I just don't really care now.... :(

happy_jax

Hi everyone, I'd really love some advice on how to kick myself up the butt and get motivated again!!

I've been on MFP since March - and was PROPERLY OBSESSIVE. I was under my calorie goal every single day, from March - September, I exercised at least 6 days a week, and more importantly I LOVED IT!

But my "goal" was to get to 62kg for my holiday on the 8th Sept. I didn't quite get there - but I was exactly 63kg when I left - and I was actually damn happy with my weight.

I only put on 0.8kg while I was away and decided upon looking at my holiday snaps that 63kg probably suited me quite well, I just needed to focus on toning my yucky tummy!

My problem is now...I'm home and I just can't get back into it. I cut myself some slack for the first weekend - you can't go from a holiday paradise, eating what you like, relaxing, having fun to work, gym, stress, diet all in one day... but I figured once I returned to my "normal routine" I would get bitten by the healthy lifestyle bug again. But it still hasn't happened. I've been back 5 days - I've been to the gym once (which to be fair is due to crazy work pressure/time so can't be blamed totally for that!) and I had a good hard workout, but it was a struggle to go. But eating - bleugh! I've already upped my daily allowance from 1,200 to 1,310 - as I just want to lose the tiny bit I put back on, then maintain the current weight - but I've been over on quite a few days....and haven't even cared. That would have devistated me before my holidays!!

Even just little things...I NEVER snacked before, but I had to bring back sweets for my office from holiday...so I've been munching my way through those like everyone else. My office think it's great that I'm not a crazy calorie counting weirdo, but the fun has to stop sometime!!! We had a work night out last night - and I went waaaay over my calories :sad: and a lot of that was alcohol, which I normally avoid so easily....I don't even really like drinking! I just enjoyed the feeling of everyone thinking I was a good time girl again - tucking into my yummy thai meal and knocking back the drinks, rather than a tiny little portion and a slimline G&T before sneaking to the loo to enter my calories on my iPhone....

I know you probably might read just thinking "just stop being lazy" and yes, I know that's part of it. But really, it DOES take a lot of effort to always be so good...and now that I don't have that motivation (wearing a bikini on Sentosa beach in Singapore!! haha) I just think...ugh, it's dark and cold, I can layer up. And no...as much as I would love to, I can't book another hoilday as motivation! Even our ski trip is going on hold as we're so broke at the moment, let alone thinking about something else in the sun!!

I'm sure I will get back into exercise as soon as time allows me to (things are just crazy at work for me which doesn't help) but could really do with some suggestions on food. What can I do?? I seem to be consuming about 1,500 calories every day at the moment which can't be good...I REALLY don't want to undo all my hard work!! It's been such an effort to get here, and I know it would only be a matter of weeks to undo all of that...so much easier to put on weight than lose it!!

Please help...any advice would be most appreciated!!

Sorry for the epic post, I'm just a bit miserable (not like me AT ALL!) and it's so easy to let it all out here!!!

LastFighter

I had a similar vacation and I actually took time off work (Im a midnights guy) to spend some time getting back into the gym(24hr Im awake and kids are asleep). I had 10 days of badness and just finished my 3rd day of payback. I had a really rough time in the gym the first time back and its getting easier. The only real advice I can give is force yourself to go a couple times and you will get back into the habit. You know why you need to go and why you want to go. Make a plan to go, dont set expectations too high, your first couple days out but after a couple days you will get back into the swing of things.

ickybella

Why don't you join one of the various MFP groups? There are plenty, in the message boards. They seem to be able to keep each other in line as they have to weigh in on certain days and set little goals for themselves. There are lots of exercise challenges for October and maybe you could find one, become friends with the other people in the challenge, and make sure they kick your butt into gear! You could even buy a new exercise dvd and commit to doing that a certain number of times a week. Otherwise, I don't know what to tell you, because you won't really do this if you don't want to, but please, don't be so hard on yourself! It sounds like you did a great deal of work before. If all you need to do now is tone up and maintain, and you've been in a bit of a slump (not that I'd ever call a holiday a slump) then try and start slowly, maybe. You could try giving up one thing today, one thing tomorrow, etc...

I hope you get yourself together because it sounds like you have all the determination in the world when you decide you're going to do something. Good luck!

fitgirl4life

I know you probably might read just thinking "just stop being lazy" and yes, I know that's part of it. But really, it DOES take a lot of effort to always be so good...

