Why can't I ever stick with anything?

kswjetski

Cathlete
I am getting frustated with myself. I can never stick with a program or my eating plan. I get bored easily. Does anyone have any suggestions, books to read or listen too. Apps to download...etc?

Thanks you all!!
Krista:confused:
 
This sounds like a complex issue. I have fought this one, at times being more successful than others.

Here are some resources that have helped me:

1. Podcasts are free downloads:

The Reasonable Diet: Sandra Ahten's have helped me with my 'All or Nothing' thinking, I suspect that you are in this rut. You seem to want to follow a 'diet' all of the time, and well, that might be reasonable for some people, but maybe you need to count backwards instead: count up how many calories in your desired treats and then add in your necessary calories (veggies/healthy fats.) That way you get what you want and what you need and you still hit your calorie deficit (if you want one.)

IOWL: Inside Out Weight Loss: The first 18 episodes are the most helpful and cover the program. You can buy the book if you prefer, but I like to listen before bed. Renee's method gave me several tools especially 'The Re-do' and learning to recognize physical versus emotional hunger. The 'Re-do' is a technique for altering your behavior/habits without self recrimination or beating yourself up. You must give up the habit of being mean to yourself, it undermines all weight loss by raising your cortisol, giving you a hit of insulin, and postpones any success you might have.

2. Calorie Counters: Fitday/Spark: Both are available as apps, but the free online versions are both quite good. I like Fitday for the charts. I like Spark for the social aspect, the articles, and the recipes.

3. Zombie Run: Super fun!!!! Its an app for your ipod or iphone.

The other thing that comes to mind, you may be fighting an attachment to certain foods for any number of reasons: comfort, security, a need to be right, etc. I used to be really angry at the world because I can't eat like other people do, but you know what? Most people are obese, and Cathe just did an article about how even 1/2 of the people who weigh 'normal' are 'obese' anyway. So, what I'm saying is that you may have an underlying need for your treats for some reason, but only you will know what that is. The good news is that with Renee's techniques, it doesn't matter whether you know what they are or not, you can still move forward.
 
Assuming by program you mean a set of dvds like XTrain or P90X? If the assumption is correct, then I would not do rotations as written ever. I get bored with things after a while too especially if I am doing them frequently like in a rotation, so what I am doing with XTrain (I am in week 7 now), I make sure to follow it for the most part, especially the strength workouts, but swap out certain cardio dvds for different instructors and classes at my gym to keep up the variety.

I also will never do a dvd I don't like, I find it discouraging. So for example although I would love to see if workouts like Tonique give "good results" , it ain't gonna happen, cause those workouts look like pure torture to me.

One other thought for exercise, this worked for me many years ago when I first started working out, I hired a trainer and went to him 2-3 times per week for nearly 2 years. The money spent and having the appointment with him is what kept me going even when I did not want to. I hate breaking appointments even more than I hate losing money. And once I started with him, I knew to make the most of the money spent, I had to do at least 2 days of cardio on my own too.

I follow Weight Watchers, it's pretty easy to follow and has a fair amount of flexibility. A lot of people on those boards recommend the Beck Diet Solution book, it's a book that deals with cognitive behavior and changing your mind set, but does not prescribe any diet in particular.
 
Thanks Dela and RapidBreath. I will have to check out those podcast you talked about. They sound interesting.

Dela, I hired a personal trainer too, but after about the 5-6 time I started rescheduleing with her and then all to gether of not showing up. (Which was free money for her.) So that didn't work for me.

I need to hire a personal chef who would make my meals, so I don't have to think about what I am eating and get results. Loosing weight was so much easier in my earlier days (20-30's) and now in my late 40's it is such a struggle as you all know too.

I was doing well and seeing results up until last week. Then I sabatage and start to eat everything in site. I worked out with THE Firm and felt great. The day after I was just famoushed and could not control my eating, so then I sabatoge things.
:mad:
 
Krista, I was just looking at the website for the Beck Diet Solution, and a lot of the little daily tips seem to address the type of negative thoughts you are having, but they say it better than I can :), if you want, take a look at this page of daily tips, Weight Loss Tips | Diet Solution

Quotes like these made me think of you:

"On track eating days aren’t perfect days! In order to lose weight and keep it off, you don’t need to be perfect because nobody is perfect. What you do need is to accept your mistakes, not beat yourself up, and get right back on track."

"If you think, “it’s not fair that I have to work on losing weight and can’t eat whatever I want on weekends,” remind yourself that everyone has unfairnesses in their lives and this happens to be one of yours. But at least this is one you can do something about!"

So maybe some are a little cliche, but I think some of it could be helpful to read :)
 
Do you have a friend or SO that would be interested in starting a new healthy plan with you? I used to meet a friend at the gym and hardly missed because I didn't want to let her down. My DH and I joined a gym last month that keeps me motivated to go for the same reason. Good luck!
 

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