What's a good way to motivate yourself to lose weight?

Question

I've been right around 200 pounds for my entire adult life, and I'd like to try and lose some weight.  I just can't ever seem to motivate myself to eat healthy.  I just love the taste of food, and no matter how much I eat I am usually still right around 200.  Today for example I had a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch for breakfast, In-N-Out burger for lunch, a burrito from Chipotle for dinner, and then almost an entire pint of ice cream.  And this is a pretty average day for me.  I obviously know these foods are unhealthy, and I know what I need to do, I just can't seem to do it. It's also hard having friends who eat almost as unhealthy as I do.  Anyone got any tips? I was also thinking of trying to find a weight loss buddy so we could sorta motivate each other. Anyone interested?

Confused614 · Accepted Answer

The biggest key is to eat the unhealthy food in moderation. If you do good for a week treat yourself to ice cream. Also finding healthy foods you enjoy. Replace the cinnamon toast crunch with cheerios with skim milk. I used to be totally against skim milk but it was the only thing in the house once I gave in and drank it. I can't tell the difference. Instead of a burger make a grilled chicken sandwich or salad. Instead of ice cream go with fat free frozen yogurt. Instead of fatting desserts go with fruits. Keep track of what you eat daily.

You won't get anywhere without working out. Just an hour a day for running. Start running for a few mins then walk a few mins then run a few for as long as you can. start with at least 30 mins. Cardio is key to trim pounds.

I make sure I stay under 1,500 calories a day. I do an hour workout in the morning then one before bed. 6 days a week.

Probably the 2 things that keep me the most motivated is having a workout buddy. When your at the gym we want to out lift each other. and when were on the bikes and treadmill we both compete to see who the first person to quit is. Second would be when you workout and see how many calories you burn. You can workout for an hour and afterward feel like its the hardest thing you have ever done. and maybe burn 1000 calories max...You go and get a burger and fries and realize you just ate all that back like that? Your going to think twice about what you eat. Even simple things I hate drinking propel when working out it's 25 calories I have to spend 10 mins burning off first. Get one of those watches that tell you how many calories you burn. That way you can see it when playing basketball or just running and I guarantee when you see what you burnt your not going to want to throw it all that hard work away on trash.

jtj25m · Accepted Answer

The weight loss buddy idea is a great one. Although not necessary I imagine having those who can hold you accountable along the same journey helps with the mental aspect of it. Don't deprive yourself of foods you like, it isn't necessary, just eat them in moderation. If you're eating simply because food tastes good, which was a problem of mine, try eating lesser amounts to get the satisfaction of the taste without filling up on them. At times you feel full but still feel the desire to eat, possibly chew gum or something similar that tastes good but has little to no calories, and busy your mind so you don't focus on the want to taste something good. Start small, see if there are certain types of food offered in reduced fat or no fat alternatives, and get used to them. Start doing more physical activities you like that burn calories, and cause you to work hard, then try to translate that into at least tolerating doing things you don't like to burn even more. Exercise has to be a decent amount of it, you can eat as healthy as you want and if you aren't expending the energy from those healthy foods you'll still remain the same weight or gain weight. As dreary as it may look it can be done. I used to weigh 255 pounds at only 5'6" at the end of my weight loss I was down to 142.

Tomboy · Accepted Answer

Play a sport you like... easiest way for poeple to exersise because others keep you accountable to show up and also have fun while doing it =D

Try cross fit instead of just running or weight training. It is a cross bewteen weight training and endurance. Extreamly good for losing fat and toneing. An example of a cross fit kind of workout would be (part 1) 4 sets of 20s situps 10 rest 20 squats 10s restwith no break bewteen sets. (part 2) 50 pushups ( chest must touch the ground on every pushup... modified pushups if normal ones are too hard ) 50 bumbell swings 40 pushpus 40 bumbell swings 30 pushups 30 bumbell swings 20 pushups 20 bumbell swings 10 pushups 10 bumbell swings. Make sure that you really warmpu the areas that you are going to be working out before starting. ( 15-20 min for warm up and stretching ) oh and makesure you have a good cool down and stretch so that you are not too sore the next day =D

As for eatting try eatting a fruit every time you want to drink pop and eatting baked fries chips and homemade stuff instead of fried or fast food... =) DO NOT keep junk food inside the house... so that the next time a craving hits you it needs to be strong enough to make you go all the way to the store to get some.

