How do you motivate yourself?

tataydecano

I’m a 43 yr-young father at 257 lbs, and I plan see/attend my kids’ wedding years from now. Being in this weight poses a couple of health risks on my end and I have to do something about it.
I just started to understand and pursue the caloric diet. And how it can help with my relationship with food. I know I’m far from achieving the ideal weight loss and it shows physically. But whenever I look into the mirror, I visualize the image I’m looking at as the person who weigh less and eating healthy.
I know I just started this journey with great challenges ahead. Would like to ask “how do you motivate yourself?” when faced with doubts and difficulties in your road to a healthy life?

88olds

Motivation is overrated. I’d like to change the name of this board to determination.

Its all about the process. Plan a menu, execute, keep the food diary no matter what, adjust and problem solve to make the plan better as needed. As long as the process is in place, there’s no on the wagon/off the wagon. There’s only process.

Sooner or later everyone will make a mistake. All kinds of ways to go over your calories, inadequate plans, loss of focus at critical times, fatigue, even math mistakes, misread menus or NI. But the process is more important than the numbers.

Weight loss is a skill set. Mostly problem solving. Give yourself plenty of time with the calorie counting learning curve. It gets easier.

Btw, I was 44yrs old, 285 lbs with 2 little kids at home when I started my journey. I ran the kids into the ground in the parks in Orlando. It can be done.

orenshani7

I look at the mirror at the end of every day and appreciate what I accomplished so far. I think it is important to look back, especially when it feels like there is so much that still has to be done.

amusedmonkey

88olds wrote: »

Motivation is overrated. I’d like to change the name of this board to determination.

Its all about the process. Plan a menu, execute, keep the food diary no matter what, adjust and problem solve to make the plan better as needed. As long as the process is in place, there’s no on the wagon/off the wagon. There’s only process.

Sooner or later everyone will make a mistake. All kinds of ways to go over your calories, inadequate plans, loss of focus at critical times, fatigue, even math mistakes, misread menus or NI. But the process is more important than the numbers.

Weight loss is a skill set. Mostly problem solving. Give yourself plenty of time with the calorie counting learning curve. It gets easier.

Btw, I was 44yrs old, 285 lbs with 2 little kids at home when I started my journey. I ran the kids into the ground in the parks in Orlando. It can be done.

Beautifully put and I very much agree. It's more about learning the skills needed to live the life you want vs forcing arbitrary changes that you think would get you to your goal.

TavistockToad

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818701/the-myth-of-motivation-and-what-you-need-instead/p1

NorthCascades

I have goals that are important to me at a personal level. Not like get my body fat to 10% or bench my weight or anything like that, stuff that matters to me on a deep level. You said you want to be around for your kids weddings, that's a fantastic example.

Now, remember that goal, keep your eyes on the prize.

Don't expect 100% from yourself, go for 90%. Keep eating some of the foods you love, including junk food, most people do better long term if this stuff isn't completely forbidden. It's easier for me to know I can have a pint of ice cream every now and then than it is to imagine never eating anything but cauliflower for the rest of my life.