Can't Get Back Into It

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DiabetesDaddy
DiabetesDaddy Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
At the end of last year I went to the doctor for a routine physical and my A1C came back at 8.1 my cholesterol was the highest it has ever been and my blood pressure was high as usual. My wife was going over my numbers with me in front of my seven year old daughter and she started crying uncontrollably and was worried her dad was going to die.

So I knew what I had to do, I was 306 lbs (5'6'') on 12/28 and at my follow up doctor appointment I was 254. My A1C was down to 5.8 and all my bloodwork was stellar. I check my blood pressure every morning and every evening, all great numbers.

The issue is ever since my doctor appointment and my labs I have been seriously messing up. In extreme moderation I have been eating the garbage that I LOVE and I have been putting off exercising. The last thing I want to do is let down my daughter, but damn, fries and cheese sauce are just so good.

How do you guys keep motivation up after achieving a goal?
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Replies

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,673 Member
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    DiabetesDaddy wrote: »
    At the end of last year I went to the doctor for a routine physical and my A1C came back at 8.1 my cholesterol was the highest it has ever been and my blood pressure was high as usual. My wife was going over my numbers with me in front of my seven year old daughter and she started crying uncontrollably and was worried her dad was going to die.

    So I knew what I had to do, I was 306 lbs (5'6'') on 12/28 and at my follow up doctor appointment I was 254. My A1C was down to 5.8 and all my bloodwork was stellar. I check my blood pressure every morning and every evening, all great numbers.

    The issue is ever since my doctor appointment and my labs I have been seriously messing up. In extreme moderation I have been eating the garbage that I LOVE and I have been putting off exercising. The last thing I want to do is let down my daughter, but damn, fries and cheese sauce are just so good.

    How do you guys keep motivation up after achieving a goal?

    Only you can decide that your daughter is more important than cheesy fries. Either she is, or she isn't. Every time you choose the cheesy fries knowing it's going to be a problem, you're saying that they are more important than being there for your daughter. That being said, you can get your health under control by losing weight, and you can still eat the foods you live in reasonable quantities (i.e. calorie counting).
  • DiabetesDaddy
    DiabetesDaddy Posts: 14 Member
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    sollyn23l2 - I appreciate your reply, and you are correct, and that is how I lost the initial 50 pounds. I just kept saying that nothing tastes as good as watching her graduate or get married etc.

    I just have to learn how to re-introduce foods that I enjoy into my life.

    I just noticed that it is starting to become as issue and I do not want it to get out of control. Kind of a "nip it in the bud" before it becomes a problem.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,347 Member
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    I think you need a mix of:
    - motivation: deep motivation, the reasons why you are doing this
    - concrete goals: preferably a variety of different goals, linked to your weight and blood markers, but also 'process goals' like logging everything you eat and drink, a certain number of steps per day (a gradually increasing goal, if appropriate), a certain amount of veg per day etc.

    For exercise: focus on exercise you find pleasant, don't force yourself to do exercise you don't enjoy. Find ways to make the threshold lower to start exercise: instead of aiming for an hour off the bat, start with 10 minutes; prepare your workout clothes in the evening if you want to workout early in the morning the next day; etc. If going to the gym is a mental threshold, look for ways to be active in/around the house. (It's silly, but I've actually worked out in my pyjamas occasionally at home, when even changing into workout clothes seemed too much of a hassle)

    I would also try to focus on adding things to your diet to make it healthier (extra vegetables,...) rather than focusing on eliminating foods. So have those fries and cheese, but halve the portion and add a big salad, for example. Or find slightly healthier alternatives: for example oven fries, lower fat cheese,...
  • mbbost1
    mbbost1 Posts: 3 Member
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    You already know the answer. Stop overthinking it. Do your routines like logging and put on your gym clothes and get it in. For me, the easiest time is when I'm still asleep lol. I get up early early to get the exercise in , then my steps are good for the day and I have added a calorie deficit from so much exercise. Go ahead and eat your fries with cheese. Just do a 5 mile run first...or whatever you need to do to get to match that amount of calories. Great job by the way. We all get knocked down. No one cares about getting knocked down. Everyone cares about how much you are in the fight. Get back in the fight.
  • DiabetesDaddy
    DiabetesDaddy Posts: 14 Member
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    Lietchi - I definitely have the motivation, I really think that you hit the nail on the head with the concrete goals. When I started this journey at the beginning of the year I just knew that a) I was a fat @ss and I did not want to be that way anymore b) I wanted to get my blood sugar and blood pressure under control. I guess getting those results ( as well as constant congratulations on the weight loss from co-workers and friends) made me feel like I was a "normal" person again. It made me feel like eating a whole large pizza and washing it down with a six pack was ok. I know in my brain that behavior like that will take me back over 300 in no time.

