I am in some serious need of motivation. I feel very close to the point of quitting my diet, which would be so disappointing.

I have about 6 more pounds to lose, and I've lost around 5 already. I started counting calories about three months ago. My weight loss has been very slow, mostly because I have "fallen off the wagon" quite a few times. I really love food, and restricting the amount of food that I eat takes its toll on me. I'll do a great job of staying within my healthy calorie range all week, but once the weekend comes I usually get to the point where I can't stand it and try to indulge in as much as I can in the shortest amount of time to basically get in all the eating I can before coming to my senses.

I feel like my diet has caused me to become way too obsessed with food. I've never had problems with binging, but lately I find myself doing just that. I'm not restricting my calorie intake by an unreasonable amount, but just having to count the calories really seems to bother me. Sadly, it is the only way I can seem to lose weight (in combination with exercise).

How does everyone else stay motivated? How do you keep yourself from just letting go and eating so much that it makes it nearly impossible to maintain your weight loss? I don't know if I am just particularly addicted to food, or if I just lack willpower. It bothers me that I have lost the ability to just feel normal about food, and to naturally know how much to eat and to stop when I'm full.

Well, I hope this isn't too much of a downer of a post! If anyone can relate or has some helpful advice, I'd really appreciate it!

Stop dieting and instead focus on eating healthy and getting active. If you're willing to count calories forever go ahead, but odds are you aren't going to do that. If you only needed to lose 11 pounds that isn't too bad in the first place. Don't beat yourself up when you eat bad. That can lead to a vicious cycle itself where you eat healthy for a while, mess up, beat yourself up, binge, eat healthy for a while, etc....

Set some physical goals such as running a 5K and then you can stop focusing on eating and focus on getting in shape. You'll naturally start to eat healthier. Working out in the morning helps too because you won't want to overeat the night before or you'll feel bloated in the morning. I've got a thousand tips, but it all can be boiled down to get active, eat healthy, set physical goals. and don't do anything you can't continue doing for a lifetime.

You can do it!

Thanks for your advice, Brad! I should probably try to incorporate some physical goals, like you mentioned. I am basically just trying to lose the weight I gained in the past few years of college, so it's not that much, but it sure is difficult!

I like your idea of thinking less about dieting and more about living a healthy life, but I find this has not worked so well for me in the past. I wasn't able to actually lose any weight until I started keeping track of calories. I have definitely changed my eating habits for the better by doing so, but, like I said, I am getting very discouraged with this feeling of being restricted. At the same time, I've been under the impression that restriction is a part of losing weight.

So I don't necessarily see myself being on a diet like this for the rest of my life (unless I want to continue to lose weight even after I reach my goal). Once I get to my goal, I feel that I can maintain a healthy diet with a higher calorie intake. It's just the phase that I am in right now that I am really struggling with. I just want to lose those last 6 pounds, but am now losing the self-control I used to have.

Hi J,

I feel pretty similarly to Brad on this one. I know you really want to lose weight, but I think you may want to think about ways that focus on the positives instead of the negatives. First, if restricting your diet is really leaving you feeling unsatisfied, maybe you can focus on even more exercise instead. Net calorie intake is what matters, so more exercise has the same effect as less calories eaten. Plus, it has the added benefit of getting your system used to burning calories rather than possibly making your metabolism think that you need to conserve because there's a famine out there.

Secondly, don't beat yourself up over small mistakes. Your recorded diets look pretty good except for a few spots here and there, and you have to realize that if you're going to stay healthy, you have to plan an eating schedule that you can handle. Perhaps try allowing yourself those small treats on a more regular basis, so that you get a little fill and don't feel the need to binge on a whole bunch of treats when you finally lose it.

Good luck! I know you'll find a way that it works out for you.

Here are a few of the things I do, some might work for you.

* 90% rule - I only have to do 90% of what I set out for in the beginning. I try for 100%, but messing up 1 in 10 is still success.

* Planned food - I plan what I'll eat the night before for my first 4 meals so I don't have to think about it while eating. (I eat breakfast, post workout, mid morning, lunch, late afternoon, dinner, and snack. I may very well be a hobbit.)

* Nutrient dense food. I've heard this from researchers and from personal experience that foods with high levels vitamins and proteins trigger a sense of being full much sooner than low nutrient foods. The explanation I was given had to do with your body craving food to get nutrients, not calories.

* Chocolate every day. Seriously. I'm not "on a diet", I'm changing my diet. Part of making this a real change is making it something I can live with and I can live with chocolate every day. Usually just one piece of chocolate from a box, but that's hardly a rough life.

JG, if you find yourself bingeing frequently, maybe your calorie-restricted diet isn't giving you the nutrients you need. In addition to counting your calories, you should look at your protein intake, vitamins, and minerals. Make sure that your body is getting what it needs.

It also sounds like you're not getting a lot of exercise. When you get to your target weight, exercising means that you can up your calories without gaining weight.

Be good to yourself.

I know how you feel J G. I felt the same way about diets until I found out there "just like religions" (a whole bunch and none of 'em work); however, a lifestyle does work!

