Motivation has disappeared

youknowyoursel

Has anyone got advice for when motivation is suddenly lost?

I’ve lost half a stone recently via strenuous walking twice a day. Despite the lockdown, I would rise at 6am when things are quiet and get 30-40 minutes walking. Then Id do the same at night. (I live in a rural area so I never see anyone during my walks).

After a stressful couple of days, I have totally lost motivation, have no inclination to exercise and am convinced that failure and weight gain are inevitable. I cannot get my head back into the can-do mindset that I was in. Can anyone help?

Kjk024

Motivation is hard to give to someone else. Looking at the success stories always helps me! I am currently trying to get rid of some extra pounds left after having a baby, so looking at old photos of me or trying on my old jeans that fit tighter than they should is usually enough to remind me that my long term goal is more important than my short term lack of motivation.

In a week, 7 days will have gone by whether you work hard or not. It’d be nice if 7 days from now you have something positive to show for it.

harper16

Congrats on your weight loss so far. Could you change it up and do something besides walking, or while on the walk listen to a podcast or a new book you've been wanting to read?

youknowyoursel

Yep you’re right. The time will pass wether I use it or not. I’m a big fan of audiobooks, a new one would be just the thing. I know what I have to do, sometimes it just helps to get it off ones chest. Thanks everyone 🙂

88olds

Motivation is overrated. Unfortunately its fleeting. If we are going to lose weight and keep it gone we can’t just work at it when it feels good.

Good habits will take us farther. Curious. Did you like getting up at to walk? If you’re resisting now, what is it you’re resisting exactly? Can you narrow it down? Are you resisting getting up at 6? Are you resisting strenuous walking?

Are there any compromises you can make with yourself to get back to your routine? A diffierent time? Easier pace? Anything else? There’s a tendency in new exercise plans to try to make every session more challenging than the last. Is that you?

Something I’ve done- I wanted to be a gym regular. But even after my routine was well established, there were days when I just didn’t want to do it. Bordering on dreading the idea. So I would make a deal with myself. Go to the gym and do 2/3 of my workout at 2/3 intensity. Or even ramp it back to half. Just go and do something. It’s better than nothing. And sometimes once I started I completed my regular workout. But sometimes not.

I came to view what I was doing as defending my habit. Preserving my timeslot. If I wasn’t at the gym I would quickly get in the habit of filling the time by sitting on the couch. Try to find a compromise for your down days.

goatg

I’m kind of similar. Laziness begets laziness and activity itself.

When I get into a rut I remind myself of how good it feels to be outside; the sun, wind, people I see (I’m sure you have your own version of this) and set a “get moving” alarm on my phone. I have to get dressed and go when the alarm goes off, just like pre-quarantine wake up alarm + morning workout.

MostlyWater

Good habits = discipline.

They kick in when you're used to them.

Shortgirlrunning

Some days you just have to do it, even when you don’t want to.

I have a playlist of “I Don’t Feel Like It” workouts saved on YouTube. They are fun workouts of various lengths (most around 20-30 min) that I enjoy but save for the days when doing my regular/planned workout sounds miserable. On a really tough day, I binge a Netflix show and walk around my living room while I watch because that’s better than sitting on my butt.

I also try to have some easy meals available. Calorie counting and cooking can get tedious and some days I just don’t want to. So I have a couple freezer meals that I’ll go to on days when I just want things to be as simple and easy as possible.

elisa123gal

first.. I applaud you for walking twice a day when the lockdown started. I totally went off the wagon and just ate everything I wanted.
Sounds to me you're sabbatoging yourself. Don't let that destructive wounded part of your subconscious ruin all your work.
You didn't mention if you enjoyed your walks. I walk too for my exercise and I love it. Sometimes I like listening to nature and quiet..then when I get bored I listen to music on youtube in my earphones and that makes things exciting.

Don't give up.. you could come out of lockdown with a dream body when everyone else will be otherwise.

leelee_lani

I’ve had less motivation the past few days too which worries me. I’m afraid I’ll fall off the wagon completely and gain back the 20 lbs I’ve lost so far this year. I don’t have an answer for you, but I hear you. I do like how much more comfortable I am in my skin and how stronger I feel from my workouts, and am trying to concentrate on that. Hope you get out of your funk and keep truckin!

youknowyoursel

Thank you everyone. I feel much more on top of things now. I think I was just feeling weary of after a couple of months of being disciplined. Thanks for all your advice, it’s been really helpful.

snowflake954

Everyone has a "downer" day or two. However, I too, have my exercise routine down as a habit. When my gym closed for lockdown 3 months ago, I, like you, got up at 5:30 everyday and alternated yoga and stretching or jog-walking outside for 45 min. My gym has just reopened and I'm sorry to miss my early morning runs. It was nice and got me in a good mood for the day. For me it's "my time" for putting my thoughts in order. If I don't stretch or exercise I feel like crap.

Rosie3579

When I don’t want to work out, I will tell myself that I will just do 5 minutes and then quit if I really don’t want to continue. Generally once I get started, I get into it and want to finish. Agree with other posters that motivation is irrelevant. You have to choose to make the right choices in your nutrition and exercise whether you are motivated or not. And when you fall off, you just have to forgive yourself, get back on track the next day and move on with your life.

gallicinvasion

You could also plan out two or three levels of exercise. One “preferred” level (the ideal workout you’d like to do regularly) for when you can, one “basic” level for when you’re not quite able/feeling up to doing the preferred, and one “minimum” level for really tough days. I make the minimum EXTREMELY easy, something I’m able to do even when my life gets crazy or my mood is super low.

I do this, and it really helps me consistently keep the habit of reserving a time slot for exercise. I don’t lose the habit or fall off any “wagon” because WHATEVER level I choose, I’m still successfully exercising according to my plan. That way, I don’t get disheartened by feelings of failure, but I still honor the fact that I can’t possibly be operating at 100% of my effort and ability 100% of the time. That’s just not how life works!

My “preferred” is 15 min of strength training, my “basic” is 15 min of yoga, and my “minimum” is 15 min of running in place. Could you create a similar leveled plan for yourself?