Motivation

Paula9498

Hiya, I have not been using MFP for a long time as I have lost motivation to lose weight. I am now going to try again. Does anyone have any tips for motivation?

mtaratoot

Unfortunately, you can't rely on motivation. It will leave you cold down a dark dead-end alley with nothing but a wet cotton blanket.

It's all about creating habits. Like taking a shower every now and then or brushing your teeth every few weeks.... Or more often! Set yourself up towards building habits and a lifestyle. Eventually you won't even remember why you needed "motivation."

Give yourself grace when you stumble. Just get up and get back after it. Don't feel guilt if you knowingly take a side path to go see the sights and enjoy yourself ... occasionally. Just be sure you follow your plan and keep STICKING TO IT.

AnnPT77

I'd say: Minimize the need for motivation. Sure, it will take some, because any change takes some.

But choose the methods that are the easiest possible for you personally.

There's no need for bunches of restrictive rules about food. There's no need to totally cut out any enjoyable food that you can manage to moderate (eat smaller portions or less often). There's no need for punitively intense, miserable exercise routines. "Lose weight fast" is a trap.

Being fat is not a sin we need to expiate by suffering. What we need is some relatively pleasant, relatively easy new habits that we can stick with long enough to lose the weight. As a bonus, those new habits will serve us well when we get to goal weight, because we'll have learned and practiced the habits it takes to stay at a healthy weight long term.

All that's required to lose weight - and for that goal alone - is to get your calorie intake a manageable bit below your calorie expenditure. That's it. Don't worry about speed. The calendar isn't a weight-management tool.

Try to figure out what foods (and timing of eating) keep you feeling full and happy more of the time, then do that. What works for someone else may give you ideas to try, but that's it. Our own most successful (sustainable) approach is individual, tailored to our own preferences, strengths, challenges, and lifestyle.

Keep it simple, strive for "easy", then, as mtaratoot said, stick with it. Only giving up fails.

If strong motivation (willpower, discipline) were required, I would've failed long ago, because - as an aging hippie hedonistic flake - none of those are my power tools. Keeping things easy and sustainable worked for me: Now in year 8 maintaining a healthy weight after around 30 previous years of overweight/obesity.

You can do this. I'm cheering for you to succeed, because the results are worth it.