lack of motivation

I have been keeping food diary for 2 1/2 weeks and starting to realize that I overeat quite a lot and noticed that it is fairly often the cause for me not having so much energy and feeling rubbish. I feel 100% on the days my diet is healthy and within my calorie allowance. I am aiming to keep my calorie allowance below 2000 kcal as it goes well over 2600 most days. I only have so called healthy day once a week and rest of the week I spend overeating and having binges. I am so fed up of this but can't get myself motivated to change or do anything about it... And this scares me cause I don't want to end up like my parents being morbidly obese by the age of 35 and have diabetes along with hypertension.

Also because I am so self conscious of what I eat, I started nagging my husband that he needs to eat more as it frustrates me that he is so skinny and doesn't eat much when I have an issue of overeating.

Anyone out there have similar experience or have any tips/suggestions of what I could do.

Thank you.

Replies

  • ATLMel
    ATLMel Posts: 392 Member
    Harden the F up and do it.

    Harsh, but true. No one can make you put down your fork. No one can make you swap that candy bar for an apple. You have to do it. Take healthy habits and add them in each week.

    Try something like this: One week, focus on adding 3 servings of veggies a day. Next week, make it 5. Week after, cut out sodas/juices an add in 30 min a day of walking. Week after, overhaul your breakfast.

    Little things are sustainable and make a big difference. But, no one can do it for you. Not being diabetic and obese should be motivation enough (in addition to feeling much much better all the time!).
  • riadastfu
    riadastfu Posts: 69
    Seriously, only YOU can motivate yourself. You have to want it bad enough that you'll do what you need to in order to change.

    A support group/forum can only do so much. Willpower is yours alone.

    SO I suggest you have mini goals. Like... for ONE day you'll try to eat within your calorie count. Then do it again, and again, and again. One day at a time, hell, one meal at a time.
  • bethhyg
    bethhyg Posts: 209
    Keep logging all of your food. This will give you a good idea of how many calories you eat a day. What I did was I took a typical day of mine before I started MFP and figured out how many calories I ate. It blew my mind. I was eating between 3500-4000 calories a day. At that rate I would have been gaining a pound every 4 days or so. For my height on 5'5 I am to eat 1800 calories a day just to maintain my weight. No wonder I was gaining. I knew I needed to do something about it. I am now eating 1500 calories a day and I am consistently losing 1 pound a week. If you eat within your calories and exercise. You WILL lose weight. Best of luck to you.
  • bjfrezell
    bjfrezell Posts: 241
    Keep eating healthy until it becomes a habit. It takes 2-3 weeks of doing something consistently to develop a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it's not so hard.

    As for your husband (or anyone else), everyone has to run their own race. He has to want to be healthy. Nagging won't make him want it. You can only lead by example.
  • 1nsanity
    1nsanity Posts: 95 Member
    Keep eating healthy until it becomes a habit. It takes 2-3 weeks of doing something consistently to develop a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it's not so hard.

    As for your husband (or anyone else), everyone has to run their own race. He has to want to be healthy. Nagging won't make him want it. You can only lead by example.

    her husband is healthy, she nags him to eat more so she doesnt feel as bad.

    Like ATLMel said, you just gotta step up and do it yourself. lack of motivation? you listed quite a few things that should be motivation. dont wannt look like your parents? dont eat like them. dont want to feel sluggish? eat healthily. embrace the days you eat well and have energy. remember that feeling the next time you reach for junk food!

    i know the feeling of "being fed up but cant help it". losing weight is a lifestyle change. these words are harsh but reality is harsh. use what you have as motivation, you cant just magically get it. you have it, just arent using it. its an uphill battle were all fighting, but having the right mindset is the first start. go to teh Success Stories forums and read some threads... that will be you someday! you CAN lose weight, you have the ability and the want to do it! just gotta get in the right mindset.
  • juleskirpu87
    juleskirpu87 Posts: 4 Member
    thanks folks for ur replies. i guess i do have motivation but sticking to things and staying motivated has always been an issue for me. I am certainly gonna try cutting down my calories slowly and perhaps have more patientce and not reach out for something to eat every time I feel stressed out...

    thank you. x
  • Jezebel9
    Jezebel9 Posts: 396 Member
    If you can replace eating bad food with any healthy thing consistently, it can work. If you are stressed and reaching fr a twinkie, have a mantra, like- stress= ex(ercise). So go for a walk instead of eating. Sit down and write in your journal about what is stressing you. Form a plan to deal with it. Write a list of all the reasons why you are not going to eat to deal with stress. When you feel like you are going to eat to deal with stress, read the list. Read it every day on a regular basis, and add to it, and reach for the list instead of food. If you fall, get back up again.
  • JenniCH
    JenniCH Posts: 74
    You have to want it badly enough... it's as simple and as complex as that. No one can GIVE you motivation... you have to truly want to live a better, healthier lifestyle. Either you'll find the motivation and make the changes necessary or you won't. It's 100% up to you.
  • I know what you mean, it has taken me a long time to finally get serious about losing weight, what I like to focus on is how much more positive and happy I feel when I am consistently working out and eating healthy. Overeating may feel good for a few minutes but it ultimately just leads to you feeling down and not your best, which leads to more overeating. break the cycle!