Trying to get started and stick to it!

KFit_77 · May 2022

Any advice for someone trying to lose 80 lbs? I'm always ready to give up before I even give myself a chance. How to get motivated and stick to it? Does it get easier? When does it get easier? HELP!

ambercockayne · May 2022

I’m in the same boat! Need to lose 60lbs and it’s hard for me to stick to anything. Especially when I notice that the progress is slower than I wanted.

Lietchi · May 2022

As someone who has lost 75lbs, my advice is:

You're in it for the long haul, both losing the weight and subsequently keeping it off. Stay away from the temptation to 'go hard and get it over with'.

Motivation is overrated, you need to build new habits and that's something that is usually better done gradually.
So start by logging your food as you are used to eating. See how you can tweak that to stay within your calorie goal: cutting down on condiments, switching to sugar free soda, finding lower calorie alternatives for foods you like but are perhaps too calorie dense to fit in your goal, etc. Experiment to see what works for you.

Don't choose an overly aggressive weight loss rate. Better to lose a lb a week over 80 weeks and then keep it off, than to lose 2lbs a week for 3 months and then give up because you're hungry and then gain back the weight you lost when you 'go back to normal'. Slower weight loss allows you to be less hungry and gives you more opportunity to tweak your diet to build new habits.

Don't choose a punitive exercise regime. If you want to be more active, choose an activity you like. And build up to it gradually, so that you don't burn yourself out.

You don't need to suffer to lose weight. You don't need to be perfect either. You need consistency (habits) and flexibilty (to find what works for you).

Another good tool is a weight trending app like Libra or Happy Scale. So many people give up prematurely because of unrealistic expectations. The scale will do strange things, sometimes for weeks on end. Fluctuations are normal, weight loss is not linear. So look at your weigh-ins as data points, try not to get too emotionally invested in day to day scale results and look at the long term trend.

Honestly, my weight loss was pretty easy, so much easier than I ever thought possible. I wish I had discovered MFP 20 years ago, when I first started gaining weight. But better late than never! If I can do it, you can too.

AnnPT77 · May 2022

It gets easier if you focus on finding methods that are easier (for you personally) rather than focusing on finding methods that make it happen fast.

Set yourself up on MFP for a slow loss rate, not the maximum.

Figure out how to tweak your eating to reach your calorie goal, feel full, and get adequate nutrition, while eating foods you enjoy eating and find affordable/practical to eat. Unless you enjoy the eating style involved, ignore the tricksy, trendy, restrictive, rules-bound named "diets". More about that "remodel your eating" concept here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

Move more, in daily life and (if you can make time comfortably) exercise, focusing on doing things that you actually enjoy doing, rather than seeking out the most extreme calorie-burning exercise ever invented and exhausting yourself doing it. Create a "bias toward movement" in your daily life, in manageable, convenient ways. Ideas about that here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

Motivation is fleeting. When you have some, use it to experiment, find some doable change in routine that moves things in a positive direction, and use the motivation/willpower to continue it long enough that it becomes long-term habit, can continue almost on autopilot after that phase-in. I don't know if any of these specifically apply to you, but I'm talking about things like "log food every day - good, bad or ugly", "gradually drink flavored sparkling water or diet soda instead of sugared soda", "order the junior cheeseburger instead of the quarter-pounder", "eat some fruit or veggie at every meal", "snack on popcorn instead of chips", etc.

Just keep going. Don't set some impossible date-driven goal. If you must have goals, make them process goals, not destination goals. (Example: "Log food every day" is a process goal - you can 100% control it. "Lose 50 pounds by Christmas" is a destination goal - it might happen, but it might not (even if you "do everything right".)) Weight management is not a project with an end date, it's a lifelong endeavor, at least for those of us with a tendency toward overweight.

The point of all this is to reach a healthy weight, maybe be more fit, using strategies that are enjoyable (or at least tolerable), so we can continue them long term to stay healthy. Misery is optional. Guilt is optional (and feels icky). The majority of your days will determine the majority of your outcomes: Go for mostly good days, progress not perfection.

This can work. I didn't lose 80 pounds, it was only around 50, obese to a healthy weight, in a bit under a year; I've been at a healthy weight for 6+ years since.

Personalization of tactics, experimentation, learning, problem-solving, patience and persistence are key, IMO. Motivation and willpower are over-rated (and not the best tools in my personal toolbox, besides). Speedy loss can be literally counter-productive.

You can do this. Think of the goal, and the process, differently. That would be my advice.

rosebarnalice · May 2022

Baby steps :-)
I have set myself up for failure when I tried to change EVERYTHING all at once--as in: "NO sugar! No alcohol! No eating after 7 p.m.! NEVER exceed 1200 calories! Drink two glasses of water before you take a bite of anything!!" Then I eat half a cookie after 7:00 p.m. brining me to 1250 calories for that day, and I'm a bit fat failure.