Clearly you've already convinced yourself that it's SO MUCH WORK that you shouldn't even bother! Really, it's NOT that much work, you're just telling yourself that, and making it even harder to get back into it!

I suggest you set a new goal to motivate yourself (since your old goal of "looking good for holiday" is obviously not valid anymore). How about being in the best shape of your life by Christmas/New Year so you don't have to make yet another resolution like "this year I'm gonna lose weight".

Instead of continually telling yourself how HARD it is to get back into healthy eating and exercise, start telling yourself how GREAT your gonna feel, how EASY it is to eat healthy and how FABULOUS you feel when you work out!

All you need is a small change in mindset to get you back on track! Consider your butt kicked!

mangorabbit

The previous posters have good points and ideas - a group of people to be accountable too is probably a good way to keep yourself a little more honest and motivated if the calorie counter alone is not doing it anymore. ^_^

Belatedly- Congrats on getting as far as you have, that is quite something.

In regards to the gym/fitness aspect - do you remember what the first week or so was like? How much some things just....sucked? Coming back from holiday is like a wee reminder of that, (and it is not fun) but how much better to have to deal with that small amount of muscles protesting from their break than to have to start ALL OVER again.

I used to say the only reason I kept running was because starting again sucked so much! (Ironically I am once again working my way back up to convincing myself to run... and strangely enough, like always, it ain't fun at the beginning.)

Having some fun with the coworkers is good times, and you deserve to have some fun, just see if you can find a way to balance the fun with the fitness - agree to yourself, or your partner that you will make the time and effort to burn off any extra calories collected during the day. I find that knowing I am going to owe myself serious gym time if I eat that *insert tasty tasty food here* to excess is enough to at least keep me mostly in check.

The suggestion of a DVD workout is also a good one - I find that getting up in the morning and working out (even just some yoga) is enough to motivate me to keep moving, and helps remind me what I am trying to do for the rest of the day. (Granted, I am kind of a morning person, but any time of day is a good time for working out !) Find out when you are most likely to feel motivated and use that to your advantage.

Kind of a random one, but would knowing that other people could see your food diary act as any sort of spur to control what you eat? There is that option here if you think that would encourage you to refrain from exceeding your goals.

You CAN do this!
^_^
If there is anything I can do for you, let me know!

Julezebub

Hi there.

Firstly well done! You've achieved something very impressive and should be proud of yourself and should reward yourself!
It strikes me that you may have been overdoing it slightly because of your deadline of the holiday. Completely understandable but its probably left you with a slight fear of getting back into it again because you've worked so hard and can't face working that hard again.
My advice is to A) To change your settings to maintain Tell yourself you'll go to the gym or excercise 2 or 3 times a week and C) Maybe try weighing yourself only once a week.

This way you'll stop intimidating yourself with all your high expectations but you'll still see any weight gain happening before its too late to stop.

Again congratulations and don't be so hard on yourself!

meggonkgonk

It strikes me that you may have been overdoing it slightly because of your deadline of the holiday. Completely understandable but its probably left you with a slight fear of getting back into it again because you've worked so hard and can't face working that hard again.

I concur completely. You are done with the most intense part, now your life should be about maintaining and not obsessing! At 63 KG, doing no particular activity a day, you burn almost 1600 calories. Find a dance class or martial arts you like and take it a couple times a week to keep yourself active; record your full day's worth of food once in a while and don't add the calories until you go to bed- just to get an accurate measure of if you are inadvertantly overdoing it. Your goals shouldn't be to obsessively monitor your weight for the rest of your life- but to get your weight to maintain itself so you can live your life!

I think your lack of enthusiam is your body's way of telling you it needs a more lasting change- and let's face it, you've earned that!

Mookz0r

Little steps... you're so close to your goal!

I know this is going to sound weird, but why don't you just go to your maintenance calories and so if you come in under, it's a mental bonus? If you were to eat fewer calories than your maintenance, and go to the gym, then you'll be in deficit and still lose, but without seeing the dreaded red numbers.

Personally, I can't see anything wrong with taking your foot off the pedal a bit for those last couple of kilos - you've done almost all the hard work and now you're fine-tuning and gearing up for the rest of your life. It's not about "hard work" or "sacrifice" - it's about healthy habits and habits you are happy to keep.