Drink lots of water before eatting and eat slowly. Sometimes your body can't tell the difference bewteen hunger and thirst. It takes 10-20 min for your body to realize that you are full so the slower you eat the less chance you'll over eat =)

madmisskelly · Accepted Answer

Thats in 3/4 of a cup though, and chances are you are not measuring out how much you are having, and chances are you are having way more than 3/4 of a cup. In addition, you have milk, chances are you rink 2%, which is still higher in calories and fat. This whole thing, is high in fat and sugar- both of which you need to cut down on if you're goal is to get healthier and drop a few. I guarantee that just watching that alone will make a major difference.

You, like many other Americans who are struggling to lose weight, or just want to, have to realize that no, you cannot eat whatever you want and lose weight- it just can't happen- unless you log your calories and hit your nutirent goals only with these foods without going over- but in that case you won't get to eat nearly as much as you would if you filled it with lean meats, veggies and fruits.

But no, you have to cut those other things out to get the results you want- there is no way around it.

Discipline is knowing the difference between what you want now and what you want most.

you have to make that decision. Is Cinnamon Toast Crunch so imporant to you that you would rather keep that than feel better and drop a few pounds like you said you wanted to do?

ThenThereWas1 · Accepted Answer

You are so right about having an exercising buddy! I've never been overweight, but when I stopped dancing I started loosing my muscle tone, and becoming kind of...soft. But I never could motivate myself on a regular basis to exercise. But this year I started going to the gym with one of my friends, and we consistently go at the same times every week no matter what--NO EXCUSES. And I had a not-so-good diet, but my friend was already eating healthy. And she inspired me to eat healthier (with some treats in between of course) It's just about the mind set you're in. And I have so much fun, it's the best part of my week. And just so you know, its possible to eat healthy but still eat things that taste good. Just surround yourself with people who are good health influences, cause fully submerging myself is what did it for me. And once you eat healthy for a long time, resisting the junk becomes easier. And remember, having smaller amounts of food is key as well. A lot of us are guilty of eating more than we need just because it tastes good. So just me mindful about that :) I wish you so much luck and try to make this fun!

Jacquelineg · Answer

Ok, well, I suggest you meet a woman...if you like her, mabye she'll be your motivation cause you want to be all sexy for her! Also, a huge motivation for me would be (and hopefully for you, too!) the fact that you could suffer from a heart attack from all that bad food! Fatty foods can cause arteries to fill with plaque from fat in food, and sugary foods such as sugary cereal, cake, cookies, ice cream, desserts in general, and sodas, will gradually rot your teeth. When you're older, you may think that your teeth are fine, but one day one might just fall out in the middle of eating something. Also, what if you break something or become paryalized all of a sudden? You will NEVER be able to lose that weight, and you would wish soo badly that you had lost it when you could. At a better weight, you'll feel way more energized, and when you're on a eating plan or something and you get discouraged, remember how far you've come (even if it's only been a few days). Do you want to throw that all away? Eating is a short-lived pleasure. How long does it take for the taste of a donut to go away after you've finished eating it? 45 seconds.

Kismett · Answer

A good way of motivating your self to lose weight is to think about the weight you want to be at maybe look at a few pictures of people that have the type of body you want, look at them for a few minutes then look at yourself you will obviously see the difference. You should definitely eat healthier, what your "average" day looks like is horrible! For breakfast you should be eating either eggs, or some healthier cereal such as Life or something more like that definitely not Cinnamon Toast Crunch no matter how good it tastes. You shouldn't be eating for taste you should be eating for the nutrients and sh*t. For lunch you should eat like a Tuna sandwich with not much mayo and sh*t with whole wheat bread or you could have beans. Dinner you should eat Chicken, rice, and a type of vegetable. For exercise you should definitely do a lot more, you should run at least once a day with the exception of the weekend also you should work-out once a day with again the exception of the weekends, because your muscle needs time to mend, if you work-out every day with no breaks you will just keep tearing your muscle and not gain any. The only reason why know this is because my boyfriend is very healthy and fit. If this wasn't good enough I could talk to him and find out if there is any more you should know about.

