Any advice on what some of you may do to stay motivated trying to lose?

lovely_me2405

I am struggling to stay focused.

Freyhb

I googled some motivational quotes and calendar templates of each month for the year and taped them to my closet door. So as soon as I wake up each day, my eye goes towards the quotes an dit makes my whole day better. Plus, at the end of each day whether I stuck to my goals or not, I cross off that day on the calendar. It gives me visual data to look at and it shows me that each day is so important for my future success. So far, I'm a month and a half in to this lifestyle change and each makes me happier rather than miserable. This is the way I work...try it out for yourself...it may work for you too.

RaleighCaldwell

Look at the last picture that you didn't like about yourself. Print it out. Hang it in places where you find yourself being tempted or losing focus. Great examples, the refrigerator, the table next to the sofa, the cover pic on your phone.

All it took was about a week for me to decided I didn't want those pics around anymore and I got into a good routine and changed some habits.

It also helps to have a "buddy" you can chat with.

sra455

I've tried to pick an event (or several) that I just want to feel good and look good at. My sister got married in november and i was probably at my heaviest point then. It was devastating to not feel pretty on a day like that and to know that those pictures would be around and be special forever. So I said I'm not letting that happen again. My cousin is getting Married June 2, so thats a shorter term goal to lose some and feel better about myself. A longer term goal is that I graduate college in May 2019, which gives me a year to really go after what I want to be when I take that next step in my life.

lovely_me2405

Thank You guys so much. You all had great ideas.. I am going to try all of them and see how they work for me and congrats to all of you for finding something that works for you..

kommodevaran

I did the opposite - stopped trying, started doing, and stopped relying on motivation, and started building good habits instead. This amazingly removed the struggle, I lost 50 pounds and have kept them off for three years now.

tinkerbellang83

I also find replacing motivation with habitual behaviours is better for me too, once something becomes an automatic part of your day it's a lot easier to keep it up.

Many people lose motivation because they try to change too many things at once and over-complicate the process.

A good way IMO to get started is:

• Start getting into the habit of logging everything that passes your lips that has calories (with a food scale where possible), not worrying too much about the calorie count to start with, just eating in the way that you would normally - this helps you to get into the habit and see where you can make small changes to meet your calorie goal.
• Then once you have gotten comfortable with logging foods, set yourself a suitable rate of loss (not everyone should be aiming for 2lbs per week) and have the correct activity level set for your home/work life.
• You can use the information from your logging make some small changes to your normal way of eating to get down to your calorie allowance, this could be by reducing portion sizes, substituting calorie dense items for lower calorie versions, cutting out empty calories (things like high calorie drinks/snacks), bulking out meals with lower calorie, filling foods to avoid hunger.
• Once you have gotten into the habit of meeting your calorie goal, you could start thinking about better nutrition for health and satiety and/or increasing your activity level either through normal daily activity or by introducing intentional exercise.

The most important thing for weight loss is that your calories in are less than your calories out.

snowflake954

The experienced posters will tell you--log everything, everyday with a digital food scale. Try to move more. Even walking is good to start and doesn't cost you anything. Learn to cook if you don't know how, it helps if you prepare nutritional food. Take your measurements once a week and keep a journal. It will lift you up to see where you've been when the scale doesn't move. Try to stay within your calorie goal everyday. Patience wins.

LivingtheLeanDream

Motivation is fleeting but creating good habits will last.

concordancia

I replaced motivation with dedication. I frame my diet in terms of what I can eat, rather than what I cannot eat and started with a reasonable step goal. I just use an app on my phone to count the steps.