Caught in a vicious cycle

D

desireforchange

New member
Hello, my name is Christine. I am looking for others who are like myself who are struggling with their weight loss. At this point in time, I weigh 245lbs. I would like to lose 120lbs by the end of 2012.


I have one issue, though, and that is that I keep getting caught in a cycle. I jump on the weight loss train, all gung-ho, where I am motivated for a few weeks, and then I end up giving up right away. I don't know why I do this when I feel great when I'm eating well and working out daily and feel like sh*t when I give up.


Anyone have any suggestions to break out of this vicious cycle? I need advice on how I can change up my work outs and meals. More than anything, I really don't feel like I have a support system at home, so I have to turn somewhere for it. I have this deep desire to change my lifestyle, but I just can't seem to get out of this rut. I am also on a very tight budget so I can't always buy the right foods I need, which is also an issue for me. I look forward to learning new things and continuing my weight loss journey, this time doing it the right way.


Thanks, and hope to hear from you soon,

Christine
 
Hi Christine! Trust me, I'm very familiar with the vicious cycle. I've lost 55 pounds in the past and over the past year managed to gain back 15. I'm committed now to losing that weight but still struggle to find the focus I once had. I think everyone has different methods that seem to work great for them, and for me personally, viewing dieting as a mandatory obligation seems to work. I HAVE to get up for work in the morning, I HAVE to pay my bills, and if i want to lead a healthy lifestyle and feel comfortable in my own body- I HAVE to watch what I eat. Strictly monitoring my calories ALWAYS works for me. Try using an online calorie calculator that lets you input your height, weight, and activity level and tells you the amount you should be consuming everyday. Then, envision that number like a monetary budget and stick to it! (If you ran out of cash on a shopping trip and left your credit card at home, could you still purchase something just because you wanted it?) The reason I say to focus on calories is because although healthy foods are important, counting calories allows you to technically eat whatever you have in the house or that you can afford...so long as it's within your daily caloric limits. Also, weigh yourself as often as possible. I do every morning (stripped down army style, because you know, my socks might add a pound or two...LOL ) Knowing that I'm going to weigh in the next morning keeps me from making poor decisions the night before. I WANT to see the scale go down, because we all know how empowering that feeling is. When faced with temptation, I ask myself if I'll walk away and later regret not eating whatever it was. Does that outweigh the regret I'll feel later having indulged? The answer is always no.


This is what I tell myself. It's a slippery slope. Start today. It seems like such a long journey but you'll only delay the finish line if you don't start today. Just envision looking back a few months from now and being grateful you started when you did.
 
Christine,

Hang in there. Too many people stop their weight loss program because they try to do too much to quickly. Don't try to do everything but stick to the basics. What are they? A doable exercise program and a solid diet.

Walk. Walk everyday and make it a habit. If you can, in time, work in some jogging intervals. If not, just keep walking.

Plan your diet. Plan on what you are going to eat for the entire day, snacks and meals. Don't cut your calories so much that you have no energy and pick the foods that are good for you. You will be able to eat more if you eat the right foods. I did some research online to find the best foods to lose weight and stay healthy.

You can do it.
 
Christine, I HATE that cycle. I've been on it a few times myself. Currently, I've been more successful in my weight-loss journey than ever in my life. The way I did that was I wrote it down! You have a great goal to reach by the end of 2012, but I would encourage you to WRITE DOWN WHY you want that for yourself. Trust me, without writing it down and understanding all of the goals, reasons, and benefits, it is much easier to quit when the going gets tough. If you have your WHYs in mind and on paper, the days that go by that we cheat or that we feel discouraged are just blips on the radar because you can focus on the overall picture. I've lost 40 pounds so far, and I have zero doubt that I will reach my goals and feel amazing about my body for the first time in my life. I would love to encourage each other in this!!
 
