How do YOU stay motivated?
ashleynnm
Posts: 17 Member
Out of all the factors that go into losing weight, staying motivated is the hardest one. I see a food I really like and I just completely forget why I want to lose weight in the first place.. Do you guys have any tips for staying motivated? (Thank you & feel free to add me)
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I like the way it makes me feel. I have tons of energy and I hardly ever get sick!! All from making healthier choices and exercising.4
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Out of all the factors that go into losing weight, staying motivated is the hardest one. I see a food I really like and I just completely forget why I want to lose weight in the first place.. Do you guys have any tips for staying motivated? (Thank you & feel free to add me)
well looking at your calorie intake over the last days if the logging is correct ( which is hundreds in the negative netting) i would say eat more.
In my weight loss journey i didn't deprive myself at all. Eat what i wanted but controlled it. Lost in 400 days 130 lbs and now since November 2015 maintaining.
So the feeling of feeling good kept me going. The fact i could eat it all only controlling what i ate did the job for me.
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I'm motivated every time I pass a mirror and dislike the reflection. I fall short many days, but I will never give up until I work for exactly what I want to see as my reflection. I love myself at any weight but it keeps me pushing on to get to my goal! Motivation is just not enough to succeed because it comes and goes. I think it truly takes discipline (doing what it takes regardless of how you feel) and consistency.3
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I lose weight.
In other words, when I was first losing weight, I was losing at a rate of 1 kg/week. Why would I have wanted to stop doing that until I reached my goal?0 -
Been doing this for over two years now. I've lost 137lbs and 1 more to my goal weight. I stay motivated by setting smaller goals along the way. In the beginning it was reaching my first 20lbs lost, going down to the next size in jeans, getting out of the next BMI range, seeing my progress photos... etc. The motivation to be a healthy weight for the first time in my adult life has driven me here and being successful feels amazing. Like how good it feels when you pay off that huge debt that's been stressing you out for years. Yeah, lessons learned in life right? The motivation has to come from within you!!6
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I stay motivated by seeing changes. Old clothes getting baggy, shopping for new ones...pulling old clothes out to see if they fit again yet.1
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I eat chocolate when I want to and make room in my log for it. Seriously, it helps.
Also, this is a life-long journey, not a race. I know there will be days I go over my calories, but then I just get right back at it the next day.5 -
I've found a lot of healthy recipes which taste so amazingly good. I don't feel like I miss out anything since those recipes added to my favourite foods a lot so I can just choose any time a healthier choice I like as much as other options. Sometimes I can have one of my old foods as well if I feel like it. On top of that I'm getting so strong! Going to gym and feeling how weights that used to be too heavy to lift are so easy to lift now... It really feels amazing. And the results as well from weight loss. There's so much to gain from weight loss, exercising and cooking new kinds of foods
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I think about how I felt before I started on my journey. I don't want to feel tired, depressed, or anxious anymore. I kicked those things out the door when I started. The losing weight, though I want to lose weight I consider that a side affect of better living. It can be hard sometimes to motivate myself but I know if I do what needs to be done I am not going to regret it. What will I regret? getting back in that deep hole I was in a month ago, and I lived like that for years. I know I am just beginning but I can say my days are so much more brighter.1
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I'm going to agree that looking at your profile picture and diary, motivation or need for motivation isn't the issue here. I don't think we should be actively encouraging you to continue with what you are doing.4
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VintageFeline wrote: »I'm going to agree that looking at your profile picture and diary, motivation or need for motivation isn't the issue here. I don't think we should be actively encouraging you to continue with what you are doing.
bamm..spot on0 -
1. My thighs
2. Success breeds success. I'm on a roll and I'm not stopping.
3. In the end, it will all be worth it.0 -
My boyfriend and I check in with each other. "What did you eat today? Have most of your meals been made up of fresh vegetables? Are you going running today?" He's an incredibly dedicated person and he really inspires me. Also, it's kinda weird, but sometimes when I'm out walking, I repeat my weight over and over to myself and tell myself how many pounds I have left to go. It makes me walk a little faster and go for a salad instead of a hotdog because of all the progress I've made.2
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VintageFeline wrote: »I'm going to agree that looking at your profile picture and diary, motivation or need for motivation isn't the issue here. I don't think we should be actively encouraging you to continue with what you are doing.
Good catch!
