Mental Struggle

WarPhoenix52

Hi all,

I am trying to once again start my fitness goals of loosing weight........ This seems like a never ending cycle of fall of the wagon and try to get back on the wagon. I need to be in shape for my career and if I am being honest I hate how I look and feel. I used to be so motivated and in shape. Does anyone have any tips on finding motivation and staying accountable?

Also if anyone wants to add me as a friend to help with accountability, please do!

penguinlover05

Hello WP52! I also struggle to get/keep motivated. I joined myfitnesspal a year ago in June. By October I had lost 65 - 70 lbs (depending on what day I weighed in). Since then I have piddled around keeping track and watching what I eat. I stopped tracking and paying attention. Lo and behold the scale begin to creep back up. That should have made me track again and behave. It didn't and now here I am up 15 lbs. I decided today to start tracking and get a grip on my behavior. I also decided to find a support group or two. I have no great words of wisdom to share but am thinking the motto for this next phase is "One day, one step at a time." I will check back in here to see how you are doing. You are not alone in this battle. Look how many people are on this sight! Hang in there.
Penguinlover

maryclairemoriarty

Hello, fellow Pals. I started my tracking here a week ago and I'm real hopeful that this will help and be easier than writing on paper. This seems easier as I'm in computer everyday. It seems a week has passed quick and to look back and see the graphs show you the balance or imbalance of my diet is a good thing. I find I don't have enough protein and way high carbohydrates . I will find it a challenge to change that. It sure does help to see it written out though.

70sthin

Hi. I fell into bad habits in January. My job use to be more physical, and now I'm back at a desk job sitting all day. I've gained about 8lbs in 9mo. I logged back into MFP a month ago after a 2yr hiatus from the app. It keeps me accountable. I'm more honest with my portion sizes and what I eat -- everything i put in my mouth is tracked. I'm not motivated to workout anymore so I make a point to do things around the house when I get home from work -- even if it's just little chores. I struggle sometimes but at the end of the week I see that the house is more clean and the yard is more well kept. Haven't stepped on the scale since I started tracking my food. I see that my intake is going down, and don't want to be disappointed if I haven't lost any weight yet. Clothes are starting to fit better though.

dawnwells825

I am with you guys! Staying motivated is so hard. I don’t have words of wisdom, but I am hoping to do better tomorrow. I’ll check back in.

Alatariel75

I wrote this in my blog years ago, about 12 months into a period where I lost over 80lbs and felt and looked better than I ever have. Now, I then had life come up and kick me around, and I'm starting from right back where I was, but I still stand by this, and have gone back and re-read it often, while I get myself back into this mindset:

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, about how this time my mindset seems to have changed. I posted the other day in a thread asking about motivation, and explained how I don't think you need motivation.

Motivation is a fickle, changeable thing which can be fleeting, easily misdirected or lost. It means being enthusiastic and positively wanting to do something, which is great while it lasts, but what about when it goes? All you have to do is look around MFP to see how people struggle with a loss of motivation.

I'm past relying on motivation. I'm not motivated, I'm committed... I'm determined... but most of all I'm resigned. I'm not excited and well keen to get heathy, I HAVE to do it. I NEED to do it. It isn't a passtime I can pick up and drop at will.

I'm not "motivated" to go to work in the morning. I do it because I have bills to pay, things I want to buy, a household to feed, a car to run and a lifestyle to sustain.

I'm not "motivated" to clean my house. I do it because I have a level of comfort to maintain, a desire to not live in dirty surroundings, a level of health I wish to keep up.

I don't clean the poop out of my cats litter tray because I'm "motivated". I do it because it stinks and is gross.

I don't make good choices with my food and haul my *kitten* out to go running because I'm "motivated". I do it because I have physical pain I want to lessen and/or avoid, a lifestyle I wish to attain/maintain, a level of health I want to keep up, and a desire not to live in substandard surroundings - in this case an unhealthy body.

I have been "dieting" for 18 years. I have joined Weight Watchers more than 12 times. I've done shake diets, I've counted calories and I considered a lapband. I have "fallen off the wagon" because I "lost motivation" more times than I can count.

Now this time, it's different. Sure, a lot of the time I'm motivated. But a hell of a lot of the time, I'm not. But I'm committed and resigned to the fact that unless I want my body to be unhealthy, miserable, unattractive and broken, I have to do this. Same way as I have to go to work when I can't be bothered, or have to clean my house when I'd rather sit on the couch in my jimjams.

This isn't optional any more. I've put it in the necessity basket. I'm not doing it because I want to - I'm doing it because I have to.

This has been about making this my new "normal". For so long, there was "normal" and there was "dieting". Now sensible choices have to be normal, and the splurges are the anomalies. So there's no needing to get back on the wagon, it's just going back to normal. I think that's what I never got when people said it was a 'lifestyle change'. It's kind of like when I quit smoking. For the longest time I was a smoker who had quit. Then eventually, slowly, I was a non-smoker. This kind of feels like that.

I hope it helps you, too

AnnPT77

My advice would be to think about ways to make the process easier, so less motivation is required.

Motivation is one of my weaker skills, but I managed to lose 50+ pounds and stay at a healthy weight for 6+ years since, after around 30 previous yeas of overweight/obesity.

Too many people think they need to adopt some tricksy named diet with a bunch of rules/restrictions, then often add a punitive, extreme exercise regimen on top of that. None of that is essential . . . and it can be completely counterproductive.

Eat foods you enjoy eating and find filling, adding up to anything fewer than the number of calories required to maintain your current weight. Find ways to increase the amount of movement in your life, via things you ideally find enjoyable, or at least tolerable - parts of daily routine or intentional exercise or both.

It can work.

Wishing you success!

Carriehelene

@Alatariel75 that was amazing.

mechellehend574

I agree, staying motivated is hard…like staying in a habit when it is new and strange. I loved the long post that put motivation into perspective, as gloomy as it sounded at first. I have struggled with being happy with my body for years—weight watchers was good for me at times because it helped me keep going if other people encouraged me that the bad weeks are often followed by good weeks where you break the plateau. But most of all, I have had to plan what to eat—choose actual snacks that are truly healthy and just not stock the processed foods unless it’s for a party—then either send the leftovers home with someone, or flush them or toss them out. Post signs to keep your thoughts focused on the new normal: Food does not have the constitutional right to be eaten. (One of my faves after growing up in a home where “wasting” food was a sin.)
Don’t give up, make an adventure out of finding videos of exercise you enjoy, such as dancing! Whatever makes you come back and do it again is a win. It will pay off.

wakegrrl

@Alatariel75 you have hit the nail on the head. I'm resigned to it in order to be the person I want and need to be. Thanks.

excitedtobe

Hello, and Good Morning! Let this journey begin. My weight has given me stress and high blood pressue so its time with the help of all of you to 'log' daily to see where and how improve. Excited to be able to do this with all of you!