How do you psych yourself to lose weight?

Question

I am struggling to lose about 50 lbs. I need some serious advise please. I start dieting for a few days - maybe a week, and get real excited about dropping a few pounds. Then before I know it, I've fallen off the wagon, and gone back to my bad eating habits.

Answer 1

To successfully lose weight, you must carry out a plan to balance your caloric intake with exercise. Ideally, dieting should be done by eating a nutritionally balanced, low-calorie diet and increasing physical activity

What happens when we start to diet is a mental exercise that puts us out of control. For me, I found that I was an emotional eater; not one that ate excessively. Also, a frustration eater, which meant I needed something to comfort me quickly and I found that in food like chips and candy. Too much of that piled on the pounds. I had to change my eating habit. The last link will help you with some of that. Once I started losing weight, I wanted to keep it off and it was a battle, but my new eating habit helped me control that. When I went out, I ate salads. For my sugar cravings, I sought fruit. I also never kept those "goody-goodies" in my house as they would be too tempting.

I also have a good support system: my husband! He is from Morocco and eats nutritious meals, which really helped me. I long ago left the "fried" world and only indulge once in awhile. In fact, once you change your eating habits, your palate will also change. Often, if I smelled grease, the bile would rise and I would not want fried shrimp (my once upon a time favorite).

Good luck! I know you can do it because I did - I lost over 80 pounds (found it and lost it again, this time, keeping it off). It isn't easy at first but it gets easier as you conquer it mentally.

Answer 2

Dont keep junk food in the house. find a friend to diet and exercise with. Give yourself a "cheat" day where you and give yourself a SMALL treat; Dont tell yourself you can never eat a certain food. Every food is fine to eat in MODERATION. Give yourself a non-food treat everytime you reach a goal. Say you lose 10 lbs go and get a manicure or a pedicure. It will give you something to look forward to. DONT weigh yourself everyday. Your weight will fluctuate and it will just drive you nuts!!! Start a savings account with money from something you give up...like fast food. When you reach your goal use the money for something you want such as a great pair of shoes or a new outfit.

last but not least!!!! if you happend to fall off the wagon dont sweat it and give up!!! Just jump right back on! Everyone has their bad days when the are trying to lose weight!

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!

Answer 3

I used to have the exact same problem as you. Once I started reaching a good weight, I'd stop being disciplined and gained it all back. The only real remedy is to keep up constant exercise to make sure you're burning enough calories. Also, you have to force yourself to diet for at least a month, because once you stick to it for that long and start to see advanced results, it's motivation enough not to stop. And while dieting, don't deny yourself treats like a square of chocolate now and then. Just make sure you balance out the calories even (so when you sin on a donut or something, make sure you cut back on something else). Other than that, it's motivation enough to watch the E! channel and see skinny people. It makes me want to be disciplined and stop snacking. So, to sum it up: make sure to stick to the diet for a while, and don't just only eat salad or other diet foods. Eat normal foods but in little portions. Because otherwise you'll always be craving those other foods. Good luck with everything!

Answer 4

I feel your pain. I am trying to lose at least 60 pounds myself. I have been going to to the gym 6 days a week for the past three weeks and I've lost a mere 2.5 pounds. It's so easy to get discouraged. To stay motivated you have to work in stages. My goal of 60 lbs is almost too much to think about at once and seems like such an impossible goal at times that it is easy to get discouraged. SO- what I am doing is taking a pair of pants I love that I have been unable to get into for a while and making them my short-term goal. After a few months I should be able to fit into those pants and that will give me motivation to make them too big. So go for small goals, exercise and eat smaller portions of the foods you like. Also eat more often, so you don't over eat at mealtime. Drink lots and lots of water. Maybe find a picture (I use an old one of myself when I was in shape) that can motivate you toward your goal. Keep trying, if you fall off the wagon get right back on. Good luck.

Answer 5

I don't. I psych myself to try and gain weight... but it never works.

On the general subject of psyching out though.... I'd suggest watching a lot of wazi kung-fu films and then trying to emulate the cool scenes.... I'm fairly sure at least 50% of my exercise comes from prancing about in my room kicking and striking and being generally amused at the awesome moves in asian films...

