Why o Why

WHY!!!  am I finding it so hard to stay on track and do what I have to do?  I know I have to lose weight and still I am having problems.  I have to retrain my brain to thinking that I have to do this.  Is anyone else experiencing this kind of thinking?

retrain your brain? do you find yourself starting out well and  then eating too much/binging? i don't understand your question.. 

maybe you should join a group on here where the posters are similar to your height/weight and you can support each other. i guess you're struggling because you're going it alone, so having someone else in the same situation really helps.

'I have to lose weight' is just a vague wish at the moment, not a goal or a gameplan.   That's what you're struggling with.  Like saying 'I'd love to win the lottery'... but not buying a ticket.  If you buy a ticket, at least you have a chance.

So you have to 'buy a ticket'...  By which I mean, making small improvements that are going to increase your chances of meeting your goal.   You don't have to retrain your brain to do that if you take it gently.  And you don't have to retrain your brain if you make the changes as enjoyable as possible.   On the other hand, if you expect too much, make drastic changes or go for draconian measures like unpleasant food or punishing exercises then you're going to be reluctant to get started. 

I don't know what the problems particularly are for you but I'd suggest you tackle them individually, one at a time, in a deliberate way.   And then instead of 'I have to lose weight' you have a specific gameplan... e.g. I will snack on fruit instead of sweets. 

That sounds good gi-jane.  I have been trying to make small changes and for the past 3 days I have done well.  I have stopped snacking past 7pm.  Next week I am going to try and stop drinking so much soda maybe 1 can a day instead of 3-4.  I am going to try to do things in moderation because I c if I try and do everything all together I end up failing.  Thanks for the advice.

Just remember: It's all about choices.

Every time you reach for food, stop and ask yourself "Do I really want/need this?" You are the one who is in control, not the food.

Sometimes, it's just boredom or an oral fixation. Drink some water or chew some gum.

I totally sympathize with you, Slymagain.

I am always perplexed by the way I choose to do what isn't in my best interest! I want to lose weight, so why do I just go into zombie-mode and eat?

Lately I've tried to keep in mind the idea that in times of miserable personal problems, which is where I am now, the one thing I may have some control over is my food intake. This is very empowering.

I've lost 4 pounds and felt I was on the right track. Then yesterday was my worst day since beginning here on Oct. 28. I ate 2500+ calories! Several stressful things were heaped on me, and there's very little I can do about any of them. I've been remaining calm and even-keeled on the surface, but it came out as stuffing myself last night.

Today will be a better day, and I have to remember that it's within my power to make my own food choices and steer my life towards health, not destruction. I refuse to add to my own problems any longer. If you want to, send me an email and we can talk.

Tini your post couldn't have come at a better time.  Today I am finding it very hard to stop thinking about snacking.  My children were running wild I was yelling at all of them threatning them with punishments I know I wont keep and in the back of my head all I kept saying is I NEED A SNACK.   I didn't do it immediately because I wanted to see if it was because I was feeling overwhelmed.  I waited about an hour sat down with the kids then decided that it was from the stress I was feelinga t the moment and I could resist temptation.  About an hour after I calmed down I did however eat pretzels with cheese dip and I am just going to count that as my lunch.  I entered it into my food log and I am up to 600 calories for the day.  I have about 700 more to go so I am not gonna stress over it.  I just can't believe that I am an emotional or would have been an emotional eater.  I never thought I was or at least I never paid attention to it. 

rosefl  this is a powerful statement.  "I have to remember that it's within my power to make my own food choices and steer my life towards health, not destruction."  I totally agree with you I just hope I can make these wise choices for myself and stop trying to sabatoge everything.  

I've been telling myself for years and years that I have to lose weight. What happens then is that I try to do the right thing but at the same time inside I feel angry and secretly I don't want to be on a diet (or foodplan or whatever I told myself). My secret was to stop myself from going on a diet and spend that time on the internal process and find ways to motivate myself.

Losing weight without the much needed inner motivation will not work. Telling yourself that you have to lose weight will not work. Spend time on what you're thinking as well. AJTimes24U gives a good example of self talk that is not working.

More and more I'm finding out that losing weight is not only eating right and working out but also thinking right.

Jolanda

Glad that I could help :)