Sadface.

heatherk2489 · July 2012

Ugh, I got dressed this morning and felt like crap, still do.

I need to get motivated to work harder, try harder, and not stop until I see results.

I whine all the time, but when it gets hard I quit.

I absolutely hate that my clothes don't fit like they used to. It makes me want to cry.

Does anyone have advice for making it easier?

Techniques to use to see more results other than running and doing crunches/ab workouts. That is all I really do and I feel like I just don't get the results I should be getting.

Lobsters25 · July 2012

Healthy eating. Eating and working out really go hand-in-hand. There's no way to make it 'easier,' just stop making excuses.

Try finding some more interesting workouts if you're getting frustrated, too - zumba, videos, spin, etc.

maribeth721 · July 2012

Ditto everything Lobsters said. 70% diet, 30% working out. Your diet should be priority number one. Do you food log or calorie count? If not, I would recommend starting. Use something like my fitness pal or spark people, both are free. You can work out but if you are still eating more calories than you are burning you will not see results.

Running is not the only cardio exercise there is. It is one of the most effective, but it's not the end all be all. Try something like cycling/spin class or try out an elliptical at your gym (assuming you have a gym membership). As far as crunches, there is no point to doing a million crunches. You need an all over body work out. Do you work any other areas of your body? If no, start. You tube exercises to see how to get your form right or just google something like "arm work outs" and a million things will come up to give you ideas.

The fact is, this is hard. We've all heard the quote, "If it was easy everyone would do it." This is 100% true. No one wants this but you - just stop making excuses and put your goal in mind and work towards getting there.

Fluffernut · July 2012

Lobsters and Maribeth are both spot on. I ditto using a calorie counter. I use myfitnesspal. I love it. I'm not always great with my calories, but it does help me reign it in most days. And I think your body would like a variety of cardio...running, walking, cycling, elliptical, swimming, zumba, dancing. I try to switch it up so my body doesn't get used to one thing. I also do weights for the entire body two to three times per week if I can. When I'm consistent (key word!) I see results. The more muscle you have from strength training, the more calories your body will burn throughout the day, even when not exercising.

I know it's hard. We all have our moments when we want to give up or give in to the chocolate cake. The key is to push through that and just keep going. Or, if you do have an off day, don't let that make it an off week. Get back on the horse again.

Good luck!

helleb · July 2012

Ditto on all PPs!

I've been there and my cry fest with my FI was my sign that I needed to just get started. I felt like I didn't have time or I was already doing everything I could, but the simple fact was that if I gave up some things and really looked at my life, I could do a LOT more. Also, try getting your FI involved. Mine is really supportive and when I ask "what should we have for supper" he says "something less than 550 cals" instead of his old "taco bell" or "chinese" lol. He also asks me in the grocery store "do you really want that in the house?". He helps remind me of my goals etc. I hope you have support b/c it has made it easier for me to have that. It still is hard but its nice having a support system. Check out the accountability boards on here they are really nice and I get a lot from them

joe&cassie · July 2012

Ditto everyone else!

My current struggle is that I have always been smaller than my sister and now I am not. It's hard but it was my wake up call. Don't give up. It will make you feel even worse.

marston258 · July 2012

Totally understand. I have several favorite items that just don't look good on me anymore. Specifically a great navy skirt and tan linen pants that I love too much to get rid of, but haven't fit into in 3 years. It is kind of depressing. Besides the wedding, they are my motivation! Cause it's either do it, or add to that pile of clothes that don't fit.

ZeroOrchestra · July 2012

Everyone's given you really great advice. I've been there too. Currently, I have a pair of jeans that I wore religiously right around the time I got pregnant hanging in my closet for motivation. Every few weeks I attempt to pull them up and it feels good when they keep inching their way. Granted, they may never fit again, stupid birthing hips, but I'm going to get as close as I can. You can do it, I takes time, hard work, dedication and will power. But it's so worth it.

heatherk2489 · July 2012

Wow, thanks you guys

FI is actually VERY supportive. He hung up a pair of my pants from like 3 years ago onto the wall in front of our bed. My motivation he says. Size 3 they are, and I am currently a 9. God just seeing that written out, a size 3 to a 9 in 4 1/2 years is crazy. With no reason other than I just got comfortable with him. I hate that. I used to be so skinny. I want to be there again, no I NEED to be there again.

I don't have a gym membership, we have a gym in home. We have a treadmill, and a bowflex machine, bowflex weights as well but they are too bulky for my taste. I do arm workouts (When I work out that is).

I have Zumba, and your shape fitness.

I can't really get used to the mfp app, i don't have a measuring device to tell how much I eat, how would that work? Like I know you can search things, but idk how much of it I actually ate kwim?

ZeroOrchestra · July 2012

Get a kitchen scale. They're like ten dollars. Portion everything you eat. Weight meat before you cook it and store portioned in containers or baggies.

maribeth721 · July 2012

Not getting used to the app? Then try another one. MEASURE everything you eat. That means if you're logging that you ate 1 cup of pasta. Make sure you measured it out w/ a measuring cup first. Measuring your food is the only way to ensure accurancy. As far as the bowflex - use it! Unless you have a medical condition that prevents you from strenuous exercise, 3 lb barbie weights aren't going to do you any favors. You need to be lifting weights so heavy you can only get through about 10-12 reps. The after burn you get from lifting weights burns more calories when you aren't exercising than cardio does. It is a common misconception that women will get bulky and all body builiderish from lifting weights. It just isn't true. We don't have the testosterone that men do to bulk up.

helleb · July 2012

I am glad your FI is supportive. I have been playing with the idea of taking a "before" picture and taping it to the fridge and cuppords with a sign "do you really need that?" lol

Another thing that I think I am going to do is reward myself w/ a dollar everytime I eat well (1200 cal/day) or work out which my goal is 3xwk for starters. I figure I will make **hopefully** $10/week! I am going to put it towards the wedding for my splurge oooor a new outfit lol its all about finding motivation. I have always lost motivation so I want to try lots of different things to see what sticks

soontobehosford · July 2012

I just recently lost 10 pounds (trying to get in shape for the wedding ). I was super surprised that I was able to drop that amount but honestly my trick was limiting my eating (its hard in the beginning but if you drink lots of water instead of snacking it gets easier) and SPINNING! Spin class is my new best friend. Getting there is half the battle, the instructor turns on loud music, off the lights and its go time!

TogetherPerfect · July 2012

I lost almost 4O pounds by using your shape on kinect and counting my calories! I now do pilates and take a 30 min walk a few times a week. Counting calories really made me more aware of what all I was really eating, so it helped actually change my eating habits. What I did for motivation was take a picture of myself in shorts and a sports bra every week so I could actually see the changes. 40 pounds is a lot, but sometimes I feel like I don't look like I lost that much until I see pictures! Good luck to you, you can do it!

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