I have motivation but NO WILLPOWER

[LadyOfSnowdon]

I'm getting desperate. I've ballooned from size 10 to 22 in the last four years (stress, comfort eating, two pregnancies in two consecutive years, tiredness, rubbish food, more comfort eating). Until then I'd always been size 10 with healthy eating habits and no issues with food. How things have changed!

I know what I should do and eat. I have motivation - I want to be slim again, healthier, fitter and wear all those gorgeous clothes I have that won't go beyond my ankles.

The problem is, I have no willpower. None whatsoever. If I'm tired and hungry, I'll grab a McDonald's and won't exercise. Raining? I'll stay in. Watching a film in the evening? Oh, grab a pack of crisps. Or two. You get the picture.

I'd appreciate any tips on how to stop being so weak and get of my backside and out of the fridge ??

Thank you!

Stop being so hard on yourself. Set a small goal - I'll go out for a 5 minute walk; I'll halve my usual portion of breakfast cereal; I'll drink a litre of water - that sort of thing.

Get a few small sucesses under your belt. Then maybe consider joining a class or buy a diet book or exercise DVD you fancy the look of. Baby steps. Good luck.

Are you me??

I'm attempting to change my mental state. I like food. I like cake.
I've realised that if I eat a slice it tastes just as good as if I eat the whole thing.
Bonus- it lasts longer too!
I tell myself that fact every time I'm reaching for something. And I also don't have much in the house.

Fruit. Gorge yourself on fruit.
Drink more water.
The eating is a habit for me not hunger. So when I think I'm hungry I drink water and usually the 'hunger' goes away.

And agree with pp, set small goals - a short walk etc.

We're running a marathon here. Not a sprint!

For me it all goes wrong when I'm tired and I reach for the crap food. I don't buy biscuits or crisps I like anymore and have healthy snacks like yoghurt or fruit. Portion size is another issue for me so now I'm weighing stuff and then filling the rest of the plate with a salad. After eating I don't get seconds or dessert for half an hour - by then my body has worked out it's actually full. Also I find planning my meals and snacks a day ahead helps a lot. Still early days for me but I've set a goal to reach by March so I don't have to think I'll never eat cake again, it's just for a few weeks - I'm hoping that I'll lose enough weight to motivate me to keep being healthier. I love my fitness pal app as I'm logging exactly what I eat so I can see that evenings is an issue for me so I save calories for then. But it's about finding what works for you. Friends of mine love sw and it worked for me after dd1 but with dd 2 and 3 I just couldn't get excited about it.

I could have written your OP, I've gone from a size 10 to a 22 and I'm honestly struggling to remember how I managed to be so slim. I can stick to a diet for up to a month at the most, then it all falls apart. I have an all or nothing mentality (to a lot of things, not just food).
Sorry this isn't a very helpful response!

Hi, I was we're you are a few years ago. I was a size 26 and over 300lbs. I am now a size 4 or 6 and basically anorexic.

Go slow and small goals. Drink lots and lots of water. A full glass before meals and eat off a smaller plate. Avoid white things, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta. Concentrate on greens and meats. A little exercise each day, even if it is sitting in a chair and lifting your legs like a pair of scissors for ten to fifteen minutes. Every little bit you move helps. Hide the scale and don't be obsessed with it ,like I was/am.

You can do this. Just don't get to extreme, like I unfortunately have. Wishing you much success in a lifestyle change as it must be a lifestyle change for you to really be successful. and no

Oh, one last thing do NOT refer to being on a DIET. you are changing your lifestyle not going on a diet. Diets fail, I believe in you and will be here to help cheer you on.

Just dont buy the treats (crisps, biscuits, cakes). The great thing about kids is that once they're in bed you're trapped in the house so you can't just run up the petrol station for snacks so if you dont have them in, you cant eat them. Cut up veggies like cucumber and carrots and keep them on hand in the fridge with some salsa dip as an alternative snack. Beef jerky is also a great filling snack and plain popcorn is cheap (buy the kernels not the microwave stuff) and easy to make (but you have to make it, so limits mindless grazing)

Make small changes/ try to curb the worst excesses, so maybe as a start, try to improve the quality of your diet rather than focusing on weight loss, and then once that's in hand, focus on portion control.

Ladies, thank you SO MUCH! Your tips are great. I'm afraid I'm also a "all or nothing" person so I struggle with baby steps and sensible steps But what you say makes sense and makes the whole process easier. Fingers crossed!

I was just planning to post a very similar thing!
I have always struggles with my weight but spent a good 5 years at my ideal weight and then another 3-4 being overweight but not too much. I'm now a size 18-20 and I feel terrible about it. I'm miserable about it a lot of the time but I just can't muster the willpower to stick to anything. After a day or two I cave, give up, snack, feast!
I don't know what it will take to get me going. I have a young son and want more children so would like to be healthy for him and any future babies. That's just not enough to keep me going though

Rosielieveson, I know exactly how you feel! I'm angry at myself for being such a weakling but it doesn't stop me. I think it'll be a case of "grin and bear it" for a few months.

I got rid of all the unhealthy stuff from my house so if I'm peckish I have to snack on the good stuff All the advice from mums here is BRILLIANT!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Xxx

I had the lightbulb moment when i saw myself in a huge mirror (don't have any full length ones at home) i had a good long hard look at myself and thought, what the fuck are you doing to yourself?
I always thought i carried the extra weight well, was always dressed nice with make up, nice hair etc…yet there i was looking like i was wearing a fat suit!
I totally changed my eating habits, no ifs no buts, no excuses i just kept thinking about myself hidden under all that flab.
It has been an experience only eating when i need to and not just because i feel like it, my whole attitude to food has changed and i barely think about food now.
I look at food as fuel, not a treat and it seems to be working, i know this is how i need to be for the rest of my life but I'm happy with that, i feel so much better and have lost nearly 5 and a half stone now.
I feel like I'm finally letting myself be the person i deserve to be.