What to do after the "honeymoon stage" is over?

bnv08

So, I don't know how it is for everyone. But, whenever I start a new plan to lose weight, eat right, and live a healthier lifestyle it is exciting. I start figuring out what I need to do, stocking my fridge with all new foods, making better choices, working out, ect. I enjoy feeling better BUT this overall happy/excited feeling only lasts for a little while. After that I get bored and always go back to old habits.

I was wondering what to do to persist and continue once this healthy lifestyle becomes the routine instead of the new exciting thing in your lives. How do you spice it up? New recipes? New workouts? Any advice would be amazing because I need to beat this!

Good luck yall!

Brittney

atrayubrandy

Oh I'm so there right now! I'm trying a new strategy to overcome the honeymoon phase but it isn't really working. I feel like my motivation is gone. I'd love to hear what other people say.

lisa35120

BUMP!! Saving this for later, because I need help with this too!

Becca_007

All the above you mentioned can really help! Also setting up goals for yourself along the way can help because it's exciting when you reach them. 5 lbs goals, 10 lb etc. Or better yet, use the tape measure as your guide as well, if you haven't yet take your measurements so you have a baseline to go off of.

It can also be fun to reward yourself with anything from OPI (lol) Nail polish, a massage, pedi/mani, whatever it is you enjoy and think of as something special.

i don't believe in rewarding ourselves with food when we reach goals simply because that's what got us here in the first place.

With Summer nearly here, trying new veggies, like you shared - recipes etc. See if you can think of this time as a new beginning and not compare it to the times past and maybe that will help you realize it's different this time.

Wishing you nothing but the best on your journey Hon:flowerforyou:

GypsyWagon

Thirteen of my friends and I created a private facebook group designed to support each other acheive healthy goals and that has been an invaluable resource. We post links and tips and celebrate each other's victories and listen to each other vent. Recently, one of the ladies suggested we do a "Biggest Loser" type of friendly competition. Whoever wanted to join the contest threw in twenty bucks to the pot. At the end of six weeks, the winner gets the pot. Her idea came at the ideal time for me...I was just beginning to lose steam...now, I'm in it to win it, LOL. But, seriously, the support and accountability has got me back on track. Wish me luck!

brittanyscherich

I need help with this too! I get bored easily so I try to always mix up my routine. But my biggest thing is I rarely have the motivation to work out.

krixi

I think everyone gets to this point at some time or other. It becomes rutine, and it becomes boring. But yeah, as you said - new recipes, new exercises! Go out and get a new cook book with tasty, healthy recipes in it. If you're anything like me, I'm a little intimated by some of the machines and classes at the gym, but go for it! Try a new class, or sign up for one if you've never done so before. Mix it up at the gym, try new machines, look online for exercises that targets whatever muscles you want to work and try them out. Or even go for a hike. Just find out what options are in your local community.. maybe you have a lake you can rent pedal boats? Canoos? go swimming! or to the beach and play in the surf. or just go for a swim at the local pool.

I don't know, just some ideas. Just think outside the box and you find things you don't find so boring, and really enjoy

Pandorian

For me it's important to keep changing my foods, I read posts where people eat "the same thing" for lunch on a daily (maybe M-F only?) basis, I'd have given up a long time ago myself if I tried to eat exactly the same thing every day. Not for me. For those it works for great stuff!
I still have chicken but have lately been adding honey and chipotle powder, omelets have had cayenne pepper(ground) added to them, had one last week without any cheese (felt weird making it) but deli meat instead, it was a tasty treat despite the lack of cheese.
I can't go hog-wild with buying all the "new to me" foods as I tend not to get to them all, I still buy too many fruits / berries and don't always get to them before they're turning, which is when they hit muffins or other baked goods to use em up. I LOVE the bulk food places as I can try just a little bit of something to see if I like it, whey protein powder is half the price there than it is in a packaged plastic jug and its super convenient to scoop into my omelet or smoothies so as its convenient it gets used more often than otherwise. I was able to buy a little wee bit to see if I'd even like it without a $30 commitment.

Best part for me has been getting more in touch with my foods, I've always picked berries but last year I planted my own raspberry plants, and rhubarb, raising these myself gives me even more appreciation for them when I'm able to enjoy em. Got beans, peas, and a selection of herbs growing on the south-facing kitchen window right now just waiting for the last frost date to get set outside. Of course the raspberry and rhubarb were a long term thing, no harvest from them at all last year, hopefully will be this year but it's nice to have to wait for something

t_rog

Definitely mini goals and rewards! Makes the entire journey seem less daunting, and also brings more of a reward than just weight loss! Also, about a month ago I bought a pair of "motivation pants". They're a size down and really cute! Every week or so I try them on, and no matter what the outcome (if they are fitting better or not at all), it always brings more motivation!

suzycreamcheese

you dont do anything, you just lower your expectations and see it as just food and not an exciting new lifestyle change anymore

Becca_007

I need help with this too! I get bored easily so I try to always mix up my routine. But my biggest thing is I rarely have the motivation to work out.

Regarding your workouts, are they activities you really enjoy? Like sports you love, or are they treadmill, and routine gym machines? Often times for myself when I find myself getting a wee bit bored and not so motivated to workout I need to stop and change things up a bit. I make sure my workout are something I really enjoy doing. Walking on the treadmill is not super exciting to me, but swimming is! Pilates is because I see the progress so quickly.