    I am going to start getting back to going to the gym EVERY morning and swimming, just set my alarm and go. Also, keep weighing in and keep the scale going in the correct direction.
  • kaferine69
    kaferine69 Posts: 104 Member
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    DiabetesDaddy wrote: »
    Lietchi - I definitely have the motivation, I really think that you hit the nail on the head with the concrete goals. When I started this journey at the beginning of the year I just knew that a) I was a fat @ss and I did not want to be that way anymore b) I wanted to get my blood sugar and blood pressure under control. I guess getting those results ( as well as constant congratulations on the weight loss from co-workers and friends) made me feel like I was a "normal" person again. It made me feel like eating a whole large pizza and washing it down with a six pack was ok. I know in my brain that behavior like that will take me back over 300 in no time.

    I am going to start getting back to going to the gym EVERY morning and swimming, just set my alarm and go. Also, keep weighing in and keep the scale going in the correct direction.

    I think it's really important to set realistic goals that you know you can achieve. Saying that you're going to go to the gym EVERY morning and going to go swimming, seems like it's a very high bar to set right now. Maybe you can compromise by setting a goal that's half as good - "I am going to go to the gym at least 3 times per week". And if you go more often, then it's just a bonus benefit.

    If you start off too strong, it's really difficult to maintain - as you're aware of since you've started going back to your bad habits.
  • DiabetesDaddy
    DiabetesDaddy Posts: 14 Member
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    kaferine69 - You are so right. I have always been pretty much all or nothing, so if I set my alarm for Monday morning and then I roll back over and go back to sleep I will just think that the entire week is shot and I will start again next Monday. Setting the goal for three days a week and anything additional just being bonus is great. I appreciate that.
  • kaferine69
    kaferine69 Posts: 104 Member
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    DiabetesDaddy wrote: »
    kaferine69 - You are so right. I have always been pretty much all or nothing, so if I set my alarm for Monday morning and then I roll back over and go back to sleep I will just think that the entire week is shot and I will start again next Monday. Setting the goal for three days a week and anything additional just being bonus is great. I appreciate that.

    I always like exercising on Tuesday - Thursday. I'm too tired on Monday from coming off of the weekend, and by Friday morning I'm just really looking forward to a rest on the weekend. So those 3 middle of the week days are my best ones, in terms of exercise!

    But, also during the weekend, I have more hours available during the day to do physical activities that are normally restricted to evening during the weekday due to work. So on Saturday or Sunday afternoons I like to get in a nice bike ride. Maybe that's something you can involve your daughter in, too!
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,693 Member
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    Consider also the example you are setting for your daughter. That works both food wise and regarding exercise. Go for walks or bike rides as a family. Go to the pool or beach together. Put music on and dance and play together. Shoot baskets or kick around a soccer ball. If you eat junk food, she will grow up thinking that that is what she should be able to eat too. If you use food as a reward, so will she. Is this what you want for her?
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    I'm sure you love your daughter more than anything. I am also sure you don't want to be overweight and unhealthy.
    It is tough.. and even tougher for others. Some of us love food more than others and some of us tie happiness to eating comfort foods.
    You simply have to find your way.. what will work for you. Maybe finding lower calorie ways to make your favorite treats and eat them only once a week or every other week.. and eat on your plan the rest of the time. Figure out what will work for you. it takes time but you can do it...
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    I tell myself that I'm going swimming every day. My underlying goal is not to miss two days in a row. When I really don't want to go, I have to ask myself why. One thing I heard and firmly believe is that the quality of my workout is not affected at all by my motivation to do it. There are so many times when I really don't want to go, but I go and end up having a great workout. I telling yourself that you'll go every day works for you, try it. But there's no starting only on Mondays. Tomorrow goes by all kinds of names.
  • edersuzanne5
    edersuzanne5 Posts: 1 Member
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    Just keep plugging at it and refuse to quit.
    You’re worth it!
  • LALA5295
    LALA5295 Posts: 1 Member
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    I really hope that I’m not out of line but your weight is really high and that suggests that you have an overall unhealthy relationship with food.

