2022 tips for staying on track

matt9712
matt9712 Posts: 50 Member
in Motivation and Support
It's almost 2 weeks into the new year! If your struggling with motivation try and remember why you started in the first place!!

My personal tip for staying on track is post a before pic on your bathroom mirror so you see it everyday to remind yourself where you started. Or take one for your phone if it's not "safe" to keep in the open and keep referring to it when your motivation is lacking.

What's your best tip for staying motivated?

Here's to smashing our 2022 goals💪

Replies

  • TakeTheLongWayHome
    TakeTheLongWayHome Posts: 816 Member
    That’s a good tip about the pictures. I did that and I can really see so much improvement since the end of 2019 near the start of my journey. That helps to have proof to show yourself that all the sacrifices you are making actually pay off.
  • matt9712
    matt9712 Posts: 50 Member
    It is alot easier to stay motivated and committed when you can see the results. Since your body changes slow its hard to notice some changes without previous pic from where you started.
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    Take time to reflect on what worked well and was sustainable in the past, and write down those habits to work on and maintain now.

    Know which habits will be my daily, foundational habits no matter what life brings, and which ones will be let up upon or adjusted during times of high stress and picked up again when life settles out.

    Be realistic and aim for sustainability. Motivation takes a lot of energy and last for a short while. Build a plan that is sustainable through thick and thin, that is able to carry you through the burdens of life instead of becoming an added burden. You won’t “fall off the wagon” if you’re building your own path instead of jumping on someone else’s ride.
  • matt9712
    matt9712 Posts: 50 Member
    Have a plan, have accountability and never stop moving forward!
  • omherrera44
    omherrera44 Posts: 5 Member
    Great space for commitment. I would say staying on track must carry re evaluation each week. Such as what times of the day I can work out better, my performance is optimal, did I meet working all muscle groups or focused on the ones I was interested, did I eat healthy and balance food, did my performance was reflected on game day, which my strengths in specific tests and which are my weak points. And of course in those that you have doubts ask for help. Practicing these I keep myself motivated and willing to improve my skills therefore I constantly track the performance
    Peace ✌
  • matt9712
    matt9712 Posts: 50 Member
    omherrera44 wrote: »
    Great space for commitment. I would say staying on track must carry re evaluation each week. Such as what times of the day I can work out better, my performance is optimal, did I meet working all muscle groups or focused on the ones I was interested, did I eat healthy and balance food, did my performance was reflected on game day, which my strengths in specific tests and which are my weak points. And of course in those that you have doubts ask for help. Practicing these I keep myself motivated and willing to improve my skills therefore I constantly track the performance
    Peace ✌

    Yep they is key! Keep track of everything so you can monitor what's working and what's not!
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,532 Member
    Start a food dairy and never stop. Over your number? Log it. Wildly over? Log that too. Fact is it’s impossible to count calories for long and never go over. Lapses do to stress and fatigue, loss of concentration at the wrong time will trip up everyone sooner or later. But there are also simple mistakes, bad math, and misread menus or NI. No human undertaking is error free for long. Just how it is. But the process is more important than the numbers for any particular meal or day. Work the process and the scale will follow. You will never be off plan when keeping your diary. You won’t have to start over if you don’t quit. Don’t go to pieces over mistakes. Calorie counting doesn’t have to be perfect to work.
  • xxronexx
    xxronexx Posts: 8 Member
    to stay on track - my tip (working for ALL of the last 2 weeks, lol) meal plan in advance (day/days/week etc), at a time when you're not "stressed/hungry/tired" (*SHT*) etc. It's helped me so much to get home from work and not have to think about what to eat in the evenings, where because i'm usually in SHT mode, it's too often been something comforting and fast (and usually calorie laden and deffo not nutritious!) Bear in mind, a lot of the MFP food entries are wrong - so edit/create your own entries. (I guess that's another tip really lol) However, reasonably accurate tracking is going to produce results and that should be motivational itself.
  • Bex953172
    Bex953172 Posts: 4,158 Member
    Start every day as if it's the first day of your journey.

