Complacency and Motivation

Audi68

I am not sure if the right message board for this but I am starting to do something I always do. I am finding harder to keep myself on track becauce I have been successful. Does that make sense? I have logged in for 40 days and lost 10 pounds and I feel so much better and my clothes fit ALOT better and its like my mind is saying good enough. I am 5' 7" and now weigh 175 so yes I really have 30 more pounds to go to reach my goal. On top of that I have the Christmas and New Years excuses that are screaming "Use me as an excuse and eat those cookies it's the holidays and besides you lost 10 pounds you are fine."

Most people throw in the towel because things aren't working for them and I tend to do when it does work. Why? Why? I do have long term goals, I am going to the beach with my family this summer and that is what got me to join MFP in the first place. So why do I settle when I know I can lose more?

Any body else every have this trouble and how did you get past it?

GorillaNJ

Constantly, you start to see some success and you want to slip back into old habits. Even though you know that is what put you where you are now.

Find a tangible goal that really means something to you, strutting down the beach in a bikini sounds like a good goal but I think you need to attach something else to it. Something that is better then the Christmas Cookies sitting on the kitchen counter. Then use that goal to focus on not eating poorly or pushing yourself that extra bit in your exercises. You can do it!

HealthyChanges2010

How about a longer term goal of getting your body healthier, feeling more confident and knowing you'll feel good in the bikini as a bonus? Long term goals seem to work better for me and seem to for others as well. Weddings, etc. might get ppl started on losing weight but when the time comes they drop off the site never to be seen again.:noway:

Nothing at all wrong with wanting to look your best but would it help if you think about how terrific you feel dropping that 10 lbs and how much better the next 5, 10, etc. will feel even better?

Baby steps, setting tiny goals help get us to where we want to be and stay there once we get there:drinker:

MTLumps

Yep, been there. Human nature has us easily sliding back into familiar territory and everything you see this time of year is food, food, food. Becca is right - baby steps count and can make it easier to stay on track. Find a weekly or monthly goal that will keep you focused on the here and now, knowing that those steps will have you rockin' in that bikini on the beach. :bigsmile: And don't torture yourself by not allowing yourself anything during the holidays but make it your goal to stay on track for the next couple of weeks. I have that same message going through my head - and my group at work is terrible about always having some kind of treat available. I'm already half-dreading the potluck we have on Christmas Eve... I keep telling myself "self-control, self-control". Hang tough, you CAN do this!! :flowerforyou:

Audi68

Thanks so much for the advise. The long term goal was really about not so much looking hot in a bikini ( I wouldn't mink that though) but more I wanted to be able to run around like a crazy women with my family and see and do things with out being too exhausted to enjoy it.

I do think I do need to come up with more short term goals to keep me focused. You both are very right and spot on with your advise. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

BillyLightening

Ughhhh I'm having trouble staying motivated too. :sad:

viggie

I too have those kind of feelings. What's bad is I have so much weight to lose that I haven't set any long term goals. Just want to lose 3 to 5 pounds a month. But you've helped me to see I do need some long term goal. But back to you. Why not buy the bikini you want now. Then you can touch and feel it ,and look at it and know that you have to stick to the plan to get into it. I think I'm going to get on of my mom's diabetic needles and look at it everyday Maybe that will motivate me to stick and stay the coarse.

2bFitNTrim

Oh, how often have I thought "Maybe this is good enough" ? I can really relate to your post. But I have to remind myself that is is NOT good enough :noway: It's tough! :grumble:

pamp1emousse

I can really relate to this... looking back at the days when I have completely fallen off the wagon I've found they're always either really good weigh in days, or the day after. Even though I used to weigh myself everyday, I'm now trying to weigh myself as little as possible (sometimes I make it to 3 days, sometimes 2 weeks...) and it seems to work for me. Sorry I can't give you any more advice than that! All I can say is you're not alone, and if you're weird then that's ok because you're not alone in that either !

Audi68

Wow I really thought I was alone with this dilema. I am so greatful for the support here.

We need goal short and long ones!!! (That and a long weekend for me might help too LOL) :drinker:

navstar

I am not sure if the right message board for this but I am starting to do something I always do. I am finding harder to keep myself on track becauce I have been successful. Does that make sense? I have logged in for 40 days and lost 10 pounds and I feel so much better and my clothes fit ALOT better and its like my mind is saying good enough. I am 5' 7" and now weigh 175 so yes I really have 30 more pounds to go to reach my goal. On top of that I have the Christmas and New Years excuses that are screaming "Use me as an excuse and eat those cookies it's the holidays and besides you lost 10 pounds you are fine."

Most people throw in the towel because things aren't working for them and I tend to do when it does work. Why? Why? I do have long term goals, I am going to the beach with my family this summer and that is what got me to join MFP in the first place. So why do I settle when I know I can lose more?

Any body else every have this trouble and how did you get past it?

did i write this post when i wasn't looking? the same thing hapened to me i lost 20 lbs looked better than i had in ages, got lots of compliments and then bam went off plan for about 2 months i still don't know why, i just thank god that "only" put back on 6 lbs of the 20 i lost. And i only got back on plan when i got an email from a friend on this site asking if i was ok as i hadn't logged in for 50 days! :blushing: it made me realise how close i was to putting it all on and some more as well!!.

MrsLVF

I've been there, it's right around the time when people say you look great, you've lost weight...and then it happens ....i feel comfortable, like I've accomplished my goal (which I didn't )and stop working @ it so i start gaining back. Well I'm not falling for it this time. I will stay on track no matter what I set my goals they don't. I'm only 5'2 & those lbs can sneak up too quick if I don't maintain. So go ahead keep your long term goal. If you want to lose those last 30 lbs we're here for you! You can survive the next two weeks we all can, take it 1 day at a time.

Sweet13_Princess

It makes sense to me that being successful makes it easier to slip up. It's like you've worked hard and met a goal,so now you can relax and sneak in a few high calorie foods as a reward. The problem is that your body doesn't need those calories anymore, so then you end up gaining the weight. Try to find other ways to reward yourself.

For example, if I get to the gym four times a week, I'm allowed to stop for a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee. It doesn't have a ton of calories, but I still really enjoy it on a cold Pennsylvanian night.:-)

I've also been thinking about adding a spa visit when I get halfway to my goal. I love having reflexology on my feet, as I'm on them all day... but I hate spending money on the splurge. I try to get my fiance to do it instead, but I can only pull that card a few times a week.*LOL*

Shannon