every single person. I am allowed to make major mistakes too. I am also allowed to turn around from those mistakes and make better choices.

    Self-Compassion. In regard to the mistakes, whatever I was going through at the time was both/either subjectively/objectively very very difficult. It was hard for me and I did the best I could do. I treat myself with extra tenderness because to me that's the opposite of self judgement.

    None of this is easy. It's a process. Having a NARM based therapist has helped me with these goals.

    In the long run, I believe taking time to learn these skills will produce life changing results. Learning self-love will ease the arduous process of weight loss. At some point, I believe it can more or less flow. Maybe it won't ever be super easy but it can flow. You, @alg775, can move forward. We all can.