Instead, look for ONE change you can commit to this week--and do it for a week. Then when you've had that success, pick something else for the next week. Maybe build yourself a target calendar something like this:

Week 1: Log honestly. Try to weight and measure everything, and estimate fairly as possible when measuring isn't possible. Just becoming more aware about the what, when, why, wheres of eating patterns can be an illuminating experience that can inform the next steps.
Week 2: Commit to cutting 50 - 100 calories per day. That first week of logging honestly can highlight some possibilities: Changing salad dressings? Skipping the cheese on a sandwich? Getting the small instead of the large fry? Making the daily cappufrappelattechino a "skinny" with stevia instead of sugar? Don't make it too restrictive at first--but look for "easy wins" that will build confidence that will lead to success!

[*] Week 3: Add some activity. Where can a few more steps or movement come from? 2-minute dance party while brushing teeth? Parking farther from the door at work and grocery? Using that rest room farthest away from your workspace? 10 minutes of yoga stretching before bed or first thing in the morning while still in jammies? The point isn't to become an olympic contender--it's just to make a conscious effort to move more
[*] Week 4: Tackle one bad habit. Maybe it's the drive-thru habit. Maybe it's not enough vegetables. Maybe it's the late night snacking. Make a commitment to do better on that one thing. Buy some blueberries or no-butter popcorn for the late night snack; figure out a way to add a green vegetable to one meal per day, prep a few meals to take away the excuse to hit the drive-thru.
[*] Week 5: Find a way to cut another 100 - 200 calories per day or add another 100 calories of activity. With 4 weeks of successes, and some of those habits starting to stick, try some recipe swap-outs to lighten up Gramma's famous lasagna or find a way to add 5,000 steps to your day.
[*] Week 6: Set the MFP weight loss goal for 1 lb per week try to stick to that calorie goal every day for a week. . Then another week. Then another week. . . . .

Of course, your weekly targets could look vastly different. But the whole point is to set yourself up for success--which will lead to feeling successful, which will hopefully lead to a cycle of bigger and bigger successes!

KFit_77 · May 2022

Thank you so much everyone!! Great advice!!!! I will admit that my problem is ALWAYS trying to make too many drastic changes all at once and giving up when it’s too hard to stick to. Feeling “guilty” for eating processed food - or not “going hard” on a workout. Right now I think my best bet is just to get out and walk. I love going for walks! I went grocery shopping tonight and have lots of options for the week. Didn’t go crazy - got what I enjoy eating and will be mindful of how much i’m eating. Logging will begin tomorrow. Thanks again for taking the time for such detailed replies - such a huge help you guys are!!! 🤗

SNAILTURBO2GO · May 2022

Aside from those great things above, remember:
1. When you get off track, its only ONE good choice to get back on track, forgive yourself and get back to it. Its ok to have a slice of pizza or some chips, just dont binge on them. Eat one portion, then a half a portion, then maybe a better option as time goes on.
2. Sticking with this long term only takes ONE good decision at a time. Just one at a time. Keep it that simple.
3. Pick a better option before putting things into your mouth. Overtime it builds.
4. Dont eat stuff you hate jsut because its healthy, we arent 5 anymore lol. Find things you love that are healthier options. Its not about being perfect or doing things a certain way, just one thing at a time.
5. Where to start... one at a time. And plan meals. Grocery shop for whole foods. Buy a fun meal prep container to use.
6. MOST important, just start moving that body! 10 mins per day. walk for 10 mins on lunch or after dinner, then both, then more. I saw someone here was saying dont get wild on working out... honestly that is the truth! You just need to move a bit more, then more and gradually pick up the commitment. you dont want to get hurt or burnt out. Think about how you would teach someone to play a musical instrument... if you try to play a whole song they give up. But if you teach them silly notes and build on that they might pick it up.
7. Do what works for YOU.

KFit_77 · May 2022

SNAILTURBO2GO wrote: »

Aside from those great things above, remember:
1. When you get off track, its only ONE good choice to get back on track, forgive yourself and get back to it. Its ok to have a slice of pizza or some chips, just dont binge on them. Eat one portion, then a half a portion, then maybe a better option as time goes on.
2. Sticking with this long term only takes ONE good decision at a time. Just one at a time. Keep it that simple.
3. Pick a better option before putting things into your mouth. Overtime it builds.
4. Dont eat stuff you hate jsut because its healthy, we arent 5 anymore lol. Find things you love that are healthier options. Its not about being perfect or doing things a certain way, just one thing at a time.
5. Where to start... one at a time. And plan meals. Grocery shop for whole foods. Buy a fun meal prep container to use.
6. MOST important, just start moving that body! 10 mins per day. walk for 10 mins on lunch or after dinner, then both, then more. I saw someone here was saying dont get wild on working out... honestly that is the truth! You just need to move a bit more, then more and gradually pick up the commitment. you dont want to get hurt or burnt out. Think about how you would teach someone to play a musical instrument... if you try to play a whole song they give up. But if you teach them silly notes and build on that they might pick it up.
7. Do what works for YOU.

Haha love this! Thank you so much!! I went for a walk on my lunch break today - 45 mins and burned 382 calories! (Maybe overestimate by FitBit, but idc!) And I enjoyed it! 🤗

guil0095 · May 2022

The first day is the hardest, it gets easier after that

Johnk942 · May 2022

You got some excellent replies! My thoughts are simple. Supportive friends here really make a difference on the days that you get discouraged. It has been a deal changer for me.

Trying to get started and stick to it!

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