My goal is to lose 40lbs and I need motivation

mpendley06

I need help meeting my goal. I had a baby almost two years ago and I have struggled ever since. I am truly hoping to stay on track this time. How does everyone maintain their motivation?

riffraff2112

Congrats on the baby.

You will have to find your own motivation. I just would rather be skinnier. i lose confidence and energy when i am heavier. For me, it really is mostly about vanity.

I cant explain what I do day to day cause to be honest I have fallen off the track many times but I keep getting up and pushing forward. All i can say is to log everything and stay committed for the long haul. Just look at everyday as an opportunity to make a small step forward and after a few months you will have made some progress.

Don't fall victim to fads, or go full-tilt for a day or two, that usually leads to failure. Just stay consistent and make changes that you can stick with for life.

Good luck to you. You can do this.

sarahcibula67

I just had my second and I'm getting married next November trying to lose around the same amount too. It's super hard especially during the holidays. I'd say set a goal and a deadline. Like lose 20 pounds in x amount of months. My motivation is to be thin for our wedding pictures. I don't want to look disgusting in in a gorgeous dress.

kpchoate

For me personally, I found that focusing on the end result just left me disappointed. But when I set three or four tasks throughout my day that all work TOWARD that end result, I felt like I had made strides that day even if it didn't immediately show up on the scale. I've kinda taken the approach that fitness is a lot like success. It's a journey. Not a destination.

For me, focusing on the small daily choices instead of the end goal has proven to be the most productive path. I was 313 lbs five years ago. Today, I'm 256 and still working on it. Yeah it's painfully slow. But you got this.

What are you going to do TODAY that will help you reach your goal? What are you going to do TOMORROW? Don't plan out too far because life gets in the way and then you get discouraged again. But focus on the choices immediately in front of you and that forty pounds will take care of itself soon enough. ;-)

kristikitter

mpendley06 wrote: »

How does everyone maintain their motivation?

You need to make sure that the pay-off is frequent. So, that means instead of saying "I want to lose 40lbs in x weeks" (the pay-off of which will take a long time - say at least 20 weeks, and likely longer), you give yourself smaller goals:

"I want to move down one BMI category."
"I want to lose 5% of my body weight."
"I would like to have lost 2lbs by the New Year."

Also focus on non-weight goals. You'll see a Non-Scale Victory, or NSV, thread floating about, which is great for motivation. Things like...

"I want to move down a notch on my belt."
"I want to move down one dress size in my favourite shop."
"I would like to be able to walk a mile without becoming breathless."
"I want to stay within my calorie limit for at least one month."

My advice is:
1. Put your stats in here and eat the calories it gives you
2. Read the NSV thread (it's huge and will keep you occupied for ages!!)
3. Take some 'Before' pictures for you to measure your progress against - 10lbs, 20lbs, all of the weight loss can be seen even if it is slow and minimal.

Good luck

mpendley06

I am going to start small goals.I have never done that before. I have done countless fad diets that work for a short amount of time, but then I get back to eating whatever and here comes the 15 lbs that I previously lost. This is my first time I have been serious about doing it the old fashioned way. Usually, I don't lose a ton of weight right off the bat and feel beat, but I think setting small goals that can be met us a short amount of time will help. Thank you all for the support.

eluvscats

I use an app called Happy Scale in addition to this one, which sets 5 pound goals. (It also smooths fluctuations in weight so it gives you a moving average.) I've found that the small goals are more motivating than I expected! When I reach one, I'm like "yay!" and then I think, "ok, just five more pounds..." So I guess I like the five pound goals because they seem so achievable even though I have A LOT to lose.

I also use measurements to motivate me. I take my measurements once a month (usually bust, waist, hips) and it is very motivating to see those numbers go down! My ultimate goal is more of a size than an actual weight so the measurements tell me, "ok, you lost x inches, only y more to go."

SW: 255
CW: 193
GW: 140

Michelle9912

I find it useful to use tools to track stuff. A couple years ago I was heavier than I had ever been despite consistently maintaining physical activity. I never have, nor do i now believe in diets, but I do believe 80% of wt loss/body comp improvements is due to what I eat and 20% due to activity.

When I was ready to do something to stop the weight gain and fit back into my favorite jeans, I started to track my food and my activity. It was an objective way for me to assess how many calories I was taking in vs what I needed.

Making different food choices, in my opinion is a lifestyle change and doesn't happen overnight. Similar to what other's post, focusing on small daily choices is very productive. Life is fluid and sometimes you have to take it day-by-day. Also, it's important to remember making different food choices doesn't mean you can't enjoy junk food, i follow the rule-10-20% of my intake will consist of junk food most days. Food planning and prep also help with diet adherence- you need to live a little, lol.

I do find, when I combine excerise with "smarter" food choices I tend to me more adherent to my "diet"- but you do need to allow your self recovery time from activity as well. Also, the day-to-day stuff, like walking more, taking stairs instead of the elevator are effective in boosting overall activity and I incorporate that stuff into my day-to-day.

I hope you find what works for you. Be patient with yourself and try different things.