Using Occasions to Look Forward To as Motivation

RommelMathew

I recently joined MFP when my bestfriend asked me to be his bestman 5months before his wedding. I am really excited about it and I wanted to also look my best in a suit on that occasion. Plus my eldest son is having his 2nd birthday in 2 months. Who wouldn't want to look their best on such a memorable event?

Whenever I have the urge to eat unhealthy, break my calorie limit, or not exercise, the occasion i look forward to just pulls me back on track.

Now I have successfully reached my target weight and I even challenged myself to lose a few pounds more to reach my ideal weight. It's my newborn's baptism next month and I am currently using it as motivation.

Hope you'll relate to this motivation technique because it really worked for me. From small get-together with friends to huge occasions like weddings, I don't think someone would run out of occasions to look forward to.

myrtille87

Yep, almost exactly the same here.

I'm going to be a bridesmaid next July and my friend can't afford to get dresses for us, so said to wear any nice, plain, bright coloured dress. I ordered a beautiful dress off eBay (it's a proper bridesmaid dress so only worn once, and is really good quality - I only paid £15 including postage!) which was supposed to be in my size, but couldn't do the zip up the last 4-5 inches.

I was already vaguely trying to lose weight (do more exercise, eat less junk) but this was the tipping point that motivated me to start using MFP and counting calories (I reckon when I was trying to lose weight before, all I was doing was eating at maintenance instead of overeating!).

5 weeks later, I can almost do the zip up (just the last inch at the top to deal with). I am no longer officially overweight, but am at the higher end of a healthy weight for my height.

I'm hoping to hit my goal weight by January/February (allowing for a bit of a Christmas blip!) and then keep logging to maintain my weight up to the wedding.

RommelMathew

Congrats in advance myrtille, I can relate to the time when you thought you were dieting but actually just maintaining the weight. I hope everything goes well with your weight loss journey. I suggest you use some "nearer" occasions to motivate yourself and boost your weightloss.

Liftng4Lis

Yep, I started knowing my 46th was coming. Its in a couple of days away now. Lost most of the weight I started out to lose, but now I want a body re-composition. That will take at least another year to see results, but I'm in!

MamaRiss

My long term goal was being 130 by my 30th birthday next May. I weighed in at 140 this morning, so I think I'm going to smash that goal. My short term goal is the Marine Corps Ball in November. I just bought a dress in a size six, and I would love to need it taken in. And another goal is maintaining my weight over the holidays

Losingthedamnweight

Ya damn right. I have all kinds of stuff planned! I day dream about it almost everyday and that's why I'm able to stay on track. I think about going on trips and doing things as a skinnier less self conscious me. I think about seeing people I haven't seen in a long time and see their reaction to how I now look. I think about the feeling of buying new clothes and actually feeling like I look good.

It's like playing a movie over and over again in my head and to dream about it for so long and finally have it happen someday will be freaking amazing

RommelMathew

And i thought i was weird for always imagining a slimmer version of myself on the events that i look forward to. Thanks for making me feel normal. :bigsmile: and thanks everyone for sharing your stories