What is/was The Thing that kept you on your diet/losing weight?!?

[amorningperson]

Hello all! I’ve been trying the last 10 lbs of baby weight for the passed 4 years, I start with good intentions but always fall off the wagon and it’s so hard to get back on. Just wondering if you guys had a moment, thought or anything really that was THE thing that kept you going this time? I remember losing 1 stone one year in high school cause an ex called me fat and I was like well FU!!! Best motivation ever. I sustained it my journaling a lot too, about what it would feel like to feel good about myself and not be ‘the fat friend’ anymore. It really spurred me on and lit a fire in my (rumbly) belly.

Falling in love with exercise and wanting to be slim/flexible enough to achieve more.

It was the mental challenge of it. I had set myself a target and a realistic time frame and come what may, I didn't want to fail.

I used to use slipping up as an excuse to self-sabotage, until I realised that it's okay to fall of the wagon for a day or a week. Just get back on it.

@Spodge

Falling in love with exercise and wanting to be slim/flexible enough to achieve more.

This for me too.

Also really enjoying cooking healthy food

I take it one day at a time - all I have to do today is keep in control of my eating. I'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow.

Also read an article with the author Lee Child that stuck with me. He keeps himself very slim as being slightly hungry helps his creative focus. And he said you only ever really enjoy the first and last mouthfuls of food so you don't ever need to eat as much as you think.

for some reason that made everything so much easier.

I stopped thinking about losing weight and started thinking about eating nutritious food 80% of the time. So protein at every meal, mostly meat and veg at lunch/supper.
I wasn't overweight but like you wanted to lose about a stone to get back to my pre-baby self.

I knew we wanted to TTC, and that having a BMI over a certain number would restrict/change my pregnancy and delivery experience and choices. Lost 60lbs over 18 months, and during that time found exercise I enjoyed and an appropriate amount of food for my goals. I went into my pregnancy at my lowest adult weight. Baby arrived a couple of weeks ago, currently 9lb up on pre pregnancy weight but looking forward to getting back to the exercise routine I had before.

For me it's still being able to have tasty interesting food, so we use Gousto for 4 meals a week. All options show you the calories for the recipes. Also exercise, allows a few extra treats while still losing weight.

Weighing myself daily in terms of losing 1 stone. Duh I know - but that’s what actually has kept it off too. I think it just makes me do ‘micro corrections’ in the back of my mind in terms of what I eat. I exercise too but I’ve always done that part.

I weight myself daily too. I've got an upper limit and if I'm getting close to that start to rein myself in, usually by cal counting for a few days.

It's the only thing that keeps me on track

For me, I did not want to be fat and middle aged. I can't do anything about my age, but I can about my weight. I joined a transformation gym and have done three workouts a week for nearly two years and following a calories controlled high protein diet. Yes, I have lost two stone then put some back on, but I'm not going to be too hard on myself as the first half of this year was tough for me. I am so much happier with how I look and feel and my self esteem and confidence have improved.

Stopping drinking.
Wanting to wear all my clothes, not just the ones I could fit into at my current weight. I'm able to use all my wardrobe now, which has been like buying new.
My Fitness Pal to track weight loss (rather than enter food/calories, which I found disproportionate work to the weight I needed to lose).

I found exercise that I enjoy and made it part of my daily routine. Still going over a year later which is the longest I've even stuck to any kind of diet/exercise plan. The exercise keeps me motivated as I get sluggish if i eat badly (which I do occasionally for holidays/meals out etc), and I honestly genuinely enjoy exercise now which I have never been able to say before! Even if I'm going through a patch of bad eating, I still do the exercise.

Previously, having an event to lose weight by. This time age, losing tone, desire to strength train, desire to buy new clothes, look nice in photos, dopamine from exercise, challenging myself fitness wise.

I do think you have to be in the right frame of mind though - sometimes what is going on in your life can make it difficult to stick to calories as you just think "sod it". Lots of trainers recommend self-help type books which are about strategies to stay on it more consistently. Also everyone is different, what works for one person to keep on track doesn't for another.

Exercise, which as someone used to hate it, is weird.

I’m still not a fan of cardio but I love strength training. Losing weight and looking better in gym clothes is a huge motivation and I’ve lost 30kg while getting fitter/stronger. Gym is my me time.

It’s also not wanting to undo the hard work of what I’ve achieved, so that keeps me on track with healthy eating and continuing with the weight loss. Being physically strong is such a confidence boost too.