Best of Luck

s33ker · Answer

Ok replace as many meals as possible with more healthy substitutes. It's hard at first but you get used to it... bananas and cheerios are great... tons better than cin toast crunch - yuck man, that just makes me think sugar and preservatives... like a big bowl of crunchy cancer flakes. Anyway... replace snacky crap with fruit and veggies and nuts and stuff. Another thing to do is EAT SMALLER PORTIONS. 9 times outa 10 if you stop eating your portion early you will find that after a good 10 minutes or so you are completely satisfied and didn't need to keep eating anyway. THE MORE YOU PRACTICE HEALTHY EATING HABITS THE EASIER THEY BECOME.

I was 195 pounds for 3 years. I am 5"8 and normal weight for me is about 155. I lost all my weight with practically no effort in about 4 months and now bounce between 155 and 160. After a while you start to like the healthier foods. Seriously. They are refreshing.

As far as activity goes...

I knocked 20 pounds off my gut in less than 2 months when I started losing by doing "virtual hula-hoops". I got it off the Nintendo Wii. It's absolutely ridiculous and you shouldn't tell anyone you're doing it haha but if once a day you stand in your room and watch some tv while doing the fake hula hoops (for at least 10 minutes, preferably until your sides are crampy) I promise that gut will fall off. Once you see some change force yourself to do crunches and pushups everyday. Pushups are pretty much the miracle work out. They do a ton more than keep your arms in shape. Only after you've mastered the simple stuff should you worry about getting into the gym.

Once you get yourself going your confidence will be up and that will be enough to keep you going. The extra attention from the opposite sex will go a long way too. Good luck.

madmisskelly · Answer

Its something youve gotta just do for you. I'm in the middle of losing weight and my motivation is getting into a smaller size, or buying a new bikini. That and I want to wear a cute little dress for my birthday. I work out and eat really healthy. Ill give you an example of what I'm doing- I've lost 7 pounds in a week, and other people who have done this have lost a ton of weight and kept it off.

breakfast- 8 oz nonfat plain yogurt, 6oz fruit, and 1 oz oatmeal (thats before cooked) I blend my fruit in with the yogurt and make a smoothy.

lunch- 4oz cooked protein, 6 oz cooked veggies, and 6 oz fruit.

diner0 4 oz cooked protein, 8 oz salad, and 6 oz veggies.

No snacking in between, no added sugar, nothing with flour in it.

Its a little tough at first, but you actually get to eat a decent amount. Its all about portion size and eating good healthy food.

Motivation will come within yourself. Its not fair to look at other men and compare yourself to motivate you, because anyone who does that will lose every time because it doesn't motivate you, it just makes you feel bad. Never compare yourself. Its all about getting p*ssed off and motivated enough for YOU to want to do it. You gotta grab the bull by the horns and do this. You CAN do this. Take it day by day.

hiiamabat · Answer

I think limiting your diet is the one of the hardest ways to lose weight. REALLY HARD.

Personally, although this doesn't work for everyone, I can eat whatever/whenever I want (lots of fast food usually) and I don't gain weight.

There are probably several reasons why, the first probably just genetics. I don't like pop therefore I don't drink it. I don't really like sweets therefore I don't really eat them(but I definitely do on occasion). I think a main reason why this works for me is PORTION CONTROL. I don't eat a lot, usually one meal a day with some snacks and I'm good to go. -Try and limit your intake.-

Im an active/high energy person, but I don't work out regularly. When I worked out regularly I was the same weight I am now, because I was muscle and muscle weighs more than fat.(I realize this is irrelevant info lol)

I suggest you do a lot of cardio, I know that's hard to motivate yourself to do too though. Basketball is great for that. I think running on a treadmill with some sick beats on the ipod is the easiest way(although not the most fun/exciting) to get that cardio done. Try and get some people together to throw a frisbee around or run your dog or something that gets your heart pounding. -Cardio everyday to lose weight, then 2-3 times a week to maintain-

Anonymous · Answer

Your diet sounds terrible! So much processed food! What is it with Americans and processed, sugary food? Cinnamon toast crunch is so high in sugar and additives, burgers and burritos, holy crap!

