What keeps you motivated to lose weight?

dongarvin

Not new to MFP but I've been away from it for awhile. I'm looking to hear where others find their motivation on a daily basis.

wcope0412

I'm a police officer, and I have always said I will never be that fat cop eating that doughnut!!! So I just don't eat doughnuts and I'm trying to lose weight!! Lol

MercuryBlue

It varies from day to day, but honestly? Revenge and pettiness. Just kidding. Mostly.

I went through some marriage issues recently and things could still either go in either direction. One of the things that came up was that I wasn't spending as much time on myself as I used to, and my husband didn't think I had it in me anymore. Thought I'd given up. Now, of course, I'm stubborn as a mule and became determined to prove him wrong, haha. "Oh, you think I can't do it? CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!"

That was the trigger, anyway. Then I thought about all the times that I couldn't keep up with my kids, or the kids I work with. I thought about how lousy I'd been feeling- physically, mentally, AND emotionally. I also felt like everything in my life was spiraling out of control, and I realized that the one thing I COULD control was my body and my attitude towards life.

Long story short, I find motivation in remembering how bad I felt when I was heavier and weaker. I relieve all those old, painful memories (like picking at a scab, I guess) and then compare how I felt then to how I felt now (strong, powerful, confident). That's motivating because I do NOT want to feel that way again. It's not even about looks or health so much as protecting my emotional and mental health. Also, I spend a lot of time these days looking at fitness models and before and after photos of real people like me (women who've had more than one child). I think that, in the past, I've chosen arbitrary target weights and aimed to get there however I can- with huge calorie deficits and lots of cardio. I chose target weights that I'd been at in the past, when I felt good. Only, I wasn't healthy then, just skinny. My goals were basically "safe", because I was afraid of setting the bar too high. Now I'm at a place where I'm like, "You know what? Why not me? If they can do it, what's keeping me from, too?" What I want not is to be the absolute best physical version of me that I can. So if I'm feeling low or like I'm having a hard time getting revved for a workout, I recall the times when I felt crummy because of my size and levels of strength, and then think about how great it would feel to achieve a goal that I once thought was impossible.

Exegi_Corpus

Results!

Lexieberry

My son. He's the reason I breathe! Sounds cliche but it's true, I need to be 100% me, I need and want to show him examples of healthy eating and exercise

otey743

My Future. We plan for our future financial but very rarely do we plan physically (health) . We need both to enjoy those retirement years .

steviedream

To be as healthy as I can, and at the same time feel comfortable with my body. Exercise is fantastic, and keeps me strong

jorinya

wcope0412 wrote: »

I'm a police officer, and I have always said I will never be that fat cop eating that doughnut!!! So I just don't eat doughnuts and I'm trying to lose weight!! Lol

So you're a "cop" that doesn't eat doughnuts? Never knew that existed. Been around emergency services all my life, well done btw, its a job I couldn't do. Dad retired paramedic, brother is a paramedic, I'm a first aider!!

My motivation is my four kids, myself and to rub it in my sisters face that she isn't thinner than me. My brother lost tons of weight, if he can do it. I can do better.

joshuapowell1989

Myself, I was big previously and lost around 4 stone, and had about 1 stone to go. I then let myself go and ended up putting 3 stone back on. I miss being the person I was, and I want that person back.

wizzybeth

jorinya wrote: »

wcope0412 wrote: »

I'm a police officer, and I have always said I will never be that fat cop eating that doughnut!!! So I just don't eat doughnuts and I'm trying to lose weight!! Lol

So you're a "cop" that doesn't eat doughnuts? Never knew that existed. Been around emergency services all my life, well done btw, its a job I couldn't do. Dad retired paramedic, brother is a paramedic, I'm a first aider!!

My motivation is my four kids, myself and to rub it in my sisters face that she isn't thinner than me. My brother lost tons of weight, if he can do it. I can do better.

My brother is a cop outside of Seattle and out there they eat muffins. *snootysniff*

My motivation comes by..getting rid of all my too big clothes as soon as they are too big. My motivation comes from how awesome I feel since losing this 30 lbs and imagining how much more awesome I'll feel after the next 30 lbs. It comes from being able to buy clothes that are in normal stores..not having to go to places like Lane Bryant. It comes from wanting to do thinks like take rigorous hikes and ride my bike here in this hilly terrain without feeling like I'm dying.

taentea

At the moment I don't have much motivation. I just have a habit.

I'm generally a very enthusiastic and easily excited person with a lot of interests and motivation to do things I love. I've lost weight few years ago riding a wave like this.

This time I've started at the bottom. My current health and meds I'm taking keep my energy levels down, so I don't feel like I'm doing anything big. I've never been thin in my entire life and I'm too far away from getting there to tease myself with mental images of that happening any soon. I know what to do though. I wake up, make my bed, brush my teeth, then eat under 1200 calories a day and log everything I eat. Neither of that is particularly exciting but neither of it is hard either. I just do it. And I enjoy seeing the numbers go down. I smile at every changing digit without thinking about my final goal and how long it will take me to get there.

Feistiness72

One of my motivations is vanity.... Want to look good naked. I don't want to look into the mirror and not like what I see. Of course health and long life is top of the list.

allaboutthefood

ME! The way I feel. I was always tried, grumpy and just no fun. Since I started this, I have tons more energy, not at grumpy. and way more playful with my kids. Loving life a lot more and it's rubbing off on my family..

dongarvin

Awesome thoughts and ideas. Thanks everyone! I've lost 8 lbs in my first week so I'm sort of riding the high of those results right now although I know I'm going to plateau soon. These are some great ideas to focus on going forward.

dongarvin

DETREVINO wrote: »

One of my motivations is vanity.... Want to look good naked. I don't want to look into the mirror and not like what I see. Of course health and long life is top of the list.

LOL I think this is got to be a part of everyone's motivation. It's that glance in the mirror as you get out of the shower that can really be an eye opener.

jorinya

You guys are one of the things that motivate me to continue. I know how hard it was for me before I joined MFP. I'm not going back there again. Onwards ever backwards never!!!!

mabug01

I chose a weight goal that corresponds to a time of my life when I was strong and fit and was performing my outdoor job really well. I'm working toward that number everyday so I can reclaim my title as the best worker. Even though I don't work any more, it doesn't diminish my resolve because, in my mind, I can see it, taste it, and feel it.

dongarvin

taentea wrote: »

At the moment I don't have much motivation. I just have a habit.

I'm generally a very enthusiastic and easily excited person with a lot of interests and motivation to do things I love. I've lost weight few years ago riding a wave like this.

This time I've started at the bottom. My current health and meds I'm taking keep my energy levels down, so I don't feel like I'm doing anything big. I've never been thin in my entire life and I'm too far away from getting there to tease myself with mental images of that happening any soon. I know what to do though. I wake up, make my bed, brush my teeth, then eat under 1200 calories a day and log everything I eat. Neither of that is particularly exciting but neither of it is hard either. I just do it. And I enjoy seeing the numbers go down. I smile at every changing digit without thinking about my final goal and how long it will take me to get there.

I like that idea of taking it day by day and not just focusing on a goal line that's down the road. It makes the journey less daunting. Enjoy the small accomplishments and one day you'll look up and see that you arrived. Good luck to you!

omegaoutlaw

Waking up and having a goal to work towards weather it is run further, run faster, lift more, do more Burpees... Run a 5 k now train for a half marathon. Lots of new challenegs!