Looking for the willpower to lose weight?

[Saviordd1]

Hello Escapists.
I'm a rather chubby fellow to be honest, and I've really wanted to lose weight recently, not for a stupid reason like "OMG i dont get no girls" (Because even if your overweight you can get girls) or "The guys in the shower room make fun of me" (Who the fuck has a shower room anymore?) but because I really just want to be in shape and feel great.

And since I will soon be capable of using my left leg again I plan on signing up for the local YMCA and doing swimming laps and work outs in the gym.

Now here is where I bump into a problem, I've tried this sort of thing before, though it was for the superficial reasons I stated above at the time; both times I tried I gave up after the progress didn't meet my expectations or I just got bored doing it.

So I was wondering if there's a way to improve my personal willpower so that I can keep slogging through the work outs and finally lose weight and be healthy.

Any advice you have would be appreciated

 

[Jedoro]

Get a workout buddy, get out of the gym, or listen to some music from an iPod or something. I remember a few times I tried working out, but I just got bored. Throughout this semester that just passed, I started bringing my iPod to the gym when I'd go running, and it got more fun. Now I just walk for a few hours, but it's outside, and I love it even more. You may like weights, so there aren't many options for you outside of a proper gym, so the best advice would be to have music and/or someone to work out with.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well two things are key:
- self discipline
- being smart about it
We don't get fat over one stray cupcake, we get fat because we went over the top for years, so if it took years to gain the pounds it will take years to lose them (without extreme changes).

Just make up a small exercise routine that you keep every day and take out the unnecessary snacks you normally eat, sure the immediate gratification is gone but you will feel much better in the long run.

 

[manic_depressive13]

The key to motivation is first believing you are capable of losing weight. I can tell you that you are. It won't happen overnight, but it's certainly achievable if you are capable of moving. Secondly, you have to percieve value in what you are trying to achieve. You want to be fitter and healthier, so you have that sorted. It's important to set goals for yourself and correctly evaluate the level of exercise you are prepared to undertake. If it's too easy, you will get bored. If it's too hard or too much, you will find yourself avoiding it. You might also want to get a friend to go to work out with you. If that's not an option, just find someone to encourage you. Encouragement and feedback works wonders for motivation.

Also, keep in mind that you will feel much better when you lose weight. You'll be more confident in your appearance, have more energy and generally just feel, well, lighter. Good luck!

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

I think, in my experience the key is to find a form of exercise you enjoy doing, so that you're not just doing it to lose weight. It also means you're more likely to keep it up once you lose the weight, so you'll keep it off better.

 

[Saviordd1]

Get a workout buddy, get out of the gym, or listen to some music from an iPod or something. I remember a few times I tried working out, but I just got bored. Throughout this semester that just passed, I started bringing my iPod to the gym when I'd go running, and it got more fun. Now I just walk for a few hours, but it's outside, and I love it even more. You may like weights, so there aren't many options for you outside of a proper gym, so the best advice would be to have music and/or someone to work out with.

Hmm I'll give the idea some thought, thanks

Well two things are key:
- self discipline
- being smart about it
We don't get fat over one stray cupcake, we get fat because we went over the top for years, so if it took years to gain the pounds it will take years to lose them (without extreme changes).

Just make up a small exercise routine that you keep every day and take out the unnecessary snacks you normally eat, sure the immediate gratification is gone but you will feel much better in the long run.

My diet isn't really a problem anymore, except for the occasional exception I eat very healthy, but I don't do much so besides maybe not eating at all I wouldn't lose weight at my current activity level.

But still thanks

The key to motivation is first believing you are capable of losing weight. I can tell you that you are. It won't happen overnight, but it's certainly achievable if you are capable of moving. Secondly, you have to percieve value in what you are trying to achieve. You want to be fitter and healthier, so you have that sorted. It's important to set goals for yourself and correctly evaluate the level of exercise you are prepared to undertake. If it's too easy, you will get bored. If it's too hard or too much, you will find yourself avoiding it. You might also want to get a friend to go to work out with you. If that's not an option, just find someone to encourage you. Encouragement and feedback works wonders for motivation.

Also, keep in mind that you will feel much better when you lose weight. You'll be more confident in your appearance, have more energy and generally just feel, well, lighter. Good luck!

