[MrsKeltsy]

Hi, I joined a little while ago, still somewhat new and I need to lose 100 pounds. My goal weight is 160, I can't even picture myself at that weight. I know people have suggessted to make smaller goals, but I can not seem to find the motivation. Honestly I am just plain lazy, which leads to snacking and watching t.v.. I am a stay at home mom of two and live out in the country and get so bored. It is hard for me to find the motivation to do anything by myself. I don't live close enough to a town to go to the gym or a pool or as a matter of fact to even go on walks with friends. Being at home and walking by myself or doing exercise inside just doesn't keep me motivated. I really want to lose the weight and need some ideas and encouragement. I would love and appreciate anything

[andoreth]

Well, I'm proof that someone can go from "sit around snacking and get easily bored" to "enjoy walks, love getting exercise, and get bored mostly when sitting around and eating snacks".

For walking: First, I'd suggest that you try to find the most interesting or beautiful place to walk nearby. A park, a trail, or some naturally pretty place. Have your kids join in for companionship, if possible. Challenge yourself with a goal (so many miles in a week, a particular distance, so many days in a row) and then reward yourself for making that goal.

Also, mix up your exercise with several options to keep boredom at bay. I walk about 3 times a week, as least a mile. I also belong to a gym, and I play racquetball 2 times a week. Are there any tennis courts in your area? That could be something you could do with your kids, assuming they aren't too young. How about a bit of bicycling. Just the speed can help keep boredom away, and you do get to travel a lot more distance, and therefore get to see more things.

Keep searching, give several things a chance, I'm sure that you'll find the activity that is right for you. But also be strict with yourself. Until you find that groove and start to enjoy the exercise, you still need to set rules for yourself about how long for how many days you'll do something. Even write down the commitments on a day planner or calender at the beginning of the week, and then check them off when you've succeeded.

Good luck!

[trishn222]

You know I am fairly new to all of this also. In fact last week I kind of fell off the wagon and went back to being bored and watching t.v. etc. I find that I am staying busy with a housework (also a stay at home mom), since I started 4 weeks ago, I have dejunked all of my closets and redecorated my childrens bedrooms with old stuff I am finding in my closets, sorting toys, redecorating a lot of spots in my house. I am doing these things so that I don't think about eating all of the time, and a huge plus is my house is beginning to look a lot better. Also, I find that if I want to watch a show I just do it while sitting on the bike, or doing situps or just sitting there with weights while on the couch. If I have those things in my hands, then I don't have snacks in them. Anyway a couple of bits of advice for someone coming from the same place.

Trish

[kykaree]

The hard fact is, we can help with tips, we can tell you how to fit in exercise with your life, we can even give you pointers on what to eat and when.

What we can't do is make you get off your and do it!!!

Your gotta find your own motivation. For me, I have two sources of motivation. The first is noble. My parents both now have type 2 diabetes and hypertension. And you know what, neither are obese, my dad is a stick insect, and my mum has yo yo-ed all her life, but has never been obese.

The second is frivolous. Clothes. Now I'm a UK16 -18 (US 12 - 14) can I just say one word - choice. Seeking an outfit for a special occasion (the latest - seeing my parents for the first time in 2 years having lost 60 pounds) and finding choices in 12 stores. Before I had two stores to choose from.

It's not easy. And at the moment my food choices aren't fabulous but my exercise is great, it's so hard to get all the balls in the air at once.

But you can do it, but you gotta really want it, and want it so much that at times when it's tough, you still want it enough to keep going.

[famograham]

Lindsay!!!

It's wonderful to have you here

Make yourself at home!


Linda

[MrsKeltsy]

Thank you very much for the replys and the honest to god truth!!! Every time I come to 3FC it encourages me to actually do something about it. I see that it can happen and that I know I can actually do it, it's just that I have to get off my like Kykaree said. Sometimes you need to hear the brutal truth

I would like to do my WW at home again and exersice as well, but I find that it all gets too overwhelming doing everthing. Mostly it is the WW, making sure that you keep track of your points and look everything up before you eat it. But it did work for me, so I probably need to stop whining and just do it. It isn't going to be easy, but if I can get past the first couple of weeks, because that is usually the time that I fall back into the lazy routine, then I think it might be easier.

How do you all overcome being discouraged. I find that if I do good for the week and lose some weight and still do everything right the next week but notice that I gained it all back.....what do you all do to still keep going?

Well I should stop writing before this turns into a novel.

Thanks a bunch and I hope to chat to you all again.

[irisheyes213]

Originally Posted by MrsKeltsy

How do you all overcome being discouraged. I find that if I do good for the week and lose some weight and still do everything right the next week but notice that I gained it all back.....what do you all do to still keep going?

