i try to come to each experience in my life with an open mind, and eager to succeed. but when it comes to my weight, it's a different story. i've been yo-yo dieting all summer, and my weight shows it. up and down, up and down. i need some motivation to start on a steady, healthy, realistic plan but i can't seem to find that motivation within myself. i feel like i'm waiting for a sign that i need to get serious about my weight and health, but at the same time i know that i can't wait for something outside of me to trigger an internal change. i tell myself that tomorrow will be the day, but every day there is a new tomorrow...

help? advice? experiences to share? i don't know where to start!

Hey!

How about finding where and when your nearest Weight Watchers meeting is held and attending it? Or what about finding a Curves or some other gym, like the YMCA? It could be that you need a structured program with face-to-face support to help you begin.

Unfortunately people who wait for a sign often don't get one until their doctor tells them they have diabetes, they develop high blood pressure, or some other disease begins... So stop waiting!

Jay

What worked for me was *not* waiting until tomorrow. You decide you will do you the best you can from this very moment forward. That's the only way to overcome tomorrow turning into never.

Hi and welcome,
The day I starting losing was the day that I decided that 'I'll start tomorrow' or 'I'll start on Monday' was a BIG LOAD OF CRAP! I never started tomorrow, instead I binged, stuffing myself for my last meal, stuffing myself so bad that I honestly didn't want to eat ever again, until of course, I got hungry again, LOL! I told myself, "I'll start tomorrow" for at least a year, the same year I gained the most weight ever, about 50 lbs. So, I decided to take the approach of, "what changes can I make RIGHT now - that I will benefit from?" Those small changes started to add up, and losing stopped being so scary! That is the most important thing I learned.

The first step is to choose a program food-wise. I like calorie counting (come and check us out on the Calorie Counters forum). It's a great way to be able to eat all foods, just in moderation. If you've had luck w/ other programs in the past, then maybe you could try those again. Second, you need a plan. I plan all my foods for the day in advance. That way, it takes the guess work and mystery out of it all. I also plan my workouts. Please find the time to excercise. Start small...maybe a 20 minute walk. Then, add on every few days or every week. Also, see if you can get into lifting weights. Again, it doesn't have to be a big deal. You could lift dumb bells while watching commercials on t.v., and you could lift your own body weight with crunches and squats. How about every commercial, do something?

You can definitely do this, but motivation is not the key because that comes and goes. The key is consistency and planning ahead. Also, if you fall off plan, get right back up. I have fallen off many, many times, but I succeed when I get right back on track.

Finally, 3fatchicks is a wonderful support. Read often and post when you can. One day, you will see someone post here that is feeling the way you are right now and you'll be there for them and that will be a great feeling!

I agree that waiting for "tomorrow" simply won't get you anywhere. Life is full of tomorrows and before you know it, you can "tomorrow" away your life. What's needed is action and that action is needed today. Stop waiting for tomorrow. In fact here's a great article on just that. Take a look - http://www.self.com/livingwell/artic...07/0721brownie

For me, successful longterm weight loss could not occur until the desire to be fit, trim and healthy was very, very strong. I had to want it badly enough. The desire to be fit had to outweigh the desire for the food. So for me, that was indeed the *start*. I at that point needed to set myself up for success though. I made a plan. as eating healthy does not occur by chance, and STUCK TO IT LIKE GLUE. LIKE GLUE.

And one more thing, motivation is fine and dandy and I believe it can get one started. But what is really, REALLY essential, IMO, is commitment. Motivation DOES come and go and is hard to muster up quite often, especially when stressed and faced with many tempting food choices. But once you've made that commitment, that is much, much, MUCH more lasting and can get you much further then motivation.

Please, don't waste another precious moment of your life waiting to be all that you can be. Take charge now. Right now. You won't regret it. Not for a second. Best of luck to you.

Some great advice so far. How do you start? Like Nike says, "Just do it". I agree with Robin about commitment. Of course, it's easy for me to say, and not always so easy to do. I started by taking baby steps -- changing behaviors slowly. Others plunge in head-first and change everything all at once. There is no one "right" way, but whatever works for you!!

That literally made me lol because it's brilliant and so, so true!!

Zero Calories - Motivation is a tricky thing. For one only you can create the motivation you need. Also, sometimes motivation won't even come but as Heather said - just do it!

I also yo-yo'ed for a long time. Then last April something went off in my head. It wasn't motivation, it was a deep, internal kick in the butt! I knew what I had to do and started doing it. I began counting my calories and by doing so began to make healthier choices.

Today, I still don't think I have any particular motivating factor. More so I have the desire to be healthy. I want to be fit, strong and keep my body healthy so I can live a long, active life. The weight loss and "looking good" aspect are bonuses, but the main focus is health.

So ask yourself, why do you want to lose weight? Make a list of all the reasons you want to embark on this journey. Maybe it's to look good? To be able to play a sport you like? To fit into certain clothes? To resolve/manage a health issue (high BP/diabetes)? To have children or be healthier to raise your children?

There are endless reasons and all of these reasons are great. But again, only you can motivate you. There is no outside source to get you going. You have to want to do this for you.

My personal bias is towards counting calories and leaning more towards whole foods (WW is a similar plan but they call calories points), but you have to pick what's right for you. Check out the many subforums here about different plans.

Good luck! You can do it!

I think everyone has given you some great advice. One thing I'll slightly disagree with is that you need to pick a plan now and stick with it.

My best advice is to start off knowing where you are. So with that in mind:

Start by keeping a food journal. Write down everything you eat, and how much. And I mean everything. If you eat the crusts off your kids sandwiches, write that down. If you taste the sauce when you cook dinner, write that down. If you take 3 pretzels from a friend at lunch, write that down. I found that knowing what and how much I ate gave me a really good insight into where I could start cutting back and how I could alter my diet to be more healthy.

Once you see where you are, you'll have a much easier time figuring out where you should go!

.

Also, I wanted to add that something that helps me a lot is surrounding myself with positive media. We don't realize what an impact radio, tv, and news have on us.

These days I try to surround myself with positive media. I listen to health/fitness related podcasts, I read books about health/fitness/weight loss, I listen to Jillian Michael's radio show, I watch tv shows that are more positive and not portraying people unrealistically (sorry but I avoid shows like Lipstick Jungle and Desperate Housewives).

It's amazing the difference is has made for me. Staying positive and focused makes a big difference.

Great advice.

thanks so much for all of the support! i am starting out slow (started a food journal and have made plans for meals for today...i have also started to count calories but not obsessively) and hopefully i will find what works for me. this thread has been a great motivator in itself!

thanks all!

I started with a food journal, too, and it gave me the extra kick I needed to start the exercise and serious calorie counting. Like Photo Chick said, write down everything... i wasn't counting every calorie closely, and it was the little extra here and there that were killing me!

Good luck! You can do it!