How do you become disciplined?

[PCS]

Actually,(and this is only from my own personal experience as a trainer and such over the years. Small sample if you will),many times a tracker isn't necessary before making diet changes. To this day,I tell people to take a few days and write down what they eat and when. After a couple of days,what they're doing wrong,(assuming they possess even a little common sense),will scream at them from the paper. That's when the tracker can really come in handy. When you see the changes that need to be made.

People can be wary,resistant,and down right scared of change. Which is why I always recommended making little changes at first unless there were more serious considerations,(at which point I always made sure they were seeing a doctor first). Diets are a real *****. I've been on a fairly strict one for the past 4 months. That and some exercise has helped me lose over 20lb.'s now. Takes will power,but as Keastman said above,setting realistic weekly goals was and is a big help. I actually started to change the diet some last December,(okay. So the Holidays weren't the best in the timing area). Small,subtle changes. Then at the start of the new year,kicked in a few more. The big changes came in the exercise area. More conditioning than powerlifting,(tore my pec last year so that helped make that decision. ). THAT took some discipline but that's where willpower came in. But with the weekly objectives in mind,success breeds success. As you begin to start feeling and seeing changes,you're motivation can increase and that's a huge help right there. Keeping in mind that when it comes to those "changes",people will see them before you do. Many times,you don't feel them until you sit down and think about it for a moment. "Whoa. How about that? Took those stairs a bit easier and with a bit more pep. Not as out of breath either." SLAP. "I could have had a V8.

Edit: When I said above about writing down what they ate,I would also tell them to include a description of how much. That was usually the deal breaker. Still is.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I knew what you were getting at

I've found portion sizes to be a HUGE factor in weight control. Most people eat way too large of portions in all of their meals...

Yep...it's easy to do too. Any restaurant you go to is serving you a portion that is probably at least 1.5x what you need (before you even figure out how healthy/unhealthy the food really is).

What made it obvious to me was when some of these restaurants actually started touting their smaller portions. You know something was getting a little out of control for them to scale it back like that.

I've been eating a little healthier, but I've mostly just been eating less. It actually feels good to never feel FULL, just satisfied.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

But with the weekly objectives in mind,success breeds success. As you begin to start feeling and seeing changes,you're motivation can increase and that's a huge help right there. Keeping in mind that when it comes to those "changes",people will see them before you do.

Both these points are so true. I know the saying is that losing the last 5 pounds is the toughest. Physically, I'm sure that's true. But I think getting started and into a comfortable groove (losing the first 5 pounds) is the toughest. Personally, once I start noticing and liking what I see, I'm on cruise control and I almost enjoy it. Once people start commenting, I'm all in.

[PCS]

Both these points are so true. I know the saying is that losing the last 5 pounds is the toughest. Physically, I'm sure that's true. But I think getting started and into a comfortable groove (losing the first 5 pounds) is the toughest. Personally, once I start noticing and liking what I see, I'm on cruise control and I almost enjoy it. Once people start commenting, I'm all in.

"The last 5 lbs." Yep. Though many times it may not even be that much. Sometimes. Many times,it's simply a matter of changing things up a bit more to get them. Should be doing that anyway,(with both diet and exercise programs),but making a few more at that point can really help.