For someone who has been trying to cut (successfully and unsuccessfully) for about 3 years after about 17 of bad habits, it's very easy to lose hope. I find that my motivation peaks on some days, but on other days it gets very low. It's hard to see stagnant (or sometimes slightly increasing) numbers on the scale every day, even though I know that if I stop weighing myself, I am more likely to stray off track. Does anyone have any suggestions for how not to lose hope in an extremely slow and exacting process of cutting? I need some inspiration. :nod: Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Step 1: accept that achieving goals takes time.

Step 2: Pick one single thing that you know will get you closer to your goals (i.e. lifting weights 3x/week no matter what) and do that one thing without fail.

Step 3: Continue along waiting confidently and patiently for the approach of your inevitable success from performing one thing very well.

When performing that one thing becomes natural and easy, go back to step 2 and add something else.

You're going to have days when you don't have motivation, and you want to skip the gym and head to Wendy's. This is about the time people say "Why do I need to be thin anyways?" and "Being heavy is just who I am I should just accept it". That's the easy way out. The fact that you started and are posting on here proves that you want to change, so think about the reasons you want to change. Think about how you would feel if someone told you when you first started that you won't make it. Think about what you are trying to achieve, and if skipping the gym or eating fatty foods will get you there. The answer is it won't, and I'm sure you know that.

Eating healthy is terrible at first, I mean i love eating and I could eat all day every day. Alot of health conscious people don't understand that/ However, once you go 110 % and you see changes, its alot easier. It gets to the point where you don't care if its the day you eat your cheat meal or not...you don't want it anymore.

It can be done. I ate badly for years and years...lots of bad habits. I suggest you read the thread on dealing with "tempting food in the house" -- there are some good pointers in there:

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=46290

And just remember, if you quit now, time will keep marching on.

Six months from now, you'll think, "Oh, crap. If I had just been eating well and exercising for this last six months, think of the shape I'd be in now! Man, I wish I could go back in time 6 months and try again..."

Your wish is granted. :)

Remember the number on the scale isn't everything. In fact, it isn't anything but how much you weight, which says little about how healthy, fit, or strong you are.

Check out this page for more on that:
http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=45610

In the last two months, I've been fluctuating between 220 and 218, but I sure built up a lot of muscle in that time. I know I've added muscle; I can see the increase in size and definition in my muscles. From the measurements, I've increased across the chest and shoulders and in the arms. Decreased in the hips and stomach. I've reduced a few % bodyfat by the body measurement calculations I track, but I haven't lost much weight. Don't let that be your decider of progress.

I tend to watch my shoulders and collar bone area. Every week I can see more and deeper ridges. That's how I know I'm progressing. According to the scale, I've not done well these past couple months. According to everything else (including me), I'm doing great!

When I was going through my transformation, I would go to the forum and look at others' transformation photos, which was very inspiring for me. Having a long-term goal and a measure of how long it should take you to get there, as well as milestones along the way makes it much easier to track that progress is being made.

Also, it wasn't long before I became addicted to the exercise I was doing .

Good luck with your transformation!