Can't STAY motivated

Hi all!

I'm 5'1", 129, and trying to lose about 15 lbs. I always follow the SAME weight loss patterns....

I start out really great... losing 3-5 lbs in the first week, then another pound or so in the second week, and then i just LOSE my motivation and go right back to my old ways. It starts out small, with a taste of cookie here and there, and before i know it, im back to eating big meals and not counting cals!

How do you all stay on track? Any advice?

If you are losing 3-5 lbs the first week, you are going at it with too much.  You are either exercising too much, not eating enough, or both.  You are setting yourself up for failure because you are doing something you can't possibly continue doing.  

Start small.  Figure out your BMR and subtract 500 calories from that.  Do that for a while, then start exercising.  Make sure you recalculate your BMR so you are eating enough calories when you are exercising.  

You don't have to cut out all sweets.  That would just be impossible, besides who wants to live like that?  It's okay to have something sweet once in a while, even every day as long as you include it in your daily allowance.   Then just make sure all your other choices are healthy choices.  

You really can't look at this as a diet, but as a way of changing the way you live your life.  Good luck. 

it is so hard to stay motivated.

I try and start small. and if i fall of track I try and start small. By that I mean i tell myself instead of doing nothing I'm just going to do 20 minutes of cardio and thats all. (it is less daunting than the idea of working out for 2 hours!) So i do that and gradually I'll increase the cardio time, over time, and start doing weights, but its gradual so that I don't feel overwhelmed. once i'm in a routine I try and get a motivational buddy. it used to be a best friend but she moved, so I have gotten my bf to start working out. seeing him work out motivates me and we both try to encourage each other.

these boards can be motivational as well if u don't have anyone close by who can be a workout buddy.

good luck.

I agree start out small. I never had any motivation within the first month of eating healthy or working out so at the beginning of this year i made very small changes. I started off by saying no more full fat milk just skim. After a month or so (and this is just me personally mind you i dont suggest cutting things out you cant live without) i said no more butter or spread i can live without it on my toast and i could. Next i introduced water into my daily life, i only used to drink diet coke ever so i made myself a large bottle of water and just tried when i remembered to drink that instead of diet coke. Trust me small changes like these over time start to make a difference without seeming like you are drastically changing your lifestyle. Within about 4 months i realised i had lost 10 pounds without even trying. That is when i decided to step it up a little and introduce exercise. I got a dog and i had to start walking everyday at first for 30 mins then gradually over time more and more. I then found this site and learnt about calories which i never knew before. I started to write down what i was eating so i would know what i could change and i what i really couldn't. I never deprive myself ever. If i want chocolate i will eat it etc i just count it into my daily calorie allowance. I don't think i could of ever personally got down from a bmi of 29 to a bmi of 20 (over 50 pounds lost) unless i had started out small and took my time. Its taken me from January to get here and i don't feel like i have changed my lifestyle too fast. because it has been over a while everything starts to become second nature to me now. But its you that really has to have just a little bit of motivation to really want to change. Its realising if you slip up not to give up just keep on going you are going to get there eventually.

eh keep it up. The first steo is swknowledging you want to lose weight. Then the inital 100+ times you will fail or possibly gain while trying to lose. Then one day you will do well, the next, and then the next. Eventually you'll become adjusted to a new lifestyle. It's just the initial changes that can suck. Before you know it you'll be where you need to be though, so don't cha worry :). Just don't set a deadline for the weight loss, keep an open mind and stick to your long term goals.

G'Luck to ya!

I agree, start out small. Don't even be that determined when you start off. Just make small changes in your life that'll affect you overtime.

I just took it one step at a time, it took me 5 years to drop 40+ lbs but i did it safe and it was a good slow progress and I know I won't have any yoyo effects.