    This could be a mental thing rather than a physical (putting food down). You seem to have an emotional attachment to food which is something you need to work through.

    The types of foods you pick are addictive so you’re also fighting an addiction. I suggest you work with someone professionally to understand why you use food for comfort.

    I’m a student psychologist and food addiction is a real problem in our modern world and it needs to be addressed like any other addiction.

    This is beyond putting the fork down and more about understanding why we are picking it up so often.

    Food is for energy and fuel rather than a recreational activity so we need to separate that and look at food differently.

    I truly apologise if I offended you or make you feel bad. I’m not the most diplomatic person and I lack social skills. I hope you could understand what I’m trying to convey to you. I wish you health and happiness.
  • DiabetesDaddy
    DiabetesDaddy Posts: 14 Member
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    elisa123gal - Thank you for your kind words. The thing that makes me crazy is that I dropped the first 50 lbs with no issue at all. It didn't take a ton of will power, I just knew what I had to do so I did it. The thing was I had the "Finish Line" of my doctor appointment last month. I guess subconsciously I told myself that if I had good numbers at that appointment everything was going to be ok. I just have to get serious again. Luckily I haven't put any additional weight on, I just haven't lost any.


    girlwithcurls2 - That's a great piece of advice. Just try to not miss two days in a row, and it doesn't matter how you feel about the exercise, the results are the same. I have gotten up every morning this week and swam 45 minutes. It's my favorite kind of cardio. I started on the treadmill and that just sucks.

    edersuzanne5- B)

    LALA5295 - I appreciate your comments, but it doesn't take a psychologist (student or otherwise) to figure out I have a problem with food.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,933 Member
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    Do you self the favour of forgetting all or nothing, on point or spending days, weeks, inevitably at some point years trying to get back to it.

    You don't have to exercise and take the time to get to a pool dress undress to do hard cardio in order to move more by carrying your daughter on a piggy back ride around the block.

    You don't have to give up the occasional burger. Just throw in a couple of lbs of cauliflower and broccoli and carrots, or two of three apples down the hatch first band see how much room for burgers you have after that! Some yes but you might even walk out of mcd with one sandwich and a glass of water or coke zero like i do now instead of two sandwiches, super sized fries and super sized regular pop like I did till 2014 or so.

    Stop mourning the unsustainable destructive lifestyle you have to modify, look at it dispationately and pick big rewards for small pain one by one to make changes.

    Freebie: my first big wins on MFP logging was eliminating most dressings and meah, it's not the end of the world if I give this up or switch to something different, condiment calories. And pop calories. Then slowly coming to the comprehension of portion size and that family sized bags are for families not a single person.

    Lack of regain is one of the biggest wins don't belittle it

    You don't have to be perfect to improve..

    You can have anything you want
    Just not in unlimited quantities and all of the time

    Treats were treats because they weren't an everyday thing.

    Everyday things should be staples else the treats are the staples!🤔

    You CAN eat the garbage you love in moderation but it's a very hard path to win with

    Keep some loves ditch some and replace with something filling and satiating. Rince and repeat!
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Yeah. What @Pav8888 said.

    I wrote out a long answer and then fumble-fingered my phone and lost it. I come back to try again and see an answer better stated than I did.

  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,346 Member
    edited June 13
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    DiabetesDaddy wrote: »
    It truthfully means a lot for everyone that has taken the time to reply and offer advice.

    That's good.

    Willpower is nearly useless to accomplish most goals in life, explicitly it sucks at health and weight.

    Create some small manageable structures. Be coach-able. Cling to supporters with a life or death grip (Sounds like it is that for you right now.) Never stop telling your story, here, with supporters, with your friends. Some people might fall away, others (like some of the hardheads here) will be with you all the way, riding all the ups and downs, and still be here. Show up.

    I'll see you tomorrow @DiabetesDaddy

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