The workout buddy seems to be a big thing so I'll deff consider it, thanks

I think, in my experience the key is to find a form of exercise you enjoy doing, so that you're not just doing it to lose weight. It also means you're more likely to keep it up once you lose the weight, so you'll keep it off better.

Sadly when it comes to physical activity I enjoy I like exploring (Sounds childish I know) and some casual sports. Sadly I explored the area I live to much already to find it exciting and I live in the middle of nowhere so sports are non-existent.

But thank you for the input

 

[asdfgtrew]

I think, in my experience the key is to find a form of exercise you enjoy doing, so that you're not just doing it to lose weight. It also means you're more likely to keep it up once you lose the weight, so you'll keep it off better.

^This is right^, a while ago I was training as a gym instructor and this was one of the first things we were told to check for, If it's a slog you're unlikely to see it through, instead find an activity you enjoy and the weight should hopefully come off as a result.

EDIT: Missed your last post, why not try something completely new if you're able? my mate dragged me to an MMA lesson once, he quit because it was hard I got hooked despite not being in my (at the time) normal activities.

 

[Saviordd1]

I think, in my experience the key is to find a form of exercise you enjoy doing, so that you're not just doing it to lose weight. It also means you're more likely to keep it up once you lose the weight, so you'll keep it off better.

^This is right^, a while ago I was training as a gym instructor and this was one of the first things we were told to check for, If it's a slog you're unlikely to see it through, instead find an activity you enjoy and the weight should hopefully come off as a result.

EDIT: Missed your last post, why not try something completely new if you're able? my mate dragged me to an MMA lesson once, he quit because it was hard I got hooked despite not being in my (at the time) normal activities.

Well being a nerd all of my friends are just as non-active as me, the only one that is does hikes which I like to do but she's not always available and hiking alone isn't fun. It also gets terrifying if you've watched any slenderman videos before hand -,-

 

[Captain_Fantastic]

Well two things are key:
- self discipline
- being smart about it
We don't get fat over one stray cupcake, we get fat because we went over the top for years, so if it took years to gain the pounds it will take years to lose them (without extreme changes).

Just make up a small exercise routine that you keep every day and take out the unnecessary snacks you normally eat, sure the immediate gratification is gone but you will feel much better in the long run.

this had enough motivational power to me to make me go do 20 push ups at 1 am. THIS IS GOOD ADVICE! this is the kind of advice a well traveled man gives to his son.

 

[Reginald]

Remember, your heart is vitally important part of your body. If it winds up screwed, you usually wind up screwed. So, you'd better take care of it. Or you'll die. How's that for motivation? Now, you don't really need weights, shakes, or steaks to get healthy or strong. Look at Charles Bronson (no, the other Bronson). The guy spends most of his time in solitary, and lives off prison food, but he's strong as a pair of oxen. I'd suggest reading his book, Solitary Fitness. The man is actually quite the writer, he does a good job of motivating a reader, and the book offers some very practical advice and instructions.

 

[Keoul]

How about looking at all those "fast food, behind the scenes" documentaries, it might just disgust you so much as to put you off the bad food and convince you to go healthy

 

[lettucethesallad]

Make a list of low-calorie foods that you can eat when you get peckish. A salad made from an apple, two carrots and some grapes is filling and nutritious. Drink lots of water and/or green tea. Also, get a workout routine that isn't repetitive. If I had to do the same jog/pushups/whatever every day, I'd get bored as hell. Now I have a daily schedule where I do different exercises for every day of the week.

Get Zombies, Run! if you have an iphone.

Take a picture of yourself in your underwear every week. Also measure yourself, every day. I measure waist, hips, thighs and upper arms, and it's so motivating to see the effects so clearly. Keep your goal image in mind all the time.

Good luck, man!

 

[asdfgtrew]

I think, in my experience the key is to find a form of exercise you enjoy doing, so that you're not just doing it to lose weight. It also means you're more likely to keep it up once you lose the weight, so you'll keep it off better.

^This is right^, a while ago I was training as a gym instructor and this was one of the first things we were told to check for, If it's a slog you're unlikely to see it through, instead find an activity you enjoy and the weight should hopefully come off as a result.

EDIT: Missed your last post, why not try something completely new if you're able? my mate dragged me to an MMA lesson once, he quit because it was hard I got hooked despite not being in my (at the time) normal activities.

