I gave myself a one year deadline, but not for any event or function and not with any goal weight in mind. I wanted to see where I'd be if for one year I could be on plan every day without any excuses. My biggest problem was giving up when the scale did not cooperate. I've had my fair share of days where the scale did not match my effort!! But it didn't matter because I had committed to this for one year. It's been eight months for me now and I've lost 62 pounds. That's double every past weight loss attempt I've ever had. And when that year mark rolls around, there's no looking back because I've developed habits and it's no longer hard. I've been sailing through this riding on the wings of habit for the past three of the eight months. There is a long initiation phase, but it passes.
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Because it doesn't take long before the rewards start to outweigh the sacrifices, and from that point on it's relatively easy.
This!! But I'd personally extend the "persevering" part past a few weeks. I had to persevere for about five months before my mind caught up with reality. I wanted weight loss to be fast and it has taken a LONG time to come to peace with the fact that I do not lose weight fast and that losing inches IS better than losing pounds. Originally Posted by ubergirl
It's true....! It seems like what is hard is 1) getting started and 2) persevering through the first few weeks when you feel the sacrifice more than the reward. Because it doesn't take long before the rewards start to outweigh the sacrifices, and from that point on it's relatively easy.
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Yeah, I know. Whine a little more. I could supply a whole city with the amount of pity I have.
I just need to (wo)man up, put all those feelings aside, rub some dirt on it and just do it. I know how to do it.
From your post, I highlighted that which fits me!! All or nothing mindset, heck yeah!! That's why I had to give myself a commitment of one year. I am all in for one year. Use that all or nothing mentality to your benefit! Giving up easily? Yes and no. I'm no quitter, except in the face of the scale. So I started weighing daily so I could get a grip on the reality of scale fluctuation. This has helped me cope tremendously. Feeling deprived? We all do...at first. That's a hurdle you just have to get over. You'll find most, if not all, maintainers do not feel deprived anymore at least in part because living just feels so much better. I can give up dessert every night for the feeling of fitting through a turnstile at the amusement park. And I can still have dessert...I just have to plan for it. Wanting an easier way? Yeah...we all do. But is being fat easy? No way!! Trust me...really trust me...dieting is way easier than being fat. Hate water? Others can help with that. I always liked water and have come to love water. I was a big soda addict and haven't had more than 3 sips on 3 separate occasions in eight months. Hating exercise? Yep, I did too! But then I started to see that I fitness goals were within my control. I could not control the scale. I could not set and meet a goal to lose 10 pounds in 10 months but I could darn well set and exceed a goal to run a 5K in a month, or whatever. I can increase the weights I lift every week. I can do 20 push-ups in one set and I can do THREE sets of those whereas as at the beginning I couldn't do even one with proper form. I am constantly amazed at how good fitness feels. Originally Posted by hpnodat
What happened is, I have an all or nothing mindset, I give up to easily, I feel deprived, I want an easier softer way, I'm a big baby, I have OCD & ADD, I hate healthy food, I hate drinking water, I hate exercise, I want to do nothing and watch myself miraculously lose weight. Yeah, I know. Whine a little more. I could supply a whole city with the amount of pity I have.
I just need to (wo)man up, put all those feelings aside, rub some dirt on it and just do it. I know how to do it.
I know you can do this!! We all have our issues.