Just some thoughts:flowerforyou:

Debinapril

What a good way to describe that initial phase! I know what you mean about the excitement and the anticipation in the first few months and then the creeping boredom - oh yes I've been there many times.

I have been on this mission to lose weight and get fit for about 3 years now. Mostly with Weight Watchers and now with MFP. First of all I concentrated on getting fit and the initial weight loss was down to increased activity. I then have phases of pushing hard to lose weight and then maintenance periods (mainly over winter). I just focus on my long term goal and have mini goals along the way. Friends and a good support network are especially important and I think MFP is particularly good in this area. It took me a long time and many failures to realise you can't rush things. It's a cliché but true, it's not a diet but a new lifestyle - once I got that it became easier. The honeymoon's long over but I'm still here!

Good luck to you!

Becca_007

Definitely mini goals and rewards! Makes the entire journey seem less daunting, and also brings more of a reward than just weight loss! Also, about a month ago I bought a pair of "motivation pants". They're a size down and really cute! Every week or so I try them on, and no matter what the outcome (if they are fitting better or not at all), it always brings more motivation!

I do the same, all about rewards here!:laugh: We work hard and deserve fun things whether it's a new workout DVD we've been putting off, new workout clothes, as was shared above, 'motivation clothes' so many fun rewards we can set up for ourselves. The only thing I don't believe in for myself is food rewards, I got myself into this mess by food so I surely don't want to reward myself with food because I lost weight.:noway:

legacysh

I guess for me, the entire thing can be wrapped up in this: Its not a diet, it is my life, so I don't get the option of just quitting when its boring.
Not that I don't have years of experience doing just that, but somewhere along the line, I finally decided I didn't have the luxury of starting and stopping anymore. My health and well being helped push me along. The other thing is getting outside of my food and finding other things that spark that same excitement, A new dance class, a different place to walk, a new pair of shoes or something else that takes food out of the equation. Each time I go to the Drs now and see the results of my efforts, I am encouraged that I am doing the right thing. I am almost to where I will begin mainenance, and I did that for 5 years at my previous low weight before deciding to take the next step and get even healthier.

Food never goes away, so I just try not to make it the center of my life anymore.

Caharleygirl

At this point...I can only walk not do anything strenuous but I try to mix it up as much as I can so I don't get bored. I hate walking on the treadmill or ellipitical...boring!!! lol but I buy e-books that I only read when I'm exercising so if I want to see what happens next in the book...I gotta exercise...lol. On the weekends...I try to mix it up by walking at the beach or in the mountains or going to the arboretum or someplace different.

As for foods...I like to get new cookbooks or try new foods but mostly I eat the same things cause I pick things I really like to eat that are healthy...I don't look at this as a "diet"...I am just trying to be healthy and give my body what it needs to heal.

Hope this helps...

brittanyscherich

I need help with this too! I get bored easily so I try to always mix up my routine. But my biggest thing is I rarely have the motivation to work out.

Regarding your workouts, are they activities you really enjoy? Like sports you love, or are they treadmill, and routine gym machines? Often times for myself when I find myself getting a wee bit bored and not so motivated to workout I need to stop and change things up a bit. I make sure my workout are something I really enjoy doing. Walking on the treadmill is not super exciting to me, but swimming is! Pilates is because I see the progress so quickly.

Just some thoughts:flowerforyou:

They're workout DVD's. There's no place to play sports. I wish I had a treadmill! Once I get my own car in a few months, I'm getting a gym membership so I'll have the motivation to go so i wont waste money lol

Becca_007

I need help with this too! I get bored easily so I try to always mix up my routine. But my biggest thing is I rarely have the motivation to work out.

Regarding your workouts, are they activities you really enjoy? Like sports you love, or are they treadmill, and routine gym machines? Often times for myself when I find myself getting a wee bit bored and not so motivated to workout I need to stop and change things up a bit. I make sure my workout are something I really enjoy doing. Walking on the treadmill is not super exciting to me, but swimming is! Pilates is because I see the progress so quickly.

Just some thoughts:flowerforyou:

They're workout DVD's. There's no place to play sports. I wish I had a treadmill! Once I get my own car in a few months, I'm getting a gym membership so I'll have the motivation to go so i wont waste money lol

Having a chance to join a gym will open up many possibilities as they offer so much. A zillion classes to choose from, weights, pool classes, laps if you like swimming, so much you'll never get bored. Plus in my experience I stay far more motivated going out of my house to workout, either with friends or to the gym. Some do great at home working out, some how time slips away and then my time is up and it's time to do something else.

Think outside the box a bit, crank up the music and dance, dance, DANCE! Great workout and loads of fun and always makes me smile doing that. Even if you're cleaning the house, turn on the tunes and have fun with it!

Don't know if you have Netflix or not? If so there's some great Instant workouts on there, lots of 10 minutes solution workouts that are fun but challenging. Also members talk about 'On Demand' workouts on cable, another thing to think about.

YouTube has some awesome vids to workout to for no cost, also BodyTv.com (hope I have that right?) is another great site.

Enjoy searching around the web for some variety and I bet you'll be looking forward to your workouts before you know it. :drinker:

Have fun