    Log the good, the bad and the downright ugly. Be true to yourself. Don't see it as a failure. See it as information and figure out where you can improve.

    Strive for progress, not perfection.
    (So and extra 100 steps, or an extra cup of water or 5 more reps than the day before.)

    Celebrate the small wins!

  • Bex953172
    Bex953172 Posts: 4,158 Member
    Oh and my personal one.
    I look at my calories over a week as well as daily.

    Sometimes im 200 over, other days I'm under. So over the week it can balance out.
    Last week was our monthly takeaway, so majorly over on calories one day.
    I divided my remaining weekly calories over remaining days, it meant less calories per day and I was only 1 days worth over by the end.

    So sometimes I feel better I can correct the bad day I had.
  • sandielewis2001
    sandielewis2001 Posts: 318 Member
    Make it as easy as possible on yourself.

    Finding it too hard to stick to 1200 calories, try a smaller deficit at 1500 calories. Challenged to give up your favorite food/sugar/alcohol, don't give it up and work on moderation. Find it hard to get motivated to exercise, look for different ways to move that you enjoy. Keep a list of quick eat out options that usually fit in your calorie goal.

    Be good to yourself and don't turn weight loss tactics into punishment.
  • sbelletti
    sbelletti Posts: 213 Member
    Set SMALL goals to achieve rather than one big all-or-nothing goal.

    Lose 4 lbs this month.
    Log food every day for two weeks.
    Go for a walk 3 days this week, etc.

    Once you achieve a small goal, it's easier to set the next small one. Achieve that one and before you know it, you're used to the new lifestyle.
  • Rox4191
    Rox4191 Posts: 7 Member
    Did you know a one hour workout is only 4% of your day? If you think "I don't feel like exercising today," stop thinking; just DO!

    Planning is everything. Don't leave mealtime up to chance.

    My 100lb loss was not a straight line... far from it! My progress bar looks like a roller coaster. But what matters is routine. Building a routine of healthy habits can be painful, but if you keep at it, it will become second nature. And when you finally reach your goals? You realize it was absolutely worth it.
  • nay0m3
    nay0m3 Posts: 178 Member
    Figure out your why and who it is you want to be! Start small and commit to that change. As you see yourself stick to it, it will help you build confidence to make another. Speak positively about WHO you are and WHO you WANT to be--if you want to be fit and strong, say this outloud sometimes, especially when you don't want to eat healthy or go to the gym. I am fit and strong (or I am working to be fit and strong) and I make choices about food that fuel my body the best. And when you slip, which you will, be gentle and practice compassion towards yourself and know that every moment is a new moment to make a different choice.

    Connect with others here who have the same desires. Let go of people who judge you or don't like that you are changing.

    You are the only person who can do this. If you have mental stuff getting in your way, work through that at the same time so it doesn't hold you back.

    I am grateful for this community and this space. The knowledge that I am not alone is so comforting at times.

    Thank you for this thread, @matt9712
  • JessiBelleW
    JessiBelleW Posts: 831 Member
    xxronexx wrote: »
    to stay on track - my tip (working for ALL of the last 2 weeks, lol) meal plan in advance (day/days/week etc), at a time when you're not "stressed/hungry/tired" (*SHT*) etc. It's helped me so much to get home from work and not have to think about what to eat in the evenings, where because i'm usually in SHT mode, it's too often been something comforting and fast (and usually calorie laden and deffo not nutritious!) Bear in mind, a lot of the MFP food entries are wrong - so edit/create your own entries. (I guess that's another tip really lol) However, reasonably accurate tracking is going to produce results and that should be motivational itself.

    This is so so true! I couldn’t work out why I was so hungry at 5pm yesterday and then I looked at my breakfast and lunch - didn’t eat enough calories or protein (was running late and skipped my usual breakfast!) today I’ve prepped and pre-logged both meals and I’m already back on track 😊

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