The Fit for Life method has worked well for me, and I never feel deprived and, hallelujah, I don't even know how to count calories <g>.

The Creator made the day into three eight-hour cycles, and I follow that pattern:
* 12-8pm = consumption
Time to eat! Load up on leafy salads, fresh vegetables, and one 'complicated' food (not a water based vegetable).

* 8pm-4am = digestion
Ideally, our last bite should be at 5pm to give our stomach ~3hrs to empty so our digestive system can get its eight hours of work in

* 4am-noon = elimination
Time to detoxify all that stuff we ate and then digested, so flush it out with fresh fruit and/or fresh fruit juice. Why are people so tired in the morning after nearly eight hours of sleep? The body is still trying to digest all that late night intake.

Feel free to adjust the time if your work schedule dictates and, as always, your mileage may vary (YMMV)

hey scott!! thanks for posting that bit of information. i always feel restless in the morning and i never knew why. i'll try to eat dinner a little earlier and see if it helps.

JG, people naturally gain a bit of weight during college. 11 pounds isn't bad. i used to be 4% body fat, and now i'm closer to 10%. i feel much healthier and i enjoy eating whatever i want! don't torture yourself over 6-11 lbs. but if you want to lose it, you're in the right place. it sounds like you should try another diet. counting calories is not fun and you cant eat the stuff you want. have you checked out the Johnson's Up Day Down Day diet? u might like that one.

Well this is interesting. 10% body fat for a guy qualifies for being a fitness trainer or someone who is interested in fitness, or in other words it is not the norm.

For a woman, expecially one who is younger, 23% body fat is desirable, if you go below that, and stay that, you will have trouble conceiving when you are ready to have children.

The most common sense thing said here is about developing a lifestyle. They talk about the freshman fifteen in general, and that's because of the amount of carbohydrate dense, almost fiberless, and low on nutrients food that is available.

My suggestion is this, do not eat white food, and stop counting calories.

The new 72% Cacao chocolate bars are actually healthy for you, but that means one or two squares a day, not the whole bar.

And as for exercise, walking 30 mins a day will keep your metabolism running and so wil six small meals.

When you cheat on the weekend be aware that an increase of 3500 calories and you know how that works, fries are like 600 I think, will either keep you from losing a pound or you could gain a pound, and then have it back off by the following weekend, which is probably what you are experiencing.

The difference in your energy if you stay away from white foods, will be amazing and are you drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day?

That's my best advice.

Hi, I completely understand, however, your "over weight" is so minor that I really wouldn't worry about it. Personally I don't stay motivated, I force myself not to eat too many calories - every day.

If you need to lose another few pounds, try eating a healthy meal every day. I have changed a meal a day for soup, that may be extreme for some so try something else. Change your breakfast from bread to low fat youghurt with some fruit and muesli, could be as simple as that. Or at least change whatever you eat for breakfast to something lighter (whole milk for semi-skimmed, white bread for whole grain etc). Never take second helpings! Don't drink beer if you can help it, white wine is better.

And even though it is boring and I sound like a real mom - eat slowly! You will feel full sooner than you think!

Walk up the stairs to your apartment instead of taking the elevator. Walk one extra subway/bus stop instead of getting on closest to home. Explore your environment, walk a direction you haven't walked before for 15 minutes and walk another route back.

Get a routine. After a month of doing something that seems really strenous in the beginning, it starts feeling like second nature.

Cool tip with the Up Day Down Day Diet! Also, interesting to actually see how much calories are in fries... never again

You bet, Joel!
Yeah, try it for a week and see what happens.
<><
Say, I started at Featherstone Elementary back in '71 and then transferred to Belmont Elementary thru 3rd grade. We lost our home to Marumsco Creek and Hurricane Agnes.

Small world, but I still wouldn't wanna paint it <g>.

Great post. I learned so much AND got some motivation.

hey! i looked at your profile before and didn't notice that you were from stafford. i went to rippon middle school for grades 6-8. i run past featherstone elementary on the way to the track every day (every day i run that is). sorry to hear about your home. it's unfortunate how hard the tropical storms/hurricanes hit this area. tip from a friend: don't buy a boat around here! lol

AAAARRRRIIIIIIGHT!!!!
Way to go, sonja k

Thanks for the memories, Joel, and you're absolutely right about buying a boat in Prince William - ouch!

I've found that planning in a cheat meal once a week really helps stave off the binging. I just focus on whatever it is that I've been craving that week and go for it. Usually Pizza... Not only does this help me to not binge, but it keeps my body from going into starvation mode and slowing down my metabolism. My 2 cents.

I haven't read all the replies, so forgive me if I repeat someone else. I avoid binging in a couple of ways.

I try to spend my calories wisely on things that will fill me up without costing me too many calories. When I eat foods that have a high volume compared to how many calories they contain, I end up sometimes not even reaching my calorie budget limit by the end of the day. A good way to judge if it's a good ratio is to compare the grams per serving to the calories per serving. If the calories are less than the grams, it's a good choice. If the calories are way less than the grams, its' a great choice. Examples of high volume low cal foods: Most any veggie or fruit, Most any soup, Fat free cottage cheese,

Also, I make sure the things I eat are good food choices, low in refined sugar and carbs, and high in fiber or protien. Refined sugar and carbs make your body crave more sugar and carbs (even calorie free artificial sweetener can make your body crave sweets later), but fiber and protien fill you up, and help you stay feeling full for longer.

