A new week, another new start...

sharke087

So here we go again, it seems like I keep trying to kickstart a diet and fitness plan just to lose motivation and have to start over....

How does everyone else stay motivated, especially if you are a loner and don’t have someone to help with accountability?

kommodevaran

I am only accountable to myself, and I never attempt kickstarts.

VUA21

At the beginning, I wrote my self a note and stuck it to my wall:

"What do you want more? To be obese or to be healthy?".

It was a daily reminder to just keep going a day at a time. Once I saw some results, they were their own motivation.

Ninkasi

Motivation is ultimately internal. No outside influence can get you to the finish line if you're not committed to getting there yourself. I'm kind of a loner too and in the three months I've been actively losing weight, the only person who knows what I'm doing is my husband. Nobody else needs to know.

Cheesy567

Sounds like you might need a different plan, one that doesn’t require motivation to stick to.

I find focusing on habits works better for me. Pick one habit to change at a time; when that becomes second nature, keep that change and add one more.

The podcast “HalfSize Me” really changed my outlook on this.

sharke087

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I used to be addicted to store bought sweet tea, but gave that up on Christmas Eve and have managed to be successful in staying away from sweet soft drinks. I lost 17 lbs just from that alone!

I have been trying to focus on the fact that 1 little change did so much, and now I want to change 1 more thing...just that thing is that I used to be really lazy, so that’s the tough part.

VUA21

sharke087 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I used to be addicted to store bought sweet tea, but gave that up on Christmas Eve and have managed to be successful in staying away from sweet soft drinks. I lost 17 lbs just from that alone!

I have been trying to focus on the fact that 1 little change did so much, and now I want to change 1 more thing...just that thing is that I used to be really lazy, so that’s the tough part.

That's the way to do it for true long term success. One small change at a time. Congratulations on the 17lbs down.

Brabo_Grip

Cheesy567 wrote: »

Sounds like you might need a different plan, one that doesn’t require motivation to stick to.

I find focusing on habits works better for me. Pick one habit to change at a time; when that becomes second nature, keep that change and add one more.

The podcast “HalfSize Me” really changed my outlook on this.

This. Motivation only gets you so far. You have to build habits.

mkculs

sharke087 wrote: »

I have been trying to focus on the fact that 1 little change did so much, and now I want to change 1 more thing...just that thing is that I used to be really lazy, so that’s the tough part.

Congratulations on the first change and its impressive result. 17 lbs just from a change in what you drink--wonderful!

Perhaps you need to take on a 2nd change that isn't so difficult, or break down this change into smaller pieces. For example, if you are "lazy" all day, pick a time to target to make the change, and consider the activities that could feel that time. I'm incredibly lazy on weekends and during the summer (I'm a teacher--I'm not lazy about working on school stuff over the summer, on my own time, but I'm very lazy most of the other time). I'm targeting mornings--I tend to sit down with my coffee and then . . . nothing. It can lead to a whole day of nothing. I often exercise in the morning, but it's the time after that--and the lazier my morning is, the harder it is to get going the rest of the day. So, mornings for me. Activities--better walk for the dog; laundry; picking one home project to tackle for the day/week; things like that. I actually like all those things but am just too lazy to do them a lot of the time (which leads to frantic activity 1 day/week, which I'd like to avoid).

Whatever you decide, best of luck.