I have finally learned that in the beginning, I need to only weigh once a month. Then I worked up to once a week as I felt that I was more solid on my plan. Now I weigh daily but only record once a week and only look at the monthly difference. Why weigh daily? So that I can see if what I ate the day before caused me to gain water weight. Also this way I can see AF/TOM gains pretty easily.

Another thing that helped was having a fail proof enviroment. If I don't have stuff that will throw me off course in the house...I am more likely to stay the course. Of course I had to have my dh's help in this matter and it has taken a while but finally he has come to the conclusion that he doesn't really need the junk either.

Exercise is something I am struggling with right now. I am trying to make sure that if I am watching TV that I am active at least during part of it...but that doesn't always happen. I keep my balance ball and resistance bands right in front of the TV so that I have to look at them--this seems to help some.

HTH



You can do it!

[MrsKeltsy]

I should only weigh once a month, I will have to do that, because if I don't it will make it harder to see the scale going up and down. That is great advice, I will just get my DH to hide when he comes home lol.

Thanks again. I love to hear what everyone says

[suzieq2006]

I lived in the county once and beleive it or not I did alot better . It was far enought from town that I couldnt just run to the store for a snack attack so I allway tryed not to buy when I was in town. I alway would get out and walk around and even planted a garden. Maybe get you a pet dog to walk. If you ever need a friend just pm me I am here.

[dragonwoman64]

Originally Posted by MrsKeltsy

How do you all overcome being discouraged. I find that if I do good for the week and lose some weight and still do everything right the next week but notice that I gained it all back.....what do you all do to still keep going?

hi, Lindsay! I've been on WW and JC, lost and regained the weight plus some (like a lot of people). This time around I've made it my goal to have this be my permanent lifestyle change -- it's not "a diet until". I'm changing old habits into healthier ones. I have and I'm sure I will hit plenty of glitches, with frustrating moments. But I have made a committment to make this overall change, and to keep working on it, through the frustrating moments, and past the overindulgences, and through the tantrums I still have about doing extra exercise.

There are plenty of goals involved in the journey besides the number on the scale: having a healthier diet, being in better shape, creating better habits. (NSV = non-scale victories)

Loving food, having a TOM, hot and cold weather, exercise including lifting weights, all can wreak havoc on the scale number from week to week, so I've had to adopt a mental attitude of just keeping at it (plus I come here and freak out to my bf).

Hope that makes sense, and hope it helps.

[midwife]

How do you do it with kids, a busy life, living in the country?? You do it, ANYWAY! There will always be excuses! My personal rule is that if I have more than one reason to not do something, they are no longer reasons, they are excuses and I must really not want to do whatever it is I am spending so much time arguing with myself about.
Pick up an issue of Runner's World. In nearly every issue they have a story about some person in a wheelchair who has completed a marathon using their arms. What's my excuse? Uh....my excuses suddenly don't appear very valid.

How do you do it? You do it ANYWAY! (I really like that! I think that will be my new motto for awhile)

[andoreth]

And, as far as the weight goes, I've tried to shift my focus away from the numbers (as much as possible) and towards striving for health regardless of weight.

I weigh every day, I just can't wait a week- I've tried and I always end up sneaking looks anyway. However, I now have a little mantra I say every time before I get on the scale.

"I cannot control my weight, I can only control my eating and exercise."

It helps set my mind to take control for that day.

[kykaree]

Originally Posted by MrsKeltsy

Thank you very much for the replys and the honest to god truth!!! Every time I come to 3FC it encourages me to actually do something about it. I see that it can happen and that I know I can actually do it, it's just that I have to get off my like Kykaree said. Sometimes you need to hear the brutal truth

I'm so mean Glad you took my comment in good humour. But honestly, until 18 months ago, that was me. I knew all about how to weight loss but I never got off my fat and did anything about it.

I was the of excuses. Especially exercise. I had no idea I was capable of any of the things I do now, I just promised myself I would say yes to everything, and try anything once, and if I really couldn't do it, I wouldn't. But I had to try.

I am really lucky. i live in the country, but we have a gym here (not a gerat one) that I used for the first year, now I use one which is a 15 minute bus ride away.

And hills. Now I run, I run up hill and down dale, a better workout that anything I could do in a gym!!!

[MrsKeltsy]

You know, somtimes that is what people need to hear is the honest truth. What is the point in sugar coating it and never actaully knowing how bad it is sometimes.

Well I hope that you are all proud of me, I got off my fat *** and are eating better and doing my pilates. I need to get passed the first week or two and then I think it might get a little better.

I hope to chat with you all again soon. If anyone is interested in talking just PM me and I would love some buddies.

[midwife]

Yeah, Lindsay, GO GO GO!!