Rebooting your motivation?

losingwhatican

I tend to get bored and frustrated about 2-3 weeks into consistently healthy eating, which weakens my willpower and ends up in me falling off the wagon again for another couple of weeks. I'm sure that if I could break that time barrier and form solid habits, it would be easier to stay on track, but no luck so far! I really enjoy eating well and exercising in the beginning, so this pattern is disappointing.

So, does anyone have advice on refreshing your motivation, especially for repeat beginners? New things to try, inspirational quotes, pictures...I'll take anything!

RinnyLush

Enduring motivation must be seeded in relentless desire for something. What do you really want out of this experience? Always come back to that. Kind of cryptic, I know, but this journey is different for everyone. Your 'want' may be something related to food, fitness, or self-esteem- or some combination of everything!

Personally, I want to run a half marathon in October. That thought gets my butt to the gym even on days when I feel lazy. I can see that finish line somewhere ahead of me, in my future... I also want to enjoy the foods that I eat free of guilt, shame, or demonization. That inspires me to be creative in the kitchen, which has in turn inspired in me a great love for cooking!

Have tangible, personal, attainable goals. And never lose sight of them.

concordancia

This is why I change the focus of my meals (protein and veggies!), but don't eliminate any foods. For example, I bake a pan of brownies every 7-10 days. I have half a brownie at a time, my husband eats two at a time, so the sixteen servings lasts several days.

After all, I hope to keep this up, just adding a few hundred more calories in some day, when I reach maintenance.

GiveMeCoffee

Learning moderation and portion control are the 2 best things I learned. When I had gone on a diet in the past, I started great sure I can cut down to a ridiculous calorie intake, sure I'm only going to eat salad and plan chicken breast... well that would last anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks before either I would go pig out because I had deprived myself or my husband would threaten to divorce me because I was such a witch.

Back to this time, figuring out I can eat all the food I enjoy, I don't have to starve or be miserable to lose weight, and if I go over once in a while it's all good as long as that is the exception not the norm. Start striving for consistency not perfection.

Also setting fitness goals, I just signed up for a century bike ride so I've begun training for that.

BurninTheCouch

I too was a victim of the motivation theif.
I took a couple of months to ''get to know my body''. Being concious about how your body is on 'good' days and on 'bad' days enables you to predict, prepare and react to all the challenges in weight loss.
I noticed that the motivation theif would strike every 3 weeks or so! Not during my period, but during ovulation!
Yup, motivation is very closely related to hormones!
I know it sounds rediculous, but I suggest that you keep a journal of how you feel or at least ask yourself the question everyday and answer that question. It was a real eye opener for me.