it's going to take over a year, how to get motivated?

littlelaura

I started mid December (again) and since then this time I have lost 37.5 lbs, reason because I am not being too strict. I do eat something I like. I eat healthy most days (almost all days) but if I want a piece of cake for a celebration I eat it but I also stop at just one small piece. I just also make sure I log it before hang or try to make sure I account for it by walking it off. I also try to drink enough water on most days. I have had to do this all without exercise due to a medical reasons since then but would love to resume workouts. If you are working out I think this will be a benefit overall. It can happen. I stopped getting discouraged at the big number it seemed so large I would never be able to lose it. So when I said okay I want to be under 200 lbs I set that as my large goal and 10 lbs as my tiny goal. Now I am 4 lbs away from onederland and excited yet scared, once you get there its still a mental game to keep going. Breaking it down into manageable blocks of weight to lose has been working for me, I can feel successful even if I am not at my final weight goal and wont be for a long time.

skrlec70

when I started at 230, I went increments of 10 pounds, soon ill be in the 220s, soon ill be in the 210s, omg ill be under 200, just go small, the year will fly by I promise, be happy you decided to make a change, you cant change the past, learn from what got you here to today, don't get down on yourself, that will just keep you down.
today is a great day, Im so excited for you.
add me if you like :flowerforyou:

avril2626

What a beautiful way to look at this process! Great quote from your husband!

kmclamb13

You just put one foot in front of the other and start .No easy way or miracle to it. I was 250lbs at my highest and have maintained in the 100,s for 4 years now. Its not easy i kept creeping back up but you never want to get to that heaviest weight again.You never give up it seems like a constant battle sometimes but you just do it. Yes you might have days you blow it but the secret is to never give up and thats what you tell yourself everyday.never give up!

kar328

Today is day 485 for me and I'm at my halfway point. It's taking longer than I hoped. Last year I had a six month "plateau" where I only lost 17 lbs but I kept at it because it's better to be a few pounds less than not at all. Over this time I've learned not to think of the time frame, it happens when it will. What motivates me is the changes I see in the mirror, on the scale, in my clothes and how I feel. Also the pride I get when I choose a healthier way - turning down chocolate chip cookies AND/OR having one because I want one and it fits in my daily calorie goals and I'd usually have four or five (okay, six).

I'm probably more motivated now because a lot of it is habit and I've learned to like what I'm doing and what the results look and feel like. No matter what, that year will pass. You may as well be a better person physically, emotionally and mentally when it does.

valzcalz

There is some really good advice in these posts. I really like the ones about the year will go by whether or not you focus on your weight goal. So, in a year you could meet your goal, surpass your goal, or not. Make an appointment with yourself to exercise. I put off exercise and then I don't get to it. I've now made an appointment today with exercise, because once I get started I'm so glad when I finish exercising.

Jestinia

it will take a year and it wont

think of how much weight you can lose THIS week or month

think of how within 6 months you will be halfway there and needing new clothes

think of how NEXT summer you will rock that bathing suit.

This. It can even be sooner. If you go out for just a twenty minute walk today, when you get done, you get to enjoy the feeling of a great beginning for your health and your future.

tiggerhammon

Amazing, I could have written this myself!

I was 5'6" at 11. I weighed 140 in highschool and ran track and cross country, played basketball and volleyball too. I was in top notch shape then and thought I was fat.

I have had one child - a second on the way and, as of this morning's weigh in, I am also exactly 212! (Although, unfortunately, I know I am going to gain a few more before I can start losing.)

Get started is the hardest part. Once you get going, seeing that lowering number on the scale and feeling better each day really helps you gain the motivation to keep going.
MFP is a great place to be. Add some friends, you will be amazed how much motivation you will find in the people on here (ignore and delete the jerks, there are a few.)

I wish you the best of luck, you can do it!

