Motivation along journey

AnshikaRaimfp

Hey there I want to ask you guys how to stay motivated in your weight loss journey and make less harm to yourself and being kind to ourselves

AnnPT77

I'm not very good at motivation, willpower, or anything like that. Basically, I'm a flake, a hedonistic aging hippie type. I will do things that are in the pleasant to tolerable range, generally not anything that's super difficult (unless there's a huuuuge reward, probably a short term one, that I really, really want). (I have a pretty short attention span, too.)

So, to lose weight, I focused on finding personalized tactics that were as pleasant and as easy as possible. Obviously, I had to eat fewer calories, but I worked at figuring out how to do that while eating foods I enjoy, the kept me mostly full and energetic, and that added up to good nutrition on average over a day or few. I tried to keep my weight loss rate sensibly moderate, as part of that "don't make it too hard" idea. (I lost around 50 pounds in just less than a year.)

I also kept doing the exercise I'd been doing for over a decade while overweight/obese, because I'd stumbled over something that was so fun that I'd do it even if it weren't good for me. Not only that, but I like it so much I'll do other active things to be in better shape for the really fun one, even things that are slightly less inherently fun to me. (They still have to be tolerable and logistically practical.)

In general, I encourage others here to think in terms of finding tactics that are relatively easier for them personally, rather than stacking up a bunch of trendy restrictive eating rules/methods just because "everyone says" they work, or adding punitively intense pop-fitness exercise.

For weight loss, none of that is essential. Just getting calorie intake a manageable bit below calorie expenditure - that's essential (but it can be done in other ways than food logging and calorie counting, if those are very unpleasant to a person for some reason).

Add reasonable overall nutrition plus enjoyable (or at least tolerable/practical) exercise if health and appearance matter, not just weight loss.

Exactly how to keep things relatively easy varies from one person to the next, because we're all unique individuals with differing preferences, strengths, challenges, and lifestyles. By experimenting - and sticking with it - a person can find what works best for them . . . and that requires less motivation.

For me, with the "relatively easy methods" philosophy, all I needed to do when I reached goal weight was keep doing those things as routine habits - almost on autopilot by then - and add a few more calories daily to stop losing weight. I've been at a healthy weight for 7+ years since loss, after around 30 previous years of overweight/obesity.) Minimum motivation is needed.

Best wishes!

kshama2001

I use discipline to create healthy habits. Once the habits are in place, I can cruise along on auto-pilot. No motivation required!

http://www.wisdomination.com/screw-motivation-what-you-need-is-discipline/