Another thing that's helped me is to explore tons of different foods to find things that feel like treats, but are still pretty healthy, and make sure I incorporate them into my everyday eating. I buy imitation crab on a regular basis and eat it with lemon and a bit of cocktail sauce. It's high in protien, and relatively low in fat and calories. I love apples, so I keep a bowl of them handy in my kitchen. I like smoothies, so I stay stocked up on frozen fruit and fat free yogurt. Protien powder or some ground flax-seed adds some more nutrition to a smoothie when I need it. When I need a food adventure, I buy some exotic fruit or veggie I've never tried (that's how I discovered my new favorite sweet and crunchy snack jicama, try it if you haven't!)

It's hard for me to stay motivated too, I've been known to make a batch of praline cookies and make myself sick by eating the whole thing in a weekend, BUT I try not to focus negatively on past binges. For as healthy as I eat most of the time, it's not worth it to let guilt spoil those times of indulgence.

J.G., this is exactly how I felt. In fact, after losing about 50 lbs. by counting calories, I regained about 30 of those pounds in the past couple of years. I couldn't seem to find anything that I could stick to for more than a day. I couldn't bear the fact that I had to obsess about food and watch every morsel in order to lose weight. In my search for an answer, I came across a thread on this board where someone was doing Dr. Johnson's Up Day Down Day diet (a.k.a. JUDDDD). After reading several pages worth of posts (it's up to 65 now), I decided to try it. This was my first week, and I'm loving it. I feel so free! Most of the others on the board feel the same way and are experiencing some progress. Many people who were plateauing on their current diet broke that plateau on JUDDDD. It's a unique way of calorie redistribution that is quite freeing, in my opinion. The regulars on the forum are losing a good amount of weight by dieting only every other day. I know many people are skeptical about it, but I really believe you'd benefit by at least taking a look at the thread that got the group all started:

http://www.traineo.com/9_1184_0.html

Good luck to you!

JG,
I know how you feel...that damn college weight. i'm concentrating on eliminating that right now as well. I have a bit more than you, but I know your feeling. I always used to eat what i want and be active and it never mattered. I went to college and things changed and i fluctuated. Now i freak out about the amount of calories i have in a day. I also turn to binging because i'll say in my head "you did good all week you can have some chips" then chips lead to nachos and nachos lead to burgers or fries or fried food or anything i deprive msyelf of and its just a mess!
Concentrate on healthy eating. Today I had a great day. I had breakfast (you can have a lot to eat if you make the right choices) a snack, lunch, a snack, dinner and a snack and what I ate was the right amount of calories and since i constantly ate throughout the day i never felt it necessary to binge.
Also I've been on an exercise kick. I do think its a good idea to make goals for yourself. I want to run in a 5k so I'm getting myself into great shape, it keeps me motivated. Also I have a pic of me next to my bed. It is me at my goal weight. I used to weight 120lbs, and that is how much i weight in that picture. It reminds me to get out of my bed in the morning and run. I work a hectic schedule so I have the most time in the morning for my workouts. If you find your routine and healthy eating all will fall into place. best of luck!

Thanks, everyone, for all of your replies! This is really helpful!

I've tried to back off of counting calories for a few days to see how it goes, and I am feeling sooo much better! I'm not gaining weight like I thought I would; I've still got my eating under control. I just feel free now, knowing that if a bunch of friends happen to want to get together and eat, it doesn't mean I can't join them! I'm also making sure that I get a little more exercise in to balance out any extra eating I'm doing. So far, so good!

WOW!....I can relate to this big time...All I can say is...that I think it's normal to go off the wagon on occasion...It's only a problem if you can't stick to a program for any good length of time to see progress....we have so many things around us that can cause us to get side tracked....myself included in this of course....what I do is look at myself really hard and intense in the mirror...and say to myself realistically....am I happy with the way I look...and of course when I have fallen off the wagon the answer will always be no ....so, I really ponder this question in my mind and think of all the things I have done to trim the fat and look good in my eye...and what fantastic things people tell me about how I look...and then...I get motivated to start again with my workouts.....never, ever starve yourself....eat normally...just don't eat as much...and eat sensibly....(healthy nutrient dense foods)....follow a good aerobics program...and lift heavy weights.....believe it or not....you will not be so hungry.....just use common sense and strong will to eat the goodies in moderation....drink plenty of water to flush the toxins out....and remember....if you're not working out long enough...don't stuff the face....If you are working out hard and long....it kind of gives you a little room to cheat......and you may ask....how does she know this.....well....I have done it....and still do.....I fall off the wagon on occasion....and many people do.....don't beat yourself up about it ...nobody is perfect.....just get back on that wagon...and ride the horse.....never quit...keep going....and you will be happy with yourself and your results.....love...Barbie ann