32sami

Work within your fitness level, it takes time. When you watch your body start to change, you'll be plenty motivated.

mzbek24

It is just week in week out keeping your head in the game, but that does not mean you can't make it as enjoyable as you can so that you keep motivated one week at a time!

Soon those weeks just add up and you're making a dent in the scale and in your bodily measurements from the past couple weeks, or months. I set up a rough routine for regular exercise, log all my calories and focus on each week at a time. I don't think about how far away my goal weight seems or how long it will take.

To make it more enjoyable:

1. Make time for the foods you enjoy, be flexible and maintain balance in your diet so it will be more sustainable. You don't have to eat 'clean' every single day or meal to reach your goal.


2. Don't look at the whole 'Goal weight' picture yet. Cut it in half, aim for half of your goal weight and do your best for half a year and then you can get there and see how wonderful you look and feel, and hopefully that will be enough to spur you on for the other half. Honestly, I looked how far away my goal weight was in the beginning and it seemed impossible, and it was really hard to stick with it. But I got half way there, less than halfway now! And now it seems like it can and will happen. I feel more motivated than ever!


3. Take your before pics and measurements now. Weigh yourself weekly or monthly and take your measurements every month for comparison. Keep on looking at how far you've come as you go, this really motivates me and gives me such a buzz to keep going.

4. It also helps to connect with like minded people on here or in your life...or seek some out if you don't have anyone. You can start sharing with and motivating each other. Adding friends on here makes me want to continue to log in, and so far its the longest I ever have

DivineChoices

I have in incredibly long way to go. My "loss" part will most likely take near to 5 years to complete before I get to go into maintenance. What keeps me going is knowing that everyday:
*I accurately and honestly log ALL food and drink
*I try my best to stay under my calories each day
*know that if I go over, I can find ways to fix it (i.e. exercise) and even if I can't get out of the hole I dug, that tomorrow is a new day. Next meal is a new chance. We're in a constant state of new moments. New choices. So even if you mess up, you can choose not to mess up AGAIN.

Take it one day at a time. Don't look at the scale until weigh-in day, and then EVEN then don't put stock in how much or fast you lose it. Just keep taking it one day at a time. Before you know it 365 days will pass and you won't believe the transformation that happened.

/hugs

You've got this!!

ThinkInOregon

I grew up thinking I was fat - probably because I grew taller and more quickly my peers. I was 5 ft 7 at 11 years old. I was probably 120 pounds. By high school I was the same height but probably 145. I thought I was fat. I used to train for half marathons at that weight. In retrospect, I'm wondering why my mother didn't give me a head shake.

So after two babies who are now 5 and 7 I'm 212 pounds. How did that happen? I think I lost me somewhere. I stopped running. I stopped going to the gym. I ate popcorn made on the stove with oil. I hibernated during the long winter.

How do you really get moving and get back to health after you've had a period of years of being unhealthy.

When you know it's going to take a year or more and you're on the first day - how do you find the motivation?

It's a shame the silly things we thought when we were younger....

I still make popcorn on the stove with oil... coconut oil 1 tsp for flavor. And if I really want some butter, I allow myself to add 1 tsp in with the oil while it is cooking. I make about 10 cups worth, and my son eats about 3/4's of it so I have about 3 cups left. It gives me that crunchy popcorn taste, with a little of the coconut/butter flavor, and cures my craving. I don't salt it, but I never have. Before MFP, I would make at least that much popcorn in several tablespoons of oil and then put 1/2 cube melted butter on it. I have always eaten popcorn with a spoon, because I didn't want to touch it!

I don't know your situation, but definitely now that the weather is getting better... START MOVING! Moving more and making better food choices. It may not take a year... I have lost 63 pounds in the past 6.5 months (lost some before starting MFP.). I am a 46-year-old female who mostly walks, does barre exercises and some Zumba when my back can tolerate it. It may take me the next 6 months to drop 11 pounds (with 5 more for a cushion) as its coming off way slower now but that's ok. It's coming off, that is what matters!