The other 50% comes from necessarily walking to and from Sainsbury's (an hour's walking) every day or so.... and walking to and from the tube station on the way to work... which takes a while as well.

Its no use doing exercise for its own sake. That is far too easily dropped. The only kinds that won't be dropped are exercise that fulfills some sort of practical purpose (such as walking to the shops) and exercise that doesn't feel like exercise at all (in my case: prancing about like a hyperactive idiot).
Perhaps try more caffiene in your diet to make you more hyperactive. If thats not enough... Vodka and Red Bull works. Caffiene to make the body hyperactive and alcohol to dull the brain a bit. Before you know it, with enough of that in your system you'll be running about like a lunatic, picking fights with cars and generally feeling like you're the most powerful being in the Universe..... and you'll be able to lose 50lbs overnight... =P

Maybe try running about naked too. Some people tend to sweat a lot, and its a lot more comfortable if that sweat isn't sticking to your clothes and your body.... thus easier to exercise more.

Oh yeah... and eat more fish and plant-leaves... less plant-fruit and red meat.... if you can be bothered. If you can't keep to the diet, you're better off relying on hyperactivity.


Note: If you think my answers are stupid, don't hesitate to contact me and tell me so.... but I think it makes perfect sense in an unorthodox kind of way.

Answer 6

If your serious about losing weight, then you have to keep yourself motivated. THINSPERATION! Find photos of girls that are thin and keep them posted around you as motivation. The ideal body type FOR YOU... Find that and put those kinds of pictures up. The best advice is to stay under 1200-1500 calories per day and DO NOT DRINK SODA!!! Its pretty easy. Have 3 400 calorie meals and 2 snacks! Special K makes cereal bars that are so Good and only 90 calories each!

Answer 7

I know it seems difficult, but you can make it. You don't have to starve yourself. I used to eat a lot when I was depressed, too. But trying older clothes made me understand that it's not to joke about. So I made a decision: eat whatever I want, in smaller quantities, but not eat after 5 PM. It works. And it is not very difficult either. Don't forget to eat healthy things when you eat.You'll be able to keep this promise even when you feel depressed. One more thing. This doesn't solve your depresion. About that, you must find another cure. But losing weight will make you gain self esteem. Good luck! P.S.: Losing weight is not the most important thing in your life. You should be proud of yourself because you are in college, your family loves you and thinks you are beautiful and you have a boyfriend. Things are not that bad afterall.

Answer 8

Hye, I have the same problems too. But, I find myself quite disciplined in terms of small goals I make on a weekly basis. First, I tell myself, I will go fitness centre 5 times per week no matter how busy. I keep track of my progress in my blog, recording whatever good fitness stuffs I did throughout my day. Then, I cut down on fast food, not totally, but slowly make the portion smaller, asked the waiter to change Coke to Sprite. Slowly quit after 10pm meals by eating smaller portion. Avoid meat, eat more fruits and vegetables. My progress? I haven't seen any major improvement yet, but I certainly feel motivated to continue a healthy lifestyle. I read more articles about health complications as a result of obesity, I sleep early and I stretch in the morning and eat more wheat stuffs. I hope this little info do help you. Hey, maybe we can email each other and encourage one another. Good day!

Answer 9

find a picture of what you want to look like and post it where you will see it every day, (preferable on your fridge) and make yourself believe you will look like that, don't let yourself get or feel discouraged even if you don't see results right away.

Every time you feel like eating something you that is extremely fatty then ask yourself "do I really need this, will it really satisfy me, or will I feel bad afterward, and then eat more to subconsciously punish myself?"

If your desire to loose weight is stronger than your desire to eat forbidden goodies, then you will have the will power to believe in yourself, and be good to yourself.
You should also exercise, even a little bit every day, it will enhance your weight loss results.

Also you must allow yourself one small treat a day to curb cravings. Try eating 1200 calories and 45 grams of fat a day. When you count everything you eat it makes you more aware of staying to a diet.

Answer 10

OK this happens unintentionally, but whenever I watch a war film (like Windtalkers) and I see all these men running for their lives, it get a real kick in the ***. It makes me wonder if I'd be fit enough to survive if someone came dropping bombs on my head. That's how I get psyched; I get scared the hell out of my laziness.