On 1st January 2010 I started a new way of life; healthy eating and regular exercise. I didn't see the results I wanted so since early February I have been on-off-on-off the wagon and haven't really made any progress.

In mid-September I'm starting the job of my dreams and I really want to lose at least 25 pounds before then. I know that looking at the calendar it's a feasible and sensible target, but seeing as I set myself the target of "1 pound per week on average this year" and am way below that, I know that the reality is not so simple as plotting on a graph/calendar.

Whenever I have tried to lose weight before it hasn't been this much of a struggle - I have committed to my weight loss and seen significant improvements. Now it seems that I can only stay focussed for a week (at the most!) before sabotaging my progress.

I keep making promises to myself and not keeping them. And it's been going on for so many months now that I don't believe it's ever going to happen. I am so full of good intentions and fill my fridge with healthy food and plan my meals, but then I go ahead and ignore all of my planning and find a way to make my portions HUGE or my food more fatty.

I'm doing exercise regularly and my fitness levels have increased, but I totally ruin any calorie deficit with my eating.


I don't know what I'm asking for here really. I just really want to get to my goal weight this year and I'd be really grateful for anything that you think might help me to buck my ideas up.

Well that's just the thing, weight loss doesn't happen TO YOU. You have to MAKE it happen. It won't happen on it's own. It's not up to chance, not up to luck or destiny. It's a matter of choice. You do though have to CHOOSE it. You know what needs to be done - now it's time to get out there and do it. Decide that you want this, commit to do this, set yourself up for success - work past the initial, temporary discomfort of saying no to yourself (about off foods) and MAKE it happen. Decide what you want the most out of life and resolve to pay the price to get it. All the wishing, hoping, dreaming and wanting means nothing, unless you are WILLING to do what's necessary.

So yes, buy those healthy foods. Plan. Plan. And then plan some more. "Failing to plan IS planning to fail". Pre plan your meals/snacks and then don't make it an option not to stick to it. Again, push yourself past the discomfort that it takes while establishing those good eating habits. Good eating begets more good eating. Allow yourself to get into that good groove. Require more from yourself. Raise your standards. Challenge yourself.

Remember, you don't have to be overweight if you don't want to be. It's up to you. When you get into this healthy lifestyle, you will see that it's a lovely way to live and you'll wonder why you didn't do it earlier.

This is brilliant.

You have helped

Indeed it is. Thank you both for the posts.

It sounds to me like you need a new plan--one that you want to stick to. I think a lot of people have only one diet in mind--usually one that's worked in the pat--and they treat it like they have two options--to eat thoughtlessly/cheat, or follow that plan. If you've tried over and over and over to follow this plan and you never do, find a new one--different foods, different eating schedule, different exercise, change something or everything.

I'm so glad!!

I'm convinced that weight loss (as with many other new things, any other drastic change), it really is a matter of pushing through that temporary, initial *unpleasantness*, and yes downright discomfort. For me, those first couple of weeks were H#@L. And in the past, I always gave in, caved. But *this time*, I pushed myself and pushed myself, not allowing myself to give in. And before I knew it, the discomfort was gone and the healthy lifestyle took hold.