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Bigtuna2011

I'm hitting a major blockade in my weight loss..I'm losing my motivation to keep going. I already have a health complication and I'm starting to question my decision to lose weight. I want to quit (which I have and started over again and again) but I'm sick of doing that..how does one stay on track? don't say just keep going or whatever, I mean what motivates YOU? Cause I think I may have the wrong motivation plus I have other issues I need help sorting out..I don't care for rude responses, but intelligent and honest conversation.

thisdamselflies

This is a huge problem for me as well. Every time I have some success, I eat badly at a party, injure myself and stop working out altogether, etc. I've managed to stay mostly on track since February this time, working out at least 4 times a week and eating mostly well. The key is that every time I've fallen off this time, I've started again the next hour or the next day. Making a mistake is not a failure unless you stop trying. The things that are motivating me right now:

- I want to have kids next year, and I want my body to be in peak condition, both for the pregnancy and for chasing them around once they're old enough to run!
- The thought of running into an ex. This sounds weird, but if I run into an ex, I'd much prefer them to think "damn, she looks even more amazing than she did __ years ago!" rather than "damn, I'm glad she ditched me all those years ago after all!" This is not about wanting any of them back, but rather about having someone who knew me well years ago still see me as attractive. Old friends from middle and high school would fit this motivational category for me too. This is also why I don't leave the house in pajama pants...this and the thought of running into someone I know professionally, or who I might interview for a job with.
- An active vacation I'm looking forward to, which will include lots of hiking, kayaking, etc., and I want to have endurance, strength, and energy to do everything I want.
- All the fun things I can't do when I'm tired.
- My mom, who runs 3 miles a day.
- The 60-something lady at the YMCA wearing a bright yellow tank top, lifting heavy weights, and walking around like she owned the place.
- $$$! I can't afford to buy any more new clothes, so I have to lose a few pounds to fit into my old ones. I currently do not have a single pair of shorts that fit, and it's the middle of the summer!
- Living alone for a couple of months every year means I need to be independent, which means I need to be strong enough to open my own pickle jars, lift up heavy boxes (or a 63-lb dog, if needed), sprint for the bus (no rides from my spouse if I miss the bus!), put the impossibly bulky and heavy maple futon up and down alone, etc.

I think motivation is usually a very personal thing. People will share some motivations with me, but some of mine will only motivate me, and won't work for you. I hope mine are helpful, or inspire you to look at what might really push you to keep going.

cebreisch

To me, motivation is that thing that drives you to do things you don't *want* to do but *must* do. There's an old adage about a hound dog laying on a rusty nail bellowing. The farmer's neighbor asks why the dog doesn't move, and the farmer says, "Because it doesn't hurt him enough."

There has to be something that you don't like enough that it makes you want to do something about it. Some will use some sort of reward to inspire them. With me it was both. I went to an school event with my daughter and couldn't walk to the door without stopping and had to sit on the floor once inside the building. I HATED that everyone had to step over me and it was all my fault for letting myself get to that point (even though I had the nerve to blame it on them for making me walk so far when none of the other mothers were having issues) - and I remember thinking, "something has to change."

My husband and I also planned a trip to Disney for last June. I wanted to be able to walk around without issue. I did (after losing weight and getting skin removal surgery).

Now I'm having trouble keeping going. We've set another date for Disney in 2016, and will be meeting at the gym this afternoon after work. It's slowly coming back, getting used to tracking again, and being willing to be uncomfortable. The real key is to not give up. I've got a sign on my desk that says, "If you're tired of starting over, STOP GIVING UP!" and another that states, "The voice in your head that says that you can't do this is a LIAR."

Do it until you believe you can do it. Do it through the fear. Soon enough, the fear will subside enough for you to start believing in yourself.

mwiechel

What kind of goals do you have set up? Are they large goals that you can see in the distance but when you have a bad day/week the goal seems so far away? I find it is most helpful for me to have smaller goals set up as baby sets to my ultimate goal. Having something concrete to see and monitor helps. If it's I want to lose weight, that is not good enough. If It is I want to lose 100 pounds, that is great, for a ultimate goal, but when you have those hard times, that number can seem impossible.

Try setting up something like I want to lose 10 pounds, I want to drink at least 64oz of water a day, or I want to workout 4 times a week (and then plan them into your week!) Make an appointment to workout and keep it just as you would a doctor or dentist appointment. Those times are non-negotiable. Then set up a reward for your when you meet those goals, a new pair of shoes, a new gadget for the kitchen to help with cooking healthy meals, a new healthy cook book, go to a movie, whatever you will be excited about getting/doing when you hit that goal.

And I know you said not to say it, but there is truth in it, KEEP GOING! having bad days or weeks may happen, but once they are gone, you can't change them, but you can change what you do moving forward.

Feel free to friend me if you want to, I'd love to help support and motivate you along the way!

tessaeve

Don't quit! You can scale back every once in awhile but make sure you pick it back up. One year from now you will be so glad that you didn't quit. You will have good days and bad days, just make sure that there are plenty more good days than bad days.
What helped me stay motivated was reading all the success stories on the message boards, logging everyday even when it was bad, setting personal strength and fitness goals to meet and setting up a nice support system of folks that were cheering me on and wanting to me to succeed. The biggest thing that helped was to change my thinking. I had to get my mind set right before my body could change.
Hope this helps. I understand how you feel because I have been there more times than I care to admit.

Francl27

You don't quit because the health complications from quitting will be far, far worse.