Hi all,

It's day 9 into my plan and I am doing well. I overate a few times but on healthy foods, I am easing back into my healthy lifestyle after a long term binge on sugary fatty things. I can't find the motivation to go on, well, I don't want to binge and I am not cravings "bad" foods but I just don't know how to be positive about my weight loss anymore, I have tried and failed many times since August (after reaching and staying on my goal for 18 months). I feel tired and depressed all the time. Does anyone have any tips? I was were I wanted to be and I messed it all up... a part of me thinks I will never go back...

Hey Jasmine,

I've been struggling with weight loss since 2002. Honestly I lost and regained weight so many times I lost count, I tried every popular weight loss program I could get my hands on. I'm roughly 6'4 so my goal weight is about 200-210 lbs. On my most recent attempt I was 295 lbs. fat and ugly slobbery mess. Today I'm 230 and daam do I not look different, my whole life is different for it. I feel amazing, people talk to me differently. Remember I said my goal was 210 lb range? I got to 212 pounds roughly 3 -4 years ago and 216 lbs back in December. See I'm not going to give up because I failed, failing = you learned something. It's not the end. See the problem is that when we start the journey we are sure of what we want at first, but when the going gets tough we become unsure and begin to doubt ourselves and think that it may actually not be possible for us.We stop considering how each decision we make affects the ultimate result we desire. But the truth is the following:

We have never been at a stage where our body has less weight to manage and requires less calories to manage itself, so our brain still thinks it needs more because its so used to getting stuffed with food, so it sends signals to your body, tell it that it needs more food. Our bodies simply do not yet understand how to function in this new changed state.

Remember fat is a STORED ENERGY SOURCE. That's why we cut calories, so that our body can burn this extra stored energy source (fat) and reveal our true beautiful bodies. The only thing in your way is food, eating is 80% of the battle, exercise is the other 20%. (Seriously you can even lose a lot of weight by just changing your diet with no exercise)

Now to beat that hunger you may want to include more foods high in Fibre and more starchy complex carbohydrates.

Green lentils, oatmeal , brown rice, sweet potatoes , these are all great.

Now you may be thinking hey I don't like any of those foods. Just remember that "you can't get something for nothing."

I tried my best and I hope that it helps you out in living a more fruitful life. Good Luck and feel free to pm me if you need anymore help.

P.S Self defeating thoughts like that will not help you achieve your result any faster either, each time you think of those thoughts popping up, replace it with something positive.

Hi Healthyfitlife

Thank you for your post, it is helpful. I have enough food knowledge to become a nutritionist lol. The voices in my head are wut's getting in my way. You made a lot of good points and I appreciate the pep talk My struggle is to find the positive when I go into my dark thoughts. They always trip me up! What do you do when they pop into your head?

Lol yes the voices are what get me. To be honest I actually don't have a full proof plan against the voices, (or else I would have a six pack by now.) I usually use the following three ghetto tactics:

1)remember why I first started and imagine myself looking a lot better

2)Check out other motivational fitness models on the web and say daam I don't even look close, instead of binge eating I should just go to the gym LOL

3)or I simply just fight it as hard as I can.

But you asking me made me think I need a new strategy or else I may never get to the end. These 3 aren't that great, or else I'd be ripped by now :/. Let's both try harder!!!

But its easier for others cause they are skinny to begin with or they have better body types and burn fat with ease without trying, its actually pretty unfair.

Why did you start? What was the "thing" that got you motivated?

The why, may change over time, the focus should be on "how!"

I want "this", so it's kind of like, saving to buy a house, or pursuing a college degree, planning a wedding, training to run the Boston Marathon, a friend finished, 2224 yesterday out of around 30,000 runners. 3 years of training and qualifying!

We have the "why", we just need to be patient, and figure out the how.

There will always be pitfalls along the way. There really is no failure, only feed back. Let's say, you empty your trash every day, like clock work, but one day, it's a blizzard! And you can't see the dumpster, so you don't empty the trash. Do you give up and say, I'm never taking out the trash again? NO. As soon as you can, you take it out.

Things do not end when you fall down, but they do end, when you choose to "NOT GET UP" and try again!

It's like learning to ride a bike, fall off 9 times, get up 10!

If you think about it, how many things have you succeeded at? What did you do to succeed? You did not give up!

This is no different. Patience! Perserverance, get up more times than you fall down. You will get IT!

What level of dark thoughts, voices and so forth are we talking about here? I'm wondering if it's worth chatting to a doctor about your mental health.