low motivation

amywhiteley85

I lost over 40lbs between September 2012 and July 2013, and I've been maintaining for over a year now.

Recently, my youngest child started school and due to my husbands erratic work hours & the fact that wraparound childcare costs would be massive with 4 children, I made the decision not to go back to work but to continue being a stay-at-home mum (which I am happy with)
However, transitioning from having my daughter at home with me to being on my own most of the time has been harder than I thought, and I've really lacked in motivation lately and I find my eating habits have slipped a lot. I am finding it hard to make healthy choices, I'm bingeing a lot more than usual and my weight has suffered a bit as a consequence.

The only area I am not lacking motivation is exercise. For me, working out is stress relief and it makes me feel good, so I'm still going strong there (and thankfully that's helping slow the weight gain down!)

But I really would like to get back in control of my eating and I just don't know how. My motivation hasn't been this low in a long time and I find it hard to force myself to do something when my heart isn't in it.

Any advice on getting through periods of low motivation?

SingRunTing

The problem with motivation is that it runs out. Everyone loses motivation at some point. It's inevitable.

If you are relying on motivation to be the driving force of your weight loss, you will fail. Sorry, I know its rough, but its true.

Try relying on habit instead. This is just something you do. It's like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. You don't need motivation to do those because they are just something you do. It's part of your routine. Counting calories and weighing/measuring your intake are just something you do. The early part when you have the motivation is great for getting the habit established, but habit is what will make this a long term change.

Lizzy622

As stated HABIT stays while motivation comes and goes. I find I need to be scheduled and busy.

Ryan6691

I work weekends, so I'm home with my kids throughout the week. I definitely know how hard it is to find time to prepare a meal (baked chicken usually) while they're up and running around. I would suggest going and buying a meal replacement shake. They're quick, and really come in handy. They definitely help with motivation too, because once you're done with one you feel full and accomplished. Just research first, because there's as many bad ones as there are good ones. Good luck, and I'd be happy to answer any more questions about them!