Weight Loss Support Give and get support here!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 01-31-2013, 10:18 PM   #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Iphianassa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 14

S/C/G: 180/180/135

Height: 5'3"

Default Actually getting started?

I've lost a lot of weight before, but it slowly crept back. I know I need to lose it, but every day I say I'm going to do better and start a plan, and every day I end up tired from work/stressed out/having too much work/making an exception because I'm hanging out with friends. When I exercise it just gets harder and harder every time as I get more and more upset thinking that I'll have to do this FOREVER. It just makes me whiny about even small amounts of pain/fatigue.

It's in all areas of my life, too. I get home, I fall asleep immediately, I don't get as much done as I should. I'm drinking too much and too often. I just can't seem to find any motivation at all.

So for the people who have started from such a state, how the heck did you just GET GOING?
Iphianassa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2013, 10:52 PM   #2  
Restart 11/2012 at 153lbs
 
chubbiegurl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 703

S/C/G: Hw194/Sw160/Cw120/gw125

Height: 5'2" on the dot!

Default

I used to say I was going to start all the time, it was always the same old story. My friend is at that point right now. He wants to lose 50 lbs but uses his job or any situation as an excuse. He always says I'll start Monday, then he screws up Monday and sets his goals on the following Monday. I used to do the same thing. There was always an excuse.The sooner u realize that they r just excuses the better. Well I finally started making very small changes. Like not eating out as much, or avoiding junk food at home. When I noticed I had dropped 5 lbs I gained more motivation. Even when I feel depressed or I am sick I keep on going. None of any of what I told my self was really enough of a reason not to do it. If u manage to watch tv for 30 mins a day u can workout 30 mins a day. U eat every day, so if u cook, cook healthier. If u eat out choose healthy meals or places. I imagine u r thirsty every day, well only water will quench your thirst. If u can't go 100% start slow. Get an app to log your calories, join challenges to keep yourself accountable, get a workout buddy or a trainer if posible. I am sure most of us on here have stressfull lives and sometimes or most times don't want to continue, but we just do it anyway. Enventually we appreciate just having done it. U don't necessarily need motivation, it's great to have but it's not posible to always be motivated. Eventually eating healthy and getting exercise will become a routine like brushing your teeth. If u really want to lose weight and be healthy u will do it, pretty plain and simple. Best of luck!
chubbiegurl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-31-2013, 11:38 PM   #3  
Senior Member
 
Fluffypuppy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Toronto, ON, CAN
Posts: 824

S/C/G: 174/145.6/130-117

Height: 5feet1

Default

For me it took a long time to actually get going. A lot of other things happened first, better mental health, quitting smoking...but one thing that really helped was deciding I wasn't going to join a gym. I am attempting to lose weight with only light exercise (walking) cuz I hate it! I had to make a plan that fit me, not make myself fit a plan. I like to eat in the evening. So I don't eat breakfast and have a light lunch. Then after dinner I can have a couple 100 cal snacks or more.

My other idea for you is based on what I did when I quit smoking. Find an alternative source of relaxation or stress relief or whatever you ill-use food for (nicotine replacement). Cut down before you cut out those habits (fewer cigarettes). Feel proud of yourself for every change, don't think black and white. When you are comfortable with the small changes, make your diet plan and set a start date (quit date) even if that is three weeks away. By the time the three weeks are up you will feel like a part of 3fc and will be excited to start. Keep thinking in greys if it doesn't go perfectly, don't think give-up-and-start-over, think keep-going. It is the long term pattern that loses you weight.

You can do it!
Fluffypuppy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 09:08 AM   #4  
Senior Member
 
RavenWolf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Peach State
Posts: 469

S/C/G: 229/see ticker/135

Height: 62 inches

Default

I had more "excuses" than I can count to keep myself from getting started and working out/losing weight.

Then I just woke up and said, "No more excuses! Today I am starting my journey no matter what. I'm not spending the rest of my life fat and unhealthy."

That was 1 January this year. I have worked out every day since. I've logged every calorie, glass of water, bit of exercise I got. And I'm losing weight.

