Ms

debbieadams1967

Hi i am just getting started. Off and on. Needs motivation to stay on

manderson27

If you are "off" then you won't make progress.

If you are "on" then you will.

You can't be motivated ALL the time but you can be consistant in the changes you make. Slow and steady wins this race.

gallicinvasion

The key is to change your mindset on what makes you “off.”

Is it possible you could create a plan for when you do some “off” behaviors? For example, if you have a binge or eat an unplanned food/snack/meal, could you have a post-mistake plan that you can implement? For example “when I eat an unplanned food, I resolve to track it in my food diary, eat my planned meal at the next opportunity (no restricting as punishment!), and I resolve to write a one-sentence note in my phone about one way I could plan a little better next time.” Then, when you make a “mistake,” you still have the chance to stay “on plan” by implementing your post-mistake plan!

This would help you see that there’s really no reason to think of “off” and “on” as totally different times in our lives. Really, our lives are just a collection of actions and habits. Some move us closer to our goals, and some don’t move us at all. If we try to implement habits and behaviors that move us more in the goal direction, and create an inclusive plan for when we don’t do those behaviors, then our whole lives can be considered “on”!

AnnPT77

My advice would be to try to come up with a plan that requires the minimum of motivation, because motivation tends to be fleeting.

Too often, people try to lose weight like yesterday, so set up a huge calorie cut as their goal, then try to add large amounts of exercise (the more unpleasant and exhausting the better, it seems like some believe) on top of the calorie cut. They try to cut out "bad foods" and eat only "healthy and clean" foods, and cut out many foods they enjoy. It's almost as if they think becoming overweight was a sin, and they need to suffer to expiate it.

All of that is extreme, mostly unnecessary/misguided, and frankly, it often fails.

Instead, start by logging what you'd normally eat, without trying to make any big changes at first. I'll bet you'll find things that make you think "wow, that has way more calories than is worth it to me!". Those are foods you can reduce or eliminate, either totally, or to be replaced with some other food you enjoy that has a better calorie "cost" for the nutrition and satisfaction it brings you. Keep logging, keep cycling through that review & revise process, and I predict you'll reach a point where you can hit a calorie goal that gives you slow but sustainable weight loss, provides good nutrition, keeps you feeling full most of the time, and that you find tasty.**

On the exercise front, if you want to do more, just add some movement to your day, ideally something that's at least tolerable, and possibly even pleasant. Take a walk, play more actively with your kids (if you have some), dance, play physically active electronic games, do some stretching or marching in place during commercials if you watch TV, whatever. Try to challenge yourself physically just a bit, but not as far as pain or exhaustion. Gradually, you'll start feeling stronger and better. As that happens, you can experiment with adding more or different kinds of activity, to find ways of moving more that are a little bit challenging, yet manageable and practical for you, and if possible even fun.

If you have an off day with eating or exercise plans, think about why it happened, learn from it, and revise your plans accordingly, to work better in the future. Other than that, just let it go. Doing better as time goes on, and doing well on a higher percentage of days, is heading in the right direction. Just don't quit.

Manageable changes in the right direction, implemented gradually, will get us to goal. And minimal willpower is involved.

** If that "remodel your eating" appeals to you, there's a more detailed post about that here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

Best wishes!