Feels like a mountain......
 

The past two days I have felt like this goal of mine ( to lose 100+lb) is a HUGE mountain. I am just at the beginning of a long journey. I know I probably have at least a year until I am close to my goal. I'm not yet exercising other that my daily activities. When it comes to exercise, starting is the hardest part for me. I have a tendency to feel like I have failed practically from the gate. Like if I feel like I'm not losing fast enough, I chew myself out for not doing it *right.* Silly, I know.
However, I AM patting myself on the back for the things I gave up on January 10th, such as....
1. The high fat/high calorie drinks from Starbucks that I used to consume almost daily.
2. Sugar in my coffee or tea at home.
3. Junkfood....and this means there is none in my house.
4. Fried foods.
5. My at least 6-pack a day regular coca-cola habit.

I know I'm not getting enough water at this point. I like water, really. I just don't think about it until I'm thirsty. How much do you all try and drink per day?

Also, any crumbs of wisdom you care to sprinkle my way would be most appreciated.

Coleen, break up your 100 lb goal into smaller goals so you can celebrate your victories sooner. I know a lot of people use a 10% goal but use whatever is comfortable for you. A 15, 20, 25, 30 lb goal ?

As far as exercise? Start small, don't feel like you need to turn into an athlete in a day. A lot of people start with a walking routine others use tv commercial breaks to exercise. (Run in place during a commercial or do stomach crunches) Exercise is more about building up than already being at the peak so don't worry if you can't do as much as you hope you could.

I hope this helps.

Don't be so hard on yourself. This goal takes time. Try not to think of how long the 100 lbs will take. Think in terms of 10 goals of 10 lbs each. It's much better that way.

I drink at least 96 oz of water a day sometimes more.

I also have found that keeping a food journal is real helping. You can see mine on my weight loss page on my web site. The link is below in my signature.

It is good to get away from the bad things like the fried food and pop but there is also room to enjoy those things in moderation. You just need to make sure it's not going to set off a binge. Cutting everything out you may feel to deprived. So alow yourself to have the things you enjoy once in a while.

Thanks Nelie! Those are great suggestions and I'm going to take them! I think walking is the best idea for me because I really am out of shape. I recently watched ( yes...watched) an exercise dvd and thought...there is no way I can do that right now! I don't feel coordinated enough!

Congrats on your 75 lb. weight loss. That really is incredible! It helps me to know that it can be done. :dance:

I like water, but have to have tricks to remind myself to get it in, too. I have a water "routine" that really works:

1 6-oz glass (my bathroom glass) first thing in the morning, before I step in the shower. I'm thirsty and I WANT it. I have a 16-oz glass at work that I fill up after I've had my coffee; I have to finish it before I go to lunch. Then I fill it up again after lunch and I have to finish that by mid-afternoon, then I fill it again and finish it before I go home. I'm just always sippin' on it. If I go to the gym after work I easily drain my 16-oz bottle during my workout. If it's not a workout day then I try to have at least one more glass at home.

During the weekend I have less of a routine, but my work-week routine has "trained" me to kinda always want to have a glass around for sipping, so I usually manage to get enough in.

Hi Coleen,

I agree with Nelie about breaking up your target - I feel completely overwhelmed if I just look at the big picture. I changed my tracker to include no more than a 7lb target - it got depressing seeing 'only 119 to go'. :yikes: Now I know I can reach the target on my tracker! It's all psychological - even mountaineers say to themselves ' I'll just get to this next peak'.

Yes, you do have a mountain to climb (as do I), but I say, become a mountain climber!

Good luck - hanging round here with people who completely understand where you are.

Love Amanda x

It sounds like you're on the right track! I had similar concerns and impatience when I began a few weeks ago. I wanted to be thin NOW! I got some great advice (here's the thread):
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50927

I've tried to avoid weighing myself, but have been about once a week or so to keep me accountable about my portion sizes.