There is no time like the present to get started!

AleciaG724

So much good advice has already been posted, I'm not sure what I can add. You just have to want it badly enough to do what you've got to do consistently. You'll have bad days, but many more good days. It's fun once you start to see progress!

When I signed up I figured it would take me about 3 years to reach my goal weight. I just celebrated my 1 year anniversary on MFP... and I've lost 79 freaking pounds!! You can read my 1 year post here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1246548-1-year-progress-with-lots-of-pics

Best of luck to you!

tinkerbellrocks

A year will pass whether I lose weight, gain weight, or maintain my weight. I ask myself which outcome will make me happiest.

I'm writing that on my fridge!! Simple yet effective motivational words, thank you!

rainydays5

I have to agree with some of the first advice you got. Just dive right in and set small goals. I started this journey over and over again with each time gaining back the weight. I would set my goal as where I wanted to end up instead of smaller goals and became discouraged. I set a goal in February that I wanted to lose 27 lbs by May 10. It is 2 weeks away and as of this morning I am 4 lbs away from it. I am so excited and proud that I have done this!! I need to think of my next goal and set that so that I can stay on track to where I want to be next year at this time.

Good luck and you can do!!!

0somuchbetter0

So much good advice and inspirational words on this thread! Just wanted to share a few thoughts...

Your goal isn't a year from now, it's today. Today you have a healthier frame of mind about food and fitness. Today you start working to "find yourself" again. It's an ongoing process that starts today and ends when you take your last breath. Every time you make a smart choice about food or exercise, you've reached your goal. Your weight and your appearance are just a consequence of those choices. You'll make some no-so-great choices sometimes, but making the right ones will become easier and eventually second nature. I tell myself that if I can make the right choices most of the time, I'm reaching my goals. I'm physically and emotionally healthier than I've ever been, and I still want to lose about 50 lbs! As long as I hold onto this frame of mind, the weight comes off. It's slow, but it's sustainable.

DisneyBecca

When I decided to lose weight was when I finally realized that it was going to take me a year+ no matter when I did it, so why not start now? Simply acknowledging that I am in for the long haul has helped keep me going. Now that I have seen some success, what I have already accomplished keeps me moving forward. The time doesn't bother me as much anymore because I know I will reach my goal.

Focus on shorter term goals. If you have an upcoming vacation or special event, that can be a great thing to focus on. When I started, we were heading to the beach 6 weeks later. I worked hard and enjoyed the trip 25 pounds lighter. When we returned, I switched focus to our upcoming Disney trip. I am hoping to be 50 pounds lighter by the time we leave. Although I had originally hoped for more, I was delayed due to having emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder last month. Things like that can always happen, but the important thing is that I am continuing to work towards my goal now rather than letting that stop me. When we get back from Disney, I will pick a new focus - most likely it will be to be under 200 for our wedding anniversary this summer.

Rewards also help you focus on these short term goals. My reward will come this fall/winter. I have always wanted a North Face jacket, but for many styles they only carry up to a size large, which would not have fit me. When the weather turns cold, I will buy myself one. I can't wait!

The hardest part of this is figuring out what works for you. Once you figure that out, the rest is easier. One of the best examples is deciding how often to weigh yourself. Some people are discouraged by seeing the daily fluctuations on the scale, so it is best for them to weigh once a week or less frequently. If I try to wait a week to weigh, I worry about it the whole time. Weighing every day works best for me so that I can see where I stand each day and celebrate every small step forward.

SharonNehring

By realizing that not starting today means it's going to take another year and a day. Not starting next week means it's going to be a year plus another week. The longer you delay, the longer it will take to reach your goals. Think of all the things you are missing out on, things you won't or can't do due to lack of fitness.

Start with making shorter term goals and breaking it down into more manageable amounts. Give yourself small rewards for hitting those goals, like new running shoes or workout gear. I truly feel the hardest part is just getting started.