Im pathetic

I am a 225lb 5'3" mess.  I try and try over and over again and again to lose weight and wind up giving up.  I am well aware of the basics.  I know that weight loss gain and management are all a science of even better simply math.  I know what I should eat I know what not to eat I know how to devise a good workout plan yet I just wont do it. I live a very unstructured life style i am lazy and I just hate it.  My new years resolution was to become a better person spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Well I can honestly say things have remained the same simply because I am lazy.  I do the bare necessities. Getup go to work come home and sit on the computer till bed time.  My worst issue is my terrible fast food eating habits.  Everyday I tell my self I will start a better healthy living and then somewhere I fail.  At times when I am working towards a healthy lifestyle I get easily discouraged after 2-3 weeks because I see know change.  Now I am not the one to warranty change with a scale. My choice is the tape measure and I never  see a reduction.  Does any one have any motivating techniques or words that has assisted the in thier weight loss.  I would love to lose 5-7 lbs per month and reach my goal weight of 150 by the end of the year.

My favorite quote is: "Just do it and motivation will come."

You don't need motivation to start something. You just need stubbornness to finish it. And that can come later. For now, start.

I suggest taking it in very small steps. Forget waking up and suddenly being a saint. Pick ONE thing that you are going to do tomorrow that is a step in the direction you want to go. Pick a positive thing, not a negative thing. For example, you want to say "Tomorrow, at least one of my meals will be half vegetables with a piece of fruit on the side", NOT "I won't eat fast food tomorrow".

OR, "I will go for a walk tomorrow... doesn't matter where or how long, just as long as I get out of the house," but NOT "I won't go on the computer so much tomorrow."

Find something that you can do that is large enough to be an accomplishment, but small enough that you have no excuse not to do. The goal is to add in 1 small thing every few days until you have a good number of "healthy" things you are doing each day. Hopefully it can also get you motivated to go above and beyond whatever tasks you set for yourself.

And one last thing: stop weighing and measuring for a while.

I can honestly say my biggest motivation was losing 7 lbs (decreasing the 4000 mg of sodium in one day) in a week.  After that, I was hooked.  I drank at least 10 bottles of water, gave up caffine, and tried really hard to wake up 1 hour early to do the chores I always put off.

I was eating at BK and MCDee's.  I thought I was doing really well by eating salads with 'grilled chicken"...the chicken has more than 700 mg of sodium and the little pack of dressing "lite" has 500....all I was doing was packing on water weight...and giving my self high blood pressure.

 Now, I cheat...but, I check before I do...We actually went out for dinner at outback...I had 1/2 the steak I use to eat all of, order shrimp in stead of lobster to go with it, and had a sweet potato with no extras....a salad with no dressing ( a little honey mustard on the side that I actually ate 3 bites of....cheater)....anyway...

 I have lost 19.5 lbs in 5 1/2 weeks....with a 3 day trip to New Orleans....and yes, I drank beer and ate things that no one ever should....

 By the way, YOU CAN DO THIS.......tomorrow is another day, but TODAY is a good start.....I know you can.....chin up...

I forgot to say that I am exceptionally odd...i check the scales everyday, but limit adding to the weigh chart until Sundays....

 

You've got mail :)

I'm some what in the same position as you. I know enough -good medical background and have for the past few months actually started knowing what foods are good or not since I've been the one mainly putting in the work on CC so that my husband could lose weight (a recent diagnosis of Diabetes).  He has been loosing 1 to 2 lbs a week and feels he can do this  till he eventually loses over 100 lbs, and hopefully never have to worry about diabetes complications being a likely outcome for him.

 

So why have I not loss weight too( I'm the equivalent as him for my height) ?  I said I would start after Christmas. So on Jan 1  I started logging my food.  I got rebellious- I HATE being regimented.  The log was full of unhealthy stuff, and I found my self buying too much with weird justifications-this is the last cookie, last cake ,etc. (and they were not!). I did not gain weight (amazingly enough- probably shows how much of that kind of thing I do regularly that over the years had me gain weight), but it was clear it was very unhealthy - got D ratings some days. this month  I'm doing better-  healthier and just averaging around the burn meter amount. In the last week I actually got A ratings on some days. so gradually it's working.  Two more months and I will achieve eat meter limits? It did take my husband about three months before the feeling starved lessened when he kept to the eat meter limit. Silly to be so slow but I do not have the push of knowing I do not want diabetes complications.  I feel less rebellious now and no longer have to eat the whole package of cookies. I've done that sufficiently enough to have it out of my system. I'm not saying the impulse is gone, but I'm looking at the package and find it easier to decide if I should check if something else will give me better satisfaction with lower calories. Chocolate chip cookies are nice, but that small package of yummier  lower calorie cookies may be more appealing. or that delicious looking first peach of the season,etc. Or I do not feel like cooking so the lean cuisine with some extra veggies is more appealing "waste" of money than a package of cookies.