Well being a nerd all of my friends are just as non-active as me, the only one that is does hikes which I like to do but she's not always available and hiking alone isn't fun. It also gets terrifying if you've watched any slenderman videos before hand -,-

That's bad luck but I think I may not have put my point across well enough. What may be your best bet is have a look what clubs are available in your area and try one that sounds kind of interesting.

I'm not saying the gym is a bad idea but most people who join then lose motivation fairly fast as they can get kind of repetitive. I've started my PADDI and most the time don't know anyone there, my point being, you will meet people who have similar aims to you.

Also Just searched up slenderman videos, That's gonna give me nightmares.

 

[loa]

What do you eat? Do you prepare it yourself?
If not, you could learn cooking. Become a bit more conscious about what you eat.
Maybe you'll like it. It's an useful skill to have.
Makes you a bit more independent too.

Maybe that's a different angle to tackle your weight.
Maybe you don't need all that much workout. I dunno.
Worth a try, I say.

 

[Cakes]

COUNT THEM CALORIES

Find out what your daily caloric intake needs to be to maintain your current body weight (there are plenty of calculators online), and then eat less than that. Many of these calculators will show about how much you should be eating to lose around 1 pound a week. In the words of Ron Burgundy, it's science. If you actually follow it, it will be literally impossible for you to do anything but lose weight. Speaking of a pound a week,

BE REALISTIC

both times I tried I gave up after the progress didn't meet my expectations

I don't know what your expectations were, but I'm willing to bet they were unrealistic. About a pound a week is entirely doable and what you should aim for. Anything more is iffy, excluding extreme circumstances like those 400 lb. Snorlaxes on The Biggest Loser who lose 20 pounds in a week because they've just exercised for the first time in their lives.

Cardio is about to become your favourite thing in the world, I promise. Running, cycling, whatever. Personally I hate running, but I can bike like a mad ************. Find one you love.

This part should go without saying, but don't do anything stupid like starving yourself. Seriously, it's fucking stupid, it won't work, and you'll feel like shit.

 

[Saviordd1]

-Snip-

I'll look but besides "be a village folk" I don't expect many results.

and your welcome for the nightmares

What do you eat? Do you prepare it yourself?
If not, you could learn cooking. Become a bit more conscious about what you eat.
Maybe you'll like it. It's an useful skill to have.
Makes you a bit more independent too.

Maybe that's a different angle to tackle your weight.
Maybe you don't need all that much workout. I dunno.
Worth a try, I say.

I was trained in a culinary shop for one and half years and I'm a pretty damn good cook, and besides minor splurging my diet is pretty good (as evidenced by the fact that my weight hasn't gone up nor down for a year)

-snip-

I'll definitely consider it thanks!

-snip-

Yeah I refuse to starve myself on the grounds of having a brain. But my expectations are like 2-4 pounds of loss a week, which doesn't seem all that insane. I'm going to start this work out thing as soon as my leg is healed so that's soon, and I want to be at least pretty fit by December.

As for cardio I tried jogging but it wasn't all that fun when it got humid plus it got very repetitive and when I used to go to inner city gym I was told to just stay on the bikes for thirty minutes...which is about as fun as it sounds, so I gotta experiment.

-snip-

Well going to the gym for about an hour or two three days a week seems like something I can keep up past High School pretty easily so that's why I plan on doing it.

 

[Erana]

If your leg is troubling you, you should try to incorporate some water aerobics exercises into your routine. You can get a full, low-impact aquatic workout with such techniques and you can even do toning free weights in the water. (with foam bouys, but to get a real workout, you might have to invest in a pair stronger than ones available at most family fitness centers)

If you have some time to kill, one of my favorite things to do at the gym is to sit down on a stationary bike with a good, but relatively easy handheld action game and have at it. I pedal faster with Zenonia.
Though if your leg is wounded, I don't know if that's feasible.

 

[bleys2487]

I work out pretty much everyday, though I didn't used to. It's more of an upkeep thing if anything. What helps me a lot is to have music playing, something to distract myself from the exhaustion or soreness. I just focus on the lyrics. Another thing that helped, at least for me, is channeling whatever frustration you have, be it stress, work, relationships, whatever is wrong currently into working out. It makes me feel more confident. But, that's just me.