What keeps you motivated?

PolkadotH

With a long term goal in place of 90lbs+ to lose, I would love to know what keeps everyone motivated with tracking their foods, choosing the right foods when eating out and doing exercise.

My current motivations is my holiday to Mexico next year and I am determined to be 97lbs lighter than I am now. I want to be able to wear those cute dresses, shorts and bikinis!

JoJosAnatomymfp

I told myself when I started (96 days ago) that I would just take it one day at a time. Each bit of progress I made kept my motivation continuing.

Lizzy622

Started in 2010. I have only lost about 40 pounds but doing the right thing makes me feel good. I don't ever want to feel like I did when I started. I feel younger and more energetic today than I did 6 years ago.

Laura040

What keeps me motivated, is how much more involved I can be as a mother to my kids!

Last year was the first time I'd ever gone swimming with them, and it was amazing! I hadn't swam in 7+ years. This summer I will be coaching my sons soccer team! Something I'd never dream of doing!

My life is so much more fulfilling and positive now that I'm able to enjoy it to the fullest.

Beka3695

97 lbs can appear overwhelming. I suggest smaller goals that will ultimately add up to 97. I use mini goals to keep me motivated.

I have my mini goals posted on my profile. It is like taking tiny bites of the 87 lbs I want to lose. I like goals in 10-15 lb increments. It makes me feel like I am getting somewhere!! My next goal is 177 lbs. This will mark 65 lbs lost and 75% to goal. It is 6 lbs away.

Also, going from a snug size 18 to a comfortable 10 is very motivating!!!!

LenGray

I started here in September with 109 lbs to lose. I'm down to 76 now.

Staying motivated, for me, involves a lot of accomplishments. Breaking everything down and celebrating my achievements when they happen; whether that's 'X amount of days logged', a new fitness PR, losing weight, losing inches, fitting into new clothes, resisting tempting foods that would set me over my calorie goal, etc.

Also, I discovered what worked for me. I'm a fitness motivated individual. I wasn't motivated by staying within my deficit because I had no control over the scale and I felt like I was depriving myself because I was restricting calories.

Once I began to create fitness goals, my attitude changed and I found my motivation-- I was finally working toward something. With running and lifting, as long as I showed up to do the work, I was improving. Suddenly, it was easier to say 'no' to the donuts people at work brought in the morning because I needed to properly fuel my workouts. It was easier to feel happy about my food choices and restricting calories because every pound lost and every meal logged was another step toward the goals I'd set to become a healthier, fitter me.

I still have a long way to go, but focusing one day at a time and celebrating everything that my body is capable of each day is a huge help to staying motivated.

brittanypatrice7

Infertility and abs. So I am married, hubby and I already have two kids from previous relationships but we wanted one together. Turns out that I can't, so I got depressed and ate my feelings. To make it worse, literally everyone in my family kept asking if I was pregnant (they didn't know) bcuz I gained so much until finally I exploded telling them that I can't get pregnant. It really hurt but I turned my anger into motivation for a smoking hot body, to be healthier, and to curb my depression. Also next summer I want people to look at me and say "wow look at her abs" instead of "man she must be pregnant". Its working so far.

PolkadotH

Thank you all for sharing your motivations. They are amazing to read and will definitely be taking some tips to help me on my journey!

Ironandwine69

PTO moms. I want them to look at me and think "Her cupcakes are dry, but I better not make a face, damn, she looks like she could kick my *kitten*".

brb_2013

Honestly I am not motivated. I don't want to do any of this stuff. It bores me at best and stresses me out at worst. But I have goals, I have things I need to accomplish to be healthy and fit. So I'm dedicated to the process, I do it because I really have to. I look at it like my job really. This helps because on days I especially don't wanna, I still just... Do.

work_on_it

I'm so vain... I just want good selfies