So my suggestion. If you know you are going to eat, do not hide it - log it so you have a reference. One good way to get away from the computer, is to go to stores and research- spend time looking around and comparing labels. Now that you are getting an idea of what you can buy, You can tentatively plan your meals. Overtime as you read labels and log in the food you are actually eating, you might start to put in research on CC on the foods you noticed at the grocery store you like but do not quite remember the nutrition labels. You may find some foods are not worth the calories they cost - it may be more interesting to try something lower calorie.  a yummie smoothie maybe. Or a deliciously crisp apple or a fresh peach when in season.  Since what you did before did not work,do not fuss too much about it taking time-( its cannot be worse than doing nothing). Take your time. It's a lifetime change you are after since you know what you are presently doing is not making you happy-  You know habits have made you prone to have more weight than you like.  Some things come easier to some than other things. With my husband the complications of diabetes was a great motivator.

First thing to do is to buy an electronic food scale that has a tare function (usefulness is worth the extra price of an electronic scale over the mechanical scale- no annoyance of adding or subtracting and also less errors adding and subtracting) and gives you weight in grams. Everything in CC works with grams, and using them gives less frustrations entering and using tagged recipes. Weight everything.(over time you can eyeball some stuff- especially low cal stuff like lettuce or celery)  Unless you know what you ate, how would you even begin to really know if you are following CC's guidelines well?  I really put my success in my husband losing weight to having a convenient scale. He likes a snack before bed-claims he cannot sleep if hungry. The scales tell him what he has eaten all day as accurately as we can. By using the scale to figure out to the exact gram what will not push him over CC's eat meter, he often can fit in his favourite treat. (been a diabetic does not allow him to overdo it -finger-pricks to check he is not upping his glucose too much is not fun). Since he can eat Ice Cream (his favourite), he has not felt that deprived with his weight losing diet and feels the year or two it will take to lose over a hundred and fifty pounds permanently at one or two lbs a week is doable. 

Hopefully this gives you some ideas as to achieve your weigh loss. The electronic scales that tell you how much you ate  will make you feel efficient. It's so easy to feel "lazy" when your efforts are not working because you could not achieve the needed accuracy.

I have just quit smoking (8 weeks now, yay!). I had tried to quit before so many times, but always ended up starting again and at the end of the day it was always the 'having that cigarette will make me happy' argument. When I was trying not to smoke I'd spend time thinking about how 'right now I could be having a smoke and a cup of coffee', I'd walk past another smoker on the street and feel jealous because they had something I didn't.

This time it's different. I have realised that the cigarette won't make me feel happier, I'll cheer myself up whilst smoking the cigarette. That I'm not actually missing out on anything, I can still have a cup of coffee, why would I need a smoke - that won't change anything. I now walk past people smoking in the street and think that I have something more than them because I have my freedom. 

I think it's the same gig with dieting and making lifestyle changes, just swap cigarette for cookie or macdonalds (or my problem now which is starbucks... calories disguised as liquid... evil I tell you) in any of those sentences. It feels like that cookie will make you feel better - but will it? Really? Why? It may feel like you need to munch on something at 9pm at night, but do you? Are you really hungry? Do you really want it? Or are you just eating for the sake of it, through habit? Are those people stuffing their faces with McD's or pizza happy? Look at their faces... ARE they happy? Probably not - no more than you or anyone else. I really believe it all comes down to mindset. Sure, you can't 'not eat' like when you quit smoking, but you can quit eating junk food. And you'll feel great for it. You just got to get all ready in your head. Don't think of it as a diet, your making a lifestyle change... you're not losing weight, you're eating healthy

Like feanor said... baby steps, start slow, don't aim for that whole life turn around, but change little things - no more take out for example, or cut out soda. When that is an ingrained part of your routine change the next step. Join a walking group or something, exercise is always more fun with others and they help your motivation. Perhaps at some point there'll be your trigger to go for the big change.

Just start to try to find the switch in your own mind which will change how you see food and your life. Next time you get a craving or temptation - look at what is tempting you, try and figure out why it is tempting you, when you've stepped back, is it still tempting you? And if your motivation wanes, then get on here and say, there'll be so many people jumping in to give you hand you'll be back out of the low before you know it

 

: ) 

 

Hi there

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!!!

Here I am 80 lbs lighter.

Just a few words to possibly make things a little easier.

1.  Remember with exercising, it becomes a habit after 21 days (So they say).  Once you get into the habit, it gets easier and easier to get up and go.  Soon you will feel HORRIBLY GUILTY if you DONT work out.  Just keep telling yourself, it gets easier with time.  Just wait until you start to experience the endorphins being released while you are working out! WHAT A RUSH!  You will absolutely crave that feeling again and again.

