What Works to motivate you??

Bigdog246

Only been doing this a couple days (but down 6lbs)...this time, but combining things that have worked for me in the past to keep me motivated and using all the bullets in the gun:

Take weight and BF measurements every day but look at weekly averages on a graph for progress. There is something very satisfying about looking at a weight graph from where I have come to where I am now. Much more than just looking at a current weight number.

Track every calorie that I eat. When I can stay under the daily goal and not feel wiped out, its very motivating! Trying to stay low carb...not necessarily no carb

Get up every morning and read about yall's success stories

Look at yall's before and after pictures

Set monthly goals with (reasonable) food rewards when I meet the goals

What works for you? I know I will need other things to motivate me as time goes along.

thanks
T

cmriverside

When I first started, I decided how much weight I needed to lose, then I calculated approximately how long it would take and then I planned and paid for a vacation in the sun to coincide with that weight loss. It kept me in line, which was good except I had to buy clothes to wear by guessing my new improved size.

I also did quite a bit of research and started cooking every meal. Much tastier than prepared foods and I spent a lot of time doing the research, buying and preparing.

snowyne

Sad to say, but keeping an image of an unhealthy close relative in my mind that I don't want to end up resembling keeps me motivated!

I also like to reward myself with new workout clothes occasionally. Keeping track of my physical activity each day and tracking my progeess/setting new goals also keeps me going.

jan110144

The first thing I needed to do was to deal with the fickle nature of the scale. I used to weigh once a week. But, I would have times when I would be very 'good' (hit calorie and exercise goals) and get on the scale only to find that I had lost nothing or, heaven forbid, even 'gained' a pound. Now I weigh daily and am able to laugh at the sudden 'weight gain', despite the fact that I was 'perfect' the day before.

I started focusing on non-scale measures ... how I feel, how my clothes fit, health indicators (blood pressure, resting heart rate, etc.). I plan my food day every day in the morning and track every day. This allows me to strategize on those days when I am not eating at home so I can continue to stay on plan.

Finally, I have quit thinking of this as a diet to lose 'x' pounds. Instead, I realize that this is a life-long new way of eating that will not stop when I achieve some magic number on the scale. It seems to be working! I am not hungry, have plenty of energy, and have lost 27 pounds since the end of July. I am within 10 pounds of my goal weight ... but know that there will be no major changes in what I am doing once I get there. I will continue tracking and focusing on what I eat and add back calories gradually until I figure out what I need to eat to maintain.

amusedmonkey

I try not to rely on motivation. It's a rollercoaster, and dieting needs something more reliable. What I found helps me best is not to keep trying to motivate myself (although I welcome the feeling when it's around). I shifted focus from the goal to the process. I measure my success by my ability to develop working real life strategies, habits, and weight management tools, regardless of what my weight is doing.

I also don't ask too much of myself. I can't see myself consistently eating a diet very low in calories or exercising for hours, so I pick things that are relatively easy to do consistently, and I do them consistently. I don't expect perfection either. If something doesn't go according to my plan, I just forget this blip and continue where I left off.

Trying to always look for context in the big picture has been one of the most important skills I managed to teach myself. Partial success is not failure, and what looks like failure can actually be important steps towards success. For example, I had McDonald's a few days ago and went over my calories (by 800+ calories, for a total of 2800 calories), but I'm proud of my day.
- I didn't get the triple chocolate muffin although I wanted it. I decided that I could either have that or the McFlurry, but not both, and I decided on the McFlurry. I didn't impulse buy the muffin. Every time I keep my eating controlled and avoid impulse eating is a win.
- It was a hungry day and I knew I would be overeating anyway. McDonald's is filling for me, so it was a good choice.
- I didn't judge myself for going over calories, and it made me happy that "judgement days" rarely happen nowadays. They do me no good.
- The protein in that meal was great, so it feels like a win because I don't always eat meals with decent protein, especially not ones with red meat (I need the iron)
- I didn't have a "screw it" day just because I went over calories. My eating was controlled and anxiety-free.
- I was tempted to exercise it off next day, but it didn't feel right. I was feeling sorry for myself and that it "wasn't fair" that I get so damn hungry sometimes, so exercising would have been a form of being desperate for control. I'm proud that I didn't force myself to exercise it off when it might have felt like a purge. I'm very careful when to exercise off extra calories and when not to, making sure I only do it if there are no negative feelings attached, but sometimes I slip. That day I didn't slip, so it was a win.

It's all about perspective. Neither current weight nor one day's calories are a measure of my success or failure. That's a narrow way of looking at it. Everything that gives me an advantage for long term weight management is a success, regardless of what my calories are doing on any particular day, and everything that gives me a disadvantage is an opportunity to refine my strategies.

Running2Fit

I weigh myself every morning, not only does it give me a better picture of my weight loss than once a week weigh-ins, but it also keeps me focused on my goal since it’s one of the first things I think about every morning.

Being active on these message boards also helps keep me motivated. I love looking at others’ before and after pictures. I also like to look at before and after pictures on Instagram and follow a couple of people I find particularly inspiring.

I do have a bit of a time pressure to keep me motivated as well. My husband and I have decided to try for a baby in summer 2020 so I absolutely want to be at a healthy BMI and living a healthy lifestyle before then. Now when I fall off the wagon, I remind myself about that deadline and that if I don’t get on track I won’t make it.

And I like to pretend online shop for all the cute clothes I will actually fit into some day! I don’t actually buy anything but it’s so fun to look.

Bigdog246

thanks for all the input. There is some great stuff in there!