One Week In...

kourtneykaren

Well no surprise, here I am, one week in to my latest fitness kick, and I feel like I have absolutely no motivation. This happens every time, I'm super motivated at the start, and then a week in I get overwhelmed by how much further there is to go, and how much work it all requires, and I start to think that maybe I'm just happier being overweight. I know I'm not, but I just have no motivation.

Any suggestions for ways to increase motivation would be greatly appreciated, I really don't want to give up this time.

jwdieter

Quit making excuses and own yourself. If you want to look and feel better, follow the plan. If you don't, don't.

212ackley

For me, I have to do something I enjoy and that helps. I got down to where "onederland" was actually a week or 2 away and totally lost it:sad:
Back in the game and down 2# so here we go!

Find something you enjoy doing for exercise and pick a reward for each milestone you reach!

Best of luck to you:flowerforyou:

NCSteveVH

When I lost nearly 50 lbs two years ago, what worked for me was to set a bunch of short term, attainable goals. I never thought about losing 50 pounds; instead I focused about losing a pound each week. Sounds minor, but in a month it was 4 pounds; in three months it was 12 pounds; in six months it was 24 pounds. I printed a generic calendar and put down my anticipated weight loss & anticipated weight each week. Every week that I hit my goal, I was motivated to hit the next one. Some weeks I hit my goal, some weeks I was under/over. But over time it evened out. Each short term success kept me motivated.

Not sure what your goal is, but you don't want to look back a year from now and be asking yourself the same question. As I read somewhere -- "if you're tired of starting over, stop quitting."

Good luck -- you can do it!!

DanZiehm

I speak from experience when I say this... You're young and you have a lot of living to do! Life is so much easier when you are healthy and in shape. I have struggled with my weight most of my life and I think of the things I have missed out on... going on roller coaster rides with my daughter! dancing with my wife!! looking in the mirror and liking what I see!!!

Don't quit! Anything worth doing is worth the hard work!!!

Terraforcejenny

Is the problem with the food or the exercise, or both? For exercise, I will be frank; until I figured out that I enjoyed Hothouse Yoga, I really, REALLY hated working out. However, I found ways around that:

Listening to audiobooks while exercising was a nice change from music, and kept me more distracted. Also, radioshows like Welcome to Nightvale (I suggest Podbay for more audio suggestions).
For food, I started distracting myself while I ate; I'd have a plate of healthy food that I'd rather not eat, so I'd put on a show and eat it all while watching it. I got this from the "don't eat junkfood in front of the tv, you wont notice how much you eat!". Turns out the same is true for raw spinach and bananas

I also started collecting a board of motivational phrases; those were more to get me pumped up, but when it comes down to it, getting started is the hardest. Once I'm walking or exercising, I'm into it; it's the action of getting started that's the hardest.

If you haven't tried this already, find a mentor or someone who can call you out on it. You don't want someone who's so tightknit that you can't trust them to be a harda**; if it's firm, obvious truths that get you going ,find someone who is incredibly frank and check in with them. Motivate each other; send each other messages. Sometimes you just can't muster up the motivation solo, but the idea of letting someone down can be what gives you a final push.

Last suggestion! Join a class; when you're dropping cash and scheduled time on something, it's easier to have an incentive to go. Just don't choose something you find distasteful; I find spinclasses to be a good, safe bet, but I have a bunch of friends who swear by zumba.

kourtneykaren

@ jwdieter, I'm not really one for the "tough love" so not helpful, but thanks anyway.

@ 212ackley thank you! I'll try to find something I enjoy doing

@ NCSteveVH I really like that quote, thank you!! I starting doing something similar actually, but I made my first goal at thanksgiving, so maybe I'll make a closer goal! Also wow 50 pounds, good for you!

@ Hudson732001 thank you for the confidence!! I'll try and keep in mind what my goals are and try to get motivation from there!!

@terrforcejen yeah I agree with you, once I'm at the gym or working out, I could do it for hours, I just need motivation to go. Thank you for all your suggestions, I definitely like the idea of audiobooks!! Especially because I'm trying to learn french, so listening to french audiobooks would be a total distraction!