Losing motivation, looking for advice/friends to help

MarMcGrath

You would think consistent loss would help me stay motivated. But apparently not?

I've been logging on MFP and attending the gym 3x a week for about 2 months now, with excellent success. I've lost 20 lbs since starting on MFP and 27 lbs since starting the gym!

In the last week or so I find myself slipping into old habits - getting complacent if you will; instead of cooking supper I'll run over to subway, skipping snacks, the occasional chocolate bar... etc.

I'm still losing weight, but I know the more complacent I get the more likely I'll be to gain.

Looking for a few new friends to share my journey with! Would love your advice on the matter, how do you keep things fresh and work on staying motivated?

Any and all advice/friend requests would be greatly appreciated.

StaciMarie1974

Do you feel you have to give up things completely in order to be successful? If so, do you think you can be content to give up those things?

Personally I see nothing wrong with picking up food, having a chocolate bar, etc. I have a budget in terms of calories and nutritional components to fill each day. I'm not saying 'my way' is what you should do, of course. If there is a reason you need to avoid these things, that is what you need to focus on in order to hold the course. If its just that you thought being healthy means eating only from a list of 'good' foods and avoiding all 'bad' foods, then that way of thinking could lead to problems down the road.

MarMcGrath

I'm in complete agreement with you in seeing nothing wrong with a treat - I'd probably go insane without one. My issue is moderation I suppose. It's no longer a treat if I do it every day, you know?

One of my long-term goals is a flatter stomach. In about 8 months I'm hoping to travel to Cancun for my 25th birthday and I would love to be bikini ready by that time (atleast in my own mind - society will probably never see me as bikini ready haha). I love my body shape and height but my extra belly fat is a point for me that I would like to correct.

I'm told over and over by my coach at the gym that the way to cut down on this fat is nutrition. "You can't out-train a bad diet," she says.

So it surprises me every time I make an unhealthier choice. Having achieved the progress I have, you'd think I would be more motivated than ever to keep going.

PinkPixiexox

I wouldn't say you're being complacent - I'd say you are behaving how you would do in every day life. It may not be realistic for you to cook every single evening and that's totally okay. When I started this process, I would print out all these recipes with intentions to cook from scratch using 'the best' ingredients I could buy. If this is something you can sustain, then fantastic! But for me, it just wasn't. I make 'better' choices these days but if I'd rather pop into Subway on the way home and grab a sandwich, I'll do that. I'll simply count it into my calorie allowance. For me, continuing doing things as I would normally do things has been the reason for my success. You have to make your plan work around you. You want a burger on the way home? Great - track it. I can't cook - so a lot of the time I'm grabbing something pre-packaged and logging that instead!

You said yourself that you are still losing weight so in my honest opinion, you aren't being complacent - just human. Keep up the good work

wahmx3

I sent you a friend request.

wahmx3

You have to change your lifestyle but also know that this is forever! So nothing wrong with eating out, having a chocolate bar etc as long as you allow for it in your calorie goals. I won't ever give up chocolate but I try not to eat a whole bar, instead have mini bars or a piece of chocolate such as a Hershey kiss, a small brownie etc. I also know I want to eat out once a week so I plan for that and choose lower calorie and more fruits throughout that day. Meal planning really helps me stick to my plan....I look at our weekly schedule and plan around that.

MommyL2015

PinkPixiexox wrote: »

I wouldn't say you're being complacent - I'd say you are behaving how you would do in every day life. It may not be realistic for you to cook every single evening and that's totally okay. When I started this process, I would print out all these recipes with intentions to cook from scratch using 'the best' ingredients I could buy. If this is something you can sustain, then fantastic! But for me, it just wasn't. I make 'better' choices these days but if I'd rather pop into Subway on the way home and grab a sandwich, I'll do that. I'll simply count it into my calorie allowance. For me, continuing doing things as I would normally do things has been the reason for my success. You have to make your plan work around you. You want a burger on the way home? Great - track it. I can't cook - so a lot of the time I'm grabbing something pre-packaged and logging that instead!

You said yourself that you are still losing weight so in my honest opinion, you aren't being complacent - just human. Keep up the good work

^^
What she said, emphasis on the bold part

sweetpea03b

Personally, I find this happens when I am bored with my routine. Start a new exercise plan.... switch up your meals... anything really and I think you will find the spark again. Go through your old logs or pictures and remind yourself why you are doing this and how well you are doing... so you remember not to blow it because you are bored. I find being active on here helps also... posting on your wall... looking through success stories, etc. Good luck!