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If that picture of you is current, you may want to reassess weight loss. You look quite thin. Have you considered instead fitness goals?1
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Another idea is eating whole plant based foods, staying active and having a purpose in life. What do you think is your life's purpose? Also, when I pray and ask God for help with my life and to heal the hurts, He does.3
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In my experience, motivation is really not the key for success. Motivation comes in waves: some days high, other days low, incredibly unpredictable. IMO, a combination of knowledge, skills, and a practical strategy trump motivation.2
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I stay motivated by realizing that working on my health by eating healthy and working out is something that I am doing purely in my own self-interest. I am not doing it for anyone but myself. This is really empowering for me mentally, not only for weightloss, but confidence all around!2
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BurnWithBarn2015 wrote: »Out of all the factors that go into losing weight, staying motivated is the hardest one. I see a food I really like and I just completely forget why I want to lose weight in the first place.. Do you guys have any tips for staying motivated? (Thank you & feel free to add me)
well looking at your calorie intake over the last days if the logging is correct ( which is hundreds in the negative netting) i would say eat more.
In my weight loss journey i didn't deprive myself at all. Eat what i wanted but controlled it. Lost in 400 days 130 lbs and now since November 2015 maintaining.
So the feeling of feeling good kept me going. The fact i could eat it all only controlling what i ate did the job for me.
Cangratulations on your amazing weight loss! And thank you so much for the advice. I think I try to eat as less as I can because I feel as if I eat more I'll gain instead of losing. But I'm willing to try new things and other strategies.
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bmayes2014 wrote: »I'm motivated every time I pass a mirror and dislike the reflection. I fall short many days, but I will never give up until I work for exactly what I want to see as my reflection. I love myself at any weight but it keeps me pushing on to get to my goal! Motivation is just not enough to succeed because it comes and goes. I think it truly takes discipline (doing what it takes regardless of how you feel) and consistency.
You're perfect at any weight) but that's a good way to keep you pushing forward. Thank you sm!
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Motivated, for me, is the reason I finally decided to heed my doctor's persistent advice. My health indicators were declining. It remained yet within my grasp to influence them to improve, so I choose to. While the kitchen pantry is stocked with a wide variety of snacks both at work and at home, my food plan has appropriate items for my needs and that's what I eat.0
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I weigh myself first thing every morning, helps to keep my mind on track for the day ahead. I also like watching success stories0
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Music, music, music. If I forget my headphones. I probably won't go to the gym. My phone is my mp3 player lol. I don't dwell on the scale or my size. Those victories are awesome. It sucks when I see that chart go up and i know I gained that week. But I look back a know where I lost track. Just pick up where you left off and keep going. I can portion control at home and calorie count while I'm out and about. My hardest thing is getting, my butt to the gym. I know my goals and where I want to be. I don't look at the end result I make mini goals and hit those milestones. Just keep pressing on girl. You look great!0
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It's not a matter of motivation for me. It's just a little work on curbing cravings.
Like right now I'm having the worst craving as far as I can remember. LOL. I'm feeling physically fine though.0 -
The goal that I'm trying to achieve is motivation and when the going gets tough I thrive off the weak and that's what keeps me going strong0
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What has helped me is sticking to it through thick and thin...literally!
What I mean is, like most people starting out to lose weight we ignore the fact it took years to get out of shape and we set ourselves up for failure expecting very quick results. So Maybe I can drop 30 pounds in a couple months, but I never did it in sustainable ways so I had a feeling like I failed...and up again I went. Then I would get aggressive about it and tell myself THIS TIME, and it would drop quickly...but again it would go up when things weren't going fast enough.
But that is what zaps motivation more than anything...lack of progress. And it solely falls on expectations and wanting things quick.
So what has helped me stay motivated is letting go of any expectations, time frames, pounds, numbers, etc. I simply concede to make the best choices food wise and exercising ever day, each day of the week, from now on. Amazingly, I still may have ups and downs with weight or such, but it doesn't spiral me into binge eating or sitting around like it used to. I allow good wiggle room without going to far off track and still have some things I would like to accomplish, but I know they will come with time and consistency.
Time and consistency.
That is key.
And I look better without clothes.
That helps.0 -
This is the tough one for us. You have to find something that's an internal motivator. No one can motivate you you have to do it yourself but you have to find is a why. That why has to be totally selfish it can't be for the kids I can't be for the significant other it has to be for yourself. by being for yourself everything else will take care of itself. Also you have to realize you're worth it and believe that you're worth it.
For me it's a very personal dream that I've had for way too many years. something happened to me and I'm focused on that dream now. it's been real easy to stay self-motivated.0 -
One word: RESULTS. That's all I need to want to do it again tomorrow....1
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Goodness. Just like the poster above me, seeing the results (sometimes daily) is highly motivating. I have some goals that I am dying to meet. My husband is quite a bit younger than I am (10 y), so staying fit for him and keeping our marriage frisky is really important to me, and motivating. I'm motivated by my 2 daughters, whom I want to be a role model for. I am egotistically motivated by the looks that I get from men in our company as I walk down the hall LOL 0
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A few things
1. I stare at my weight loss progression graph here
2. I watch "My 600lb life."
3. I watch "Extreme Weight Loss."
4. I measure myself and also try on my older clothes to see how much I lost so far1
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