As far as exercise goes, is there any physical activity you enjoy and can do? (Walking, dancing, yoga, yard work, housework (some people, I hear, do!)). I would try to change your mindset and tell yourself you are an exerciser, you are an active person. Then do something, anything everday. Soon you'll feel the benefits and want to continue. I do step aerobics--I love dancing, so that's why I chose it. I get up in the morning and don't even let myself think--I block rationalizations and excuses out of my mind and just start. Pushing thoughts out of my mind has been key to establishing the habit, especially during the first week.

You can do this! Your goal weight might be far away, but you'll start feeling benefits much sooner.

Coleen,journal everything you put in your mouth and start exercizing slowly. I started by walking around the block,then 2 blocks.Now I walk 45 min each day. Reward your self,either once a month or once a week,with something you really like,but only if you've stuck it out.Good luck. Pam

I know sometimes that mountain can seem very overwhelming and something that you won't conquer but like everyone else said. A lot of times it's easier to break it down to smaller goals. Right now I'd be happy to get below 250. Once I get there, I'm goin to aim for 225, then 200, etc.

As for my water, I'm a lot like funniegirl. We have the water jug system at work and I have a 16 oz. Glass. I try to have 2 glasses before lunch and 2 glasses afterward. I still like my pop (although I only drink diet now) with my meals. I will also drink tea here and there.

It sounds like you are off to a great start. Keep up the good work.

Hi there.

As everyone else said, looking at the big picture is certainly not the way to think on a day to day basis. When I started I wanted to lose a MINIMUM of 150 lbs, (up to 180 lbs) and looking at it like that was depressing and made the losses each week seem like not enough. After the first 6 weeks I saw the amounts really adding up already and my clothes getting to big and started to think 1 lbs per week is 52 lbs per year etc. It really helped me.

I have the same water drinking schedule (when I am doing it, which I haven't in weeks) that the others have. I set myself to drink a certain amount by a certain time in the day and that gets me to a minimum of 60 oz of water a day. I'm not much of a soda drinker so that's not really been a problem for me.

I will say though that unlike most I can't treat myself to something I love every so often because I don't have an "off" button as I always tell my friends. Eating bad stuff is a huge slippery slope for me. I competely stay away from all things I will feel guilty about and that will set me off into eating other things that I can't really have. I know most people have self control but I'm an all or nothing person (in dieting and life in general, lol). You just have to find a plan that works for you personally and stick to it.

As far as exercise, I lost my first 50 lbs in 5 1/2 months with no exercise, just hard core fat intake monitoring. I started exercising after that and in the next 6 months lost another 43 lbs but I gained 23 back during a holiday break (what an idiot I was for doing that, lol) and I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things.

Good luck and remember we're all in the same boat and we're all here to support each other. :)

Coleen - I agree with everyone else! Break it down into small goals.. it then seems more like a little hill rather than a mountain! ;) Look at everything in smaller stages so you get to feel your success more frequently! :)

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ALL of you! For your great suggestions and for the incredible support. I really need the support. My self talk hasn't been the nicest lately....lol. I never have really come here and settled in. Now I realize how much I need to. I need the accountability and support.
I am going to break it down to 10 lb goals. Can anyone tell me how I change that on the tracker?
As far as water goes...maybe I will work off of a 64 ounce jug each day?
I am going to start walking today. I also actually like to garden, do housework etc.

Thank you all again....really....I apppreciate your responses so much.

heycoleen,

Thanks for asking the question. It help all of us who are just getting off the ground too.

Thanks to everyone. Your suggestions and motivation are sincerely appreciated!

Sherrie

Be aware of your total goal but only focus on what you can do today.
Today I can... exercise, drink water, etc
Sometimes you even have to break up the day into moments like at meal times.
At this meal I will... choose healthy foods, drink water instead of soda etc.
It's the little steps rather than the big leaps that will get you over the mountain.

Good luck! :D