Get my head in the game

February 21, 2011 3:12 PM

Weight loss motivation - I got a lot of great tips on a question I asked a little while ago, but I'm still having trouble getting my head together to make progress on my weight loss goals, so I'm looking for books on weight loss plans/motivation.

I have an exercise plan (C25K + strength training), and an eating plan (south beach diet) which are doable for me, but I'm having trouble staying on track. I've lost weight before, once a significant amount (50+), several times 5-10 lbs, so I know I can do it, but I'm just not as serious and motivated this time as I have been before, and I'm not sure what to do to get to that, "I'm going to do this no matter what!" place in my head. I'm looking for books that might help me understand why I keep undermining myself, and motivate me to move forward. I think part of the problem is that I don't have a clear idea of where I'm going and how I'm going to get there, so step-by-step information would be particularly helpful, and I think I'm also dealing with some emotional eating and depression issues. Again, I'm NOT looking for diet or exercise books, but I am looking for information on how to follow a weight loss process.

posted by odayoday to health & fitness (7 answers total)

Oh also, I'm currently somewhat, but not significantly overweight. Ideally I'd like to lose about 30 lbs, but would be happy with 15-20.
posted by odayoday at 3:18 PM on February 21, 2011

Not a book, but a quick tip: the one thing that has helped me the most with weight loss is making my goals not about weight loss at all. Instead of thinking "I'm going to lose 10 pounds," think "I'm going to run a mile without stopping" or "I'm going to eat four different kinds of vegetables today" or whatever.

If you make it entirely about your weight, you're focusing on something you probably already have complicated feelings about, and you'll associate eating and exercise with that. If you take your weight out of the formula and find something rewarding in the exercise/healthy eating itself, you're more likely to feel good about it and stick with it in the long run.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:46 PM on February 21, 2011 [3 favorites]

Find someone else with similar goals. I am 30 and I have a colleague who is 23, he drags me to the gym daily and be it from some sense of pride or whatever, I insist on beating him. I currently run three miles in 18 minutes. Couldn't have done it without the day by day competition me and the young'un carry out. He tries to beat me, and I have to beat him.
posted by dougrayrankin at 4:47 PM on February 21, 2011

I recommend the Beck Diet Solution, it uses the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy to help you follow your chosen diet/weight loss plan.
posted by FormerMermaid at 4:59 PM on February 21, 2011 [1 favorite]

you could set a weekly checklist of healthy behaviors (agree with the above not to make it about the weight). Add more as it seems reasonable. If you fail to meet your week's goal for any reason other than illness, injury, or personal crisis, write a check for $20 to a nonprofit you HATE. If you make the goal, put that check into a special savings account. When you reach your goal, you'll have enough for some awesome new clothes, or a weekend away, or some other treat.
posted by thinkingwoman at 8:04 PM on February 21, 2011

I'm looking for books that might help me understand why I keep undermining myself, and motivate me to move forward.

Piggy backing on FormerMermaid's CBT recommendation, there's always the old Ask MeFi standby: Feeling Good

No, it's not weight-related, but it may help you with those emotional issues you mention.

Something else that motivates me is other people's success stories - Shauna Reid and Jennette Fulda are real inspirations. They've both written books, but I've only read Reid's. What I like about them is that they lost weight in a healthy way - lots of exercise - and don't use their books/websites as a way of promoting a particular kind of diet.
posted by Ziggy500 at 3:56 AM on February 22, 2011 [1 favorite]

If you're looking for more information on the "how to go about it" aspect, the book Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle comes highly recommended (although FYI his website talks at you, grr).

For motivation, I find joining a community of similarly-minded people in various stages of the process to be helpful - any time my motivation is flagging, someone else's energy and enthusiasm helps motivate me again.
posted by bookdragoness at 5:39 AM on February 22, 2011