2.  As far as eating....makes things extremely accessible.  When I get home from grocery shopping, I wash and cut all fruits/veggies and put them in seperate containers.  For me, EASY ACCESS is the key.  If you are anything like me, when you are hungry, YOU ARE HUNGRY NOW!  If you have foods prepared and ready to snack on, it helps you make healthier choices!  I always have cucumber, carrots, celery, peppers, etc etc on hand to snack on.  I am on my computer in the evenings WAY TOO MUCH which gives me the munchies.....munch on fat free jello, grape tomatoes, grapes, etc etc etc.

When you start exercising, you dont have to KILL yourself to get results.  I started at 247 lbs walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes a day.  I lost 21 lbs in just over a month.  That is ALL the exercising I did.....well except for circuit training at the gym 3 days a week for about 20 minutes.  Start off SLOW and gradually build up your tolerance.  It WILL get easier with time......

If I can help in any way, feel free to send me a message :)
~H~

I failed over and over again in my quest to lose weight and what finally worked for me was realizing that everyday is a new day. I don't let a bad day become an excuse to throw it all away, I don't make a bad week a reason to throw it all away, I don't make a bad month...okay you get it. It really is true that you can mess up again and again, but if you continue to get back on the horse it will pay off.

Ledmond1 thank you so much for posting your plea for help.  You helped me in the process.  I've been stopping and starting for the past 3 or 4 months now.  But like everyone is trying to impress upon you we've all been there or are still battling.  The only failure is giving up. 

 You guys put some really insightful stuff here and while I've only been back on the horse for 3 days, you've definitely got my heart and mind pumping with excitement.

Hang in there Ledmond1, the harder you beat yourself up only sets yourself up to make another excuse. I KNOW! Small goals, I started off so well and initially lost about 10 pounds.  While that 10 has turned into about 7 pounds, I'm hanging onto it for dear life!!!! 

I'm a computer junkie too, find something to really occupy you on here instead of just vegging out. I realized I was depressed and used the computer as an excuse to sit still which just made the weight problem worse. 

 My kids are gone for a month, a whole month!  They're two and I say they haven't even really seen their real Mommy yet.  I've got 10-15 pounds to lose before they get back.  Just like you need to figure out what motivates you to eat, you've got to find your motivators to get up and go and do better.

Lean on us, that's what we're here for, right?! Take care, I'll be looking for your success story, because one day this will all be a faint memory.

Haley, you look great! Way to go!

YOU ARE NOT PATHETIC!

First of all you need tolove yourself and believe in yourself.  The other responders to your post are on the money.  You need to eleviate the sodium intake or cut it way down.  It's hard cuz chicken wings are loaded ( my FAVORITE)  You can make them at home just as good with 1/3 of the salt.  If you are interested, I would love to offer advise, but hate "telling" people what they should do.

Best wishes,

Bob

 

 

No you're not!

I think of my laziness as a kind of quest for efficiency...it's a character defect, sure, but one that can be useful sometimes.  And physically, I'd probably last out a famine rather well, and so would you.  A natural benefit has become a liability in the conditions we face everyday. 

The spiritual aspect of working toward being my best self keeps me motivated, and honest most of the time.  It is always a struggle, as I am human.

 

I just wanted to add my support to what the other posters have said. Every day is a new beginning (I listen to Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" for motivation).

You need a plan for change! If you're lazy like me when it comes to exercise, just work on your food intake for now. When you buy healthy, easy-to-make food, and that's all you have in the house, you'll eat more of it. Fresh fruit and veggies (only the kinds I like) as well as (healthy) prepared and/or frozen foods, have been my lifelines. I've lost 50 lbs (and eight inches off my waist) and kept it off without exercise, without starving, and while enjoying the occasional splurge meal (or day, or weekend, etc..).

Change little things, sustainable things. If things don't go as planned one day, don't let it make you emotional, don't feel bad about yourself. Yesterday does not dictate today, nor does it dictate tomorrow. I recommend using the scale just as a motivator (not necessarily as a goal, if you don't want to) because you will see the difference there before you will see it on your tape measure. 

Also, when measuring, suck in your gut as much as you can. Counterintuitive, but that's what's recommended by Dr. Oz (the Oprah dude) because it's a more accurate measure of intraabdominal fat (but the health goal becomes 32.5 inches this way, not 35).

If you do it from the beginning, then you know that "sucking in" you used to be at 45 inches and now you're at 43, etc... Same with vanity sized pants - they're fine, as long as you buy the same brand on the way down, you'll know you really did lose three sizes or whatever...

You can do it!!!!

You just need to commit to it. Log your food. One thing that helps me in making the right decisions is knowing that I have to log it and it will add up.

Join a group.There are plenty of groups already here to join and most of them have weigh-in days and are very motivating. If you can't find one that fits your needs, create one.

I don't know your diet or exercising habits so I can only give a few general tips that worked for me. Bad/Unhealthy food GET RID OF IT you can't eat it if it's not there, restock your fridge and pantry with healthier choices. DRINK your Water, our bodies often mistake thirst for hunger increasing your water intake will offset water weight gain and hunger. That's all I have for now, you can do it, if you stick to it.