The first two weeks were the hardest. At about 1.5 weeks, I broke down and sobbed about how I've given up so much, put in so much work and felt horrible and deprived.

Now I am 32 days in, have lost 11.5 pounds and have so much more stamina and endurance. I'm no longer tired all day, struggling to go up stairs, and have even started a 5k run training program! (Not bad for a couch potato, eh?)

Truth is, motivation to get going is fleeting. You may have it a while, you may have time to time, but you won't have it all the time.

You have to make a commitment to yourself, to get it done and then do it. If you don't want to move once you get home from work, then, go somewhere and get your walk in before you get home.

Check in here for accountability. I think this forum has been the single most helpful thing to me in my journey thus far. If I'm having a bad day, I come here and these great people lift me up. Their support is so valuable!

Here are some things I did:

1. Drink 64 ounces of water a day. I do 16 ounces before each meal and the rest as needed throughout the day.

2. Join My Fitness Pal or a similar program to log in food, water, and exercise. It is easy and incredibly helpful.

3. If you do cream and sugar in your coffee, make changes. (I used a ton of cream and sugar in my coffee. Now, I just use a measured amount of creamer.)

It is overwhelming to think about having to do this forever, even once the weight is gone. But you know what? Just a few short weeks in, and I no longer want, crave, or "need" those things I thought I couldn't live without.

If I can do it, you can do it, too. I have faith in you. Now you just have to have faith in yourself!

(Just a side note: I have been sick since yesterday afternoon. Even though I feel like crap, I still got my 5k training workout in this morning! Just gotta get it done!)
RavenWolf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2013, 10:13 AM   #5  
Junior Member
 
graciaincito's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 10

S/C/G: 338/196/160

Height: 5 foot 8

Default

I was really in a place where I was just coming home and planting myself on the couch every night, not really doing anything. I found the myfitnesspal app on the iphone incredibly helpful. I've only just started a few weeks ago but having an app that keeps track of all the calories you take in really helps. Scan the barcode of your food, or just search for ingredients, or even items on a restaurant menu and add it to your daily food diary. Its really helped me make some good food choices. Ive found that if you can push through the first hard bit and see some results, its good motivation to keep on it. And it does get easier.

About 7 years ago I did atkins, and it was a daily struggle. I lost about 80 lbs but It wasnt a maintainable thing for me. It crept back on too... made me hesitant about trying any kind of dieting again. But I feel great this time
graciaincito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2013, 05:35 PM   #6  
Senior Member
 
sparklegirl07's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 107

S/C/G: 172/Ticker/122

Height: 5'4"

Default

for me, it was a matter of doing incorporating one small thing at a time. I started with exercise one day of the week, then two. A couple weeks in, I automatically wanted to watch my calories, so I went down to 1800, then 1500 then 1200. Once I was comfortable at 1200, I found myself wanting to add more exercise.

Part of it is just making everything a routine/ritual so that you aren't fighting with yourself everyday. Just getting into the mentality that there is no other option but to stick to the diet and exercise...
sparklegirl07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2013, 07:01 PM   #7  
Mistress Of My Destiny
 
Posy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 265

S/C/G: 355/219/159

Height: 5ft 5.5

Default

for me it was just getting to that point where I wanted to be thin more than anything else.
when we finds something that we really want no matter what it is then we do anything we can to get it.....that was how I started....I focused on being thin and healthy and decided I wanted that more than I wanted to eat bad things and now I am 137lbs lighter
Posy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2013, 07:47 PM   #8  
Warrior Princess
 
novangel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,285

Default

I saw a Youtube video of a 20-something girl in a bikini on a beach in St. Martin, I thought she looked so cute...and happy to be there. That was it for me. Looking at that same video today I'm now actually thinner than she is.
novangel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2013, 08:11 PM   #9  
Member
 
mellyymel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 52

S/C/G: 220/213/140

Height: 5'5

Default

I think you've picked a perfect time to start which is NOW. I just started my journey, and I think this time of year is the perfect time to start. For me the excuses were the holidays/final exams, but those are now over and I feel like I can start the year off fresh. This also gives you plenty of time before the summer to reach your goal, whether it be big or small. Here's what I suggest:

1. I HIGHLY recommend a calorie counter app for your phone. I use "Lose It" and it is my best friend. Try to log in everything that goes in your mouth as honestly as you can.