Eating healthily is really boring, compared to junk food. You have to eat stuff that's low in sugar, high in fibre, not heavily processed (anything that comes in a packet is likely to be highly processed). Cook fresh vegetables, eat lean grilled meat. That means no frying, no batter, no skin. Your sugar intake is off the chart - you're at a high risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

But that seems like such a radical change from your current lifestyle that I don't think such a drastic change would work. Baby steps are needed! Maybe try substituting one two of your unhealthy meals. Keep your burger, but have a healthier dinner like a big grilled steak (don't fry it!) and a salad, and maybe just cut out the ice-cream.

Cut your portion sizes in half, you're actually eating way more than you should. Keep active. Being healthy feels amazing, seriously, just grit your teeth and do it. There's no magical answer or solution, or switch in your brain that's going to keep you motivated at the start. The results will keep you motivated, as will the improved quality of your health. Getting through the first two months is the hardest - you'll CRAVE sugar like you wouldn't believe. Just resist. Be strong, and stick it out for two months.

By the end of two months, you should be seeing results and feeling much better, and if that can't keep you motivated to stay healthy then nothing will! Good luck!

madmisskelly · Answer

but I guarantee if you replace cinnamon toast crunch with say 1 cup of honey nut cheereos, replace the In N out burger with a subway sandwhich on whole wheat, the burrito with 4 oz steak veggies and salad, and the ice cream with some fruit you would see major results.

the pint of ice cream alone is worth your daily amount of calories several times over, and the same with the burrito, and the burger has a lot of calories as well. So you are actually probably eating way way more calories than you need to. I dare you to log the food you eat for one day- an average day, into an online calorie counter and see the amount of calories your taking in vs the calories you need.

You can still eat a decent amount of food- just replace it with low calories healthy foods.

Deathecutioner · Answer

Alright dude I'ma a level with you.

Everyone that says being over weight is bad for you needs to read up.

it's not the weight its how fit you are with that weight. is it muscle weight or is it fat weight?

amusing it's fat you need to get in shape. for that weight.

You should watch your calories but other then that just exercise and you'll lose weight like its your job.

If you really wanted to lose weight you'd do it no motivation needed. but until YOU decide your going to do it nothing will change.

-Deathecutioner

187lb

6feet tall

Xenophobia · Answer

You have to want to do it. The way I see it is this way:

All of the Obese people out there, the ones with out thyroid problems can lose weight, but they need to put there mind to it.

It's all about having the right frame of mind.

For a young guy like you...you should be thinking..."If I lose weight, my chances of meeting that cute girl of my dreams may come true."

People attract others who resemble themselves in terms of health is concerned, due to the compatibility.

You'll make yourself more appealing to attractive girls.

tex151 · Answer

I know what you mean, your not a fatty mc fat ass your just a little overweight, aka beer gut even if you don't drink beer, don't worry  I have the same thing, cut down on the fast food and cook some healthy meals that's what I did and I lost a little bit of weight, but what I am going to start doing is p90x, my friends have done it and they're not exactly ripped because they didn't try that hard and they didn't really follow the nutrition guide but they have lost a lot of weight.  And I don't know why those bitches are hating on cinnamon toast crunch, I love that stuff to, that's some damn good cereal.

NYCgirl1980 · Answer

1. Being overweight is bad for your health... by nice to your body, you'll be stuck with him for the next decades

2. Diabetes is a b****

3. Heart problems are caused by being overweight... and not the romantic ones.

4. Don't you just hate it, when you walk up a flight of stairs and feel sweaty and out of breath?

5. No more shopping in the oversize department

6. You will feel more self-confident if you loose weight

7. The chicks will appreciate both the weightloss and the boosted self-confidence

8. Do you really have to eat the whole plate when you are already feeling satisfied?

9. Eat what you like, but not in large quantaties

10. 200 pounds? Ok, so you're overweight.. but there is still hope because it could be worse, right?