Thanks everyone for your advice! I am slowly trying to make some changes in my lifestyle. It's been difficult, but I'm making sure I don't make excuses for why I can't work out. The longer I put it off, the longer and more difficult it is going to be losing the weight and staying fit in the long run.

Jmins, that is a good suggestion, I made a run to the grocery store just yesterday and made some good choices. I'm going to make the best of what I have. I have also made myself a daily caloric intake limit so it makes me have to work harder to keep track of everything I put into my body.

gmac, starting out trying to do much has always been my downfall because I get discouraged right away. Right now I'm making a habit of doing a short weight lifting workout(about 20-30min) and then walking/running on the treadmill (20-30min). It has been going good so far.

coachkatlyn, one issue is that I don't believe in myself. I will try writing down reasons why I need to lose the weight, and I hope that then I will be able to be more successful. So far, I have lost around 6lbs since I last posted. It feels good to even lose that much, and I want to keep it going. Yes, lets keep in touch with this, because I think that is just what I need. I need someone who is doing it along with me. I think that is something everyone needs because it is much harder when you are going at it alone.
 
Hi Christine, I am new to this site, but i have been where you are and i think we are very much alike. Its like you get to this point where you doubt yourself, or one week you don't lose as much weight as you would like, and its frustrating. I think the biggest thing is Trust yourself and believe in yourself and make DOABLE goals for yourself. Losing weight in my opinion is like a job, If you don't like your job its like you want to quit. If you do something that you want to do your more willing to stick with it. Think of what you want to do, like what kind of exercises are you happy doing? then be sure to do that 2-3times a week. Change up what exercises you do and what foods you eat. otherwise you will get bored with it. Writing down reasons why you want to lose weight and making doable goals is a great idea. One of the main things is watching how many calories you take in and how many calories you burn. When I was in high school I took grapefruit pills to help aid in losing weight just cause i couldn't stand the taste of grapefruit. Grapefruit pills are all natural and do help when it comes to losing weight. I pulled this information off a website to just give you a little information about grapefruit pills and why they are good. Many grapefruit pills contain pectin, a water-soluble form of fiber found in the cell walls of plants. The high pectin content in grapefruit pills can help users feel full, leading to a natural reduction in calorie intake, which could lead to weight loss. Pectin also aids the digestive process, accelerating digestion and waste elimination thereby promoting further weight loss. I lost about 70lbs in like 6months when I was in school. taking grapefruit pills along with counting my calories and doing about an hour or two of exercise. But now i have put it back on :( I am not very happy with myself.

This site has a lot of great information and not only that but from what i have seen has a lot of great people to that will help motivate you.
 
Hi Christine


Its nice to meet you,


I think the problem with most diets are that they require you to fit your life around your diet instead of the opposite way around.


I just continue to eat like i did before but just eat less and it really works i.e. no special protein powders, vegetables, health drinks etc.


As for exercise I just walk the dog and lift weights on several nights after work.


If you need any help feel free to message back.


Mark
 
Hey Christine-

Good for you for setting some awesome goals. There's definitely some great advice from the people above. My recommendation, if you can, is to find a trainer to work with or get a couple of friends to work out with you. If not then at least make others around you aware of your goals, that will help keep you accountable. Set some short term goals for each week and month and award yourself when you achieve them. Good luck!
 
Hi, I can feel your frustration when I read your posts. One thing I've found is that in order to make a life long change you need to change something about your perspective on top of your new exercise and eating routine. Changing your perspective can actually be fun. Think about something you've always wanted to learn, like dancing, or painting, or even a bible class. There are lots of groups out there that will get you immersed in something other than your weight loss.


As far as counting calories. I really like 'my fitness pal'. They allow you to select food from their database, you can set a goal weight and calorie limit and then also select exercises that subtract the correct amount of calories from the food you eat and give you a net calorie count.


For inspiration I really like 'new life harmony'. They post articles about inspiring you, not just about weight loss.


Anyway, I hope this post finds you well and on track.
 
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