2. Next, try and find ANY form of exercise that you like. If you HATE the gym, please don't go to the gym. If you like walking, then go walking! If you like workout videos, get one! It doesn't have to be extreme. Just find something YOU like. I recently bought the Zumba for nintendo wii which I do for over an hour a day and I love it! No one likes exercise but if you can dedicate atleast 30 mins of your day to exercising doing something you actually LIKE you'll be well on your way to seeing results and keeping motivated! Some people can lose weight on diet alone, unfortunatly that did not work for me.

3. Pick a goal date. For me, it is May of 2014. Next year I will be turning 25, and it has really hit me now that I don't want to be overweight for the rest of my life and end up developing major health problems. I know that as the years go by it will only get harder. I've spent enough years sitting on my lazy butt, and now it is time to GET UP AND DO IT.

4. Get a scale. This is honestly a huge motivator for me. I've already lost 3 lbs in 4 days and I coudn't be happier. I weight myself every morning after using the bathroom. Don't get obsessed with the scale though, as I learned that your weight fluctuates all the time. However, it is a great tool to meausure your progress and keep yourself in check.

5. Finally, come on 3FC as often as you can. I find this site to be SUCH AN AMAZING motivator and support system. Check out the success stories and pictures of those who have reached their goals as often as you can. It is truly inspiring. Just remember if all of them could do it, you could do it too!

GOOD LUCK! AND DON'T GIVE UP

Last edited by mellyymel; 02-02-2013 at 08:16 PM.
mellyymel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2013, 08:29 PM   #10  
Believing
 
Natalie42's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: USA
Posts: 46

S/C/G: 271/265/150

Height: 5'3

Default

I delayed taking care of myself for years. And this is what it's really about...whatever your diet consists of food wise. My wake up call was a visit to a bariatric weight loss physician that took my labs. In a word, they were horrible. All of my excuses didn't matter anymore. There is not ONE thing more important than a healthy body. No ONE. No job...relationship...nothing. You're friend who needs to lose 50lbs may need a real wake up call. Those 50 pounds are not just vanity, they are a health hazard.

I'm only two weeks in, but I keep asking myself, "what kind of life do I want?" And for now, that's working for me. Hang in there. You are making a life change. Those are never easy.

**Sorry, it's late, I just realized it was another poster's friend. Whoops!

Last edited by Natalie42; 02-02-2013 at 08:33 PM.
Natalie42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2013, 10:57 PM   #11  
live ur life
 
caliyah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 406

S/C/G: 236/230/150

Height: 5'8

Default

The way I did it was to try to do eat healthy every other day until I did it everyday. So I did it incrementally and added in exercise later. Don't be overwhelmed you can do this!
caliyah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2013, 07:08 AM   #12  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Iphianassa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 14

S/C/G: 180/180/135

Height: 5'3"

Default

Thank you so much, everyone!

I think as a person the gradual thing is really hard for me. I find it much more torturous to do things partway and I think I kind of need to quit cold turkey. Nonetheless, the message to not freak out if I screw up a little is well received.

Yesterday I ended up doing pretty well! I probably ate too much at dinner and undid the rest of the day, but the rest of the day I was very reasonable. I ended up looking up Zumba videos online and doing one song every half hour or so while I did my homework, which actually helped keep me up very well! So we'll see how it pans out, but thanks for the advice!
Iphianassa is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Related Topics
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Getting started again in May? sarahinparis Atkins 45 05-28-2010 03:46 AM
Hard time getting started butterfly_dreams Weight Loss Support 23 06-15-2006 09:01 PM
Need Help Getting Started and Staying Focused Ready2BThinna Weight and Resistance Training 13 12-22-2005 08:59 PM
New- any tips on how to actually get started? Hj40 UK Fat Chicks 22 05-09-2002 02:24 PM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:21 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.