ihatecoSkylarSkyBlue · Answer

I knw how you feel except its whn I'm supose to b training. Whn you go for a run dnt run for a certain amount of time or until you feel tired, just blast some music tht gets you pumped and you'll run past the burn and get like a week of running in one day. And whn eating try to drink a bottle of water befor ull b less hungry. Switch from soda to a juice or water(personally I like juice must b cus of my age lol). Cut back on how big the thing from a fast food place is you get. And last but not least your breakfast personally I find nothing wrong with it but my trainer would say eat some eggs or somthing with proteain

XGoddessChildX · Answer

I would get myself somebody to work out with if you could like a family member or something. Meet some friends who are into exercising or into being physically active. You could watch inspiration show like "the biggest loser". Do something you enjoy doing for exercise . Even if its sex, that burns calories. Yeah sorry to say, but that cinnamon toast crunch is not very healthy to eat. You got to do exercise that you will enjoy and stick to that. Make it seem like it's not such a chore. Go for a bike-ride, swim, go for a walk and brisk walk/speed walk. You can even try alternating between jogging and running. Your diet has a important impact on losing weight weight apparently. Try not to eat anything processed. Change up the exercise too. Hope this helps..

datgully · Answer

Go to the gym for at least 3x a week 55 minutes. Lift for about 40 min then do cardio for at least 10 min,stretch after if you want,calms you down and stretching builds muscle slowly and reduce soreness. That's minimum and do it for 3 weeks no matter how bad it sucks. After,you might see some body changes that you like,thats the best motivation you can get,not a girl,not pool season,the best is seeing the change in your body and feeling good about it. If you get that,then your motivation could go thru the roof!. . . . . I love food too bro! But I have a cutoff time at night for no more food except good protein. You can eat just hit the gym hard! You might like the feeling after you leave the gym or while in it. Plus when your lifting and in good shape your body puts off an odorless smell like lions or dogs do! Girls don't know they smell it but there really attracted to you because your in mating season bro! And if there in heat? That's a lot of sex!

madmisskelly · Answer

Its full of sugar, fat and empty calories. I'm going to give you the information in the amount of it you eat in your bowl each morning. More than likely, if you have a bowl full you are having around 2 cups (using a measuring cup meant for solids).

Calories 325 Sodium 550 mg

Total Fat 8 g Potassium 113 mg

Saturated 1 g Total Carbs 63 g

Polyunsaturated 1 g Dietary Fiber 3 g

Monounsaturated-5 g Sugars 25 g

Trans 0 g Protein 3 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Vitamin A 25% Calcium 25%

Vitamin C 25% Iron 63%

Our point is, it is empty calories. You could be having more food, for less calories that is much more nutritious than what your eating. In addition, eating something natural that is high in fiber or whole grains will keep you fuller longer than this will.

DanielSan · Answer

Thats actually not to bad dude...for amount of food eaten. Like what you need is not LESS food but exercise.

you should try working out...not seriously but enough to convert the mass into some muscle then 200 pounds would seem so bad and might look really good...

smiplely do pushups, sit ups. some benching... This will help.

boribori90 · Answer

I figure if you just cut out excess sugar, fat, and CARBS, you will lose a good 25 lbs without exercise, while regular, aerobic exercise will cut down another 25 lbs, depending on your height and metabolism.

Also, don't get discouraged because you don't see immediate results; it takes a long time to see a difference. Once you do see that difference, though, you will love it.

properplay · Answer

just do it, like the old quote goes "the only way to get in the zone is to realize you already are." trying to manipulate your emotions will result in you feeling the opposite. like when you try to go to sleep and you stay up all night or when you try to stay awake for a movie and konk out. try to feel motivated you'll feel less motivated, unless you do something and you believe it's helping you commonly referred to as "placebo"

Reeses-pieces777 · Answer

this is such a good question cause I need to lose weight. I'm not fat but I seriously need motivation. well for me, my bikini is my motivation and where I want to go this summer so...I think about that, now I'm hitting the gym a lot more.

Littletad · Answer

Hang a picture of a really good looking girl you'd like to date on your wall. Tell yourself you'll only get something like that with either; a good body or a fat wallet. I'd think you'll be doing sit-ups momentarily.

What's a good way to motivate yourself to lose weight?

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