Staying Motivated

Tripaway

Hey fellas!

I'm having an extremely difficult time trying to keep myself motivated; I wondered if any of you had any tips or tricks that help keep you on track. I try my best to get to the gym for treadmill training (working my way through the C25K app) three times per week, but I think I'm failing most miserably at watching what I'm eating. What do you all do to keep yourself on track?

I've been stuck at 185lbs for the last several years, so I feel like it's the food that's holding me back!

jtrack3d

How cool! Everyone is different for motivation, so not sure what works for me, works for you.

#1 for me is group fitness. That is, I go to a class where I greet and get to know others that take the class. Then, even if they aren't asking where I am, I know they will wonder. That little subconscious guilt gets me motivated to get there. Once I am there, inertia is no longer a force against me. ... I even put my clothes in the bag... that bag reminds me.

#2 I configured MFP to nag me. If I forget to log something it tells my S3 to notify me. Then, even if I don't know precisely what I ate, I guesstimate it. I'd rather be off than have no information at all. Just writing it down does two things... first, I can SEE what I ate and second, it guilts me from eating things in the first place because I don't wanna write them down.... See that donut on the Friday-Donut day at work... think... I don't want THAT in my log... voila!

#3 Get some MFP buddies. Even though it might feel silly giving Atta boys for completing a work out of logging your food... sometimes you really need some affirmations because you aren't giving them to yourself.... then you think... yea... I did fill out my log and I did eat under my caloric goal *pat self*... and even if I may have had a little more macaroni and cheese than I claim

#4 I try to set myself up for some specific meals that I KNOW what the calorie counts are... to an extent. Then, if I am off for say... dinner... the rest of the numbers should be okay. That is, leave myself the fudge room and I don't mean for fudge.....

#5.... Log it all, I write it all down. I have a spread sheet and I look at it and how far I've come. If you have eating disorders, I wouldn't recommend this, but why not see what your body does. I discovered that I hold the same weight for about 5-8 days, then I will drop 2 lbs and the next day gain back 1... repeat... but I am not looking for the daily values, I am looking at the trend and it's going where I want.

daleweideman

Hey jtrack - love these ideas!

I've been losing focus lately, especially on logging the food. I need to look up your "make MFP nag me" idea.

Three ideas for staying on track that work -- when I use them.....

* Avoid fast carbs. Just avoid bread, crackers, rice, potatoes. Eat veggies instead.

* Drink a glass of water before eating a snack when I want a snack.

* Focus on habits - establishing and *reinforcing* good habits with giving myself a reward.

Now, I haven't consistently been good at doing these - but reading your good ideas and reminding myself of these should help! Watch for news of progress next weekend!

jtrack3d

Reminders in the MFP App... (for android, at least), the "upper-left" corner menu has "Reminders" for logging food.

rugged1529

I also think consistency is key. 5 out of 7 days a week (work days) I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch, so it's a habit to eat right. My motivation with going to the gym is the changes I see in my body and the complements I get about weight loss. I would encourage you to just keep at it. MFP news feeds on my phone keeps me motivated during the day. I check it more than facebook. Every time you exercise or eat, log it; I like when people like or comment on it. I also look towards getting 365 days in a row logging in. All of these suggestions may not work for you but some would. Hope this helps.