CONTENTMENT - How to get over it?

JaneWrastle

I know that I should be somehow convincing myself that I want a healthier life than I have already achieved but sometimes after meeting certain fitness goals and I'm feeling pretty good about my efforts and myself, I tend to stall in my dedication to the next step. Anyone want to share on nudging yourself out of the comfortable clasp of contentment? Thanks.

Heather75

If you are happy the way you are, why do you think you need to change?

JaneWrastle

I have fitness goals...and i am letting myself be distracted away from them by being lulled into a false sense of achievement. Yeah, we should all aim to feel fulfilled, but we can do that at any weight. An athlete can't sit back and say - i feel alright about that, so it's good enough. Good enough is the enemy of true self-fulfillment.

Avalonis

I've set a hard line for what I want as an end result, and I have a picture of it on my desktop.

I've set mini-goals along the way, but ultimately, none of them matter until I get to where I want to be.

Another thing that helps is getting a workout buddy. It can make a HUGE difference when you don't feel motivated.

Kate6868

I don't know what your fitness goals are, but If I'm sliding on my fitness goals, I sign up for a 5k race (could also be a 10k, 1/2 or full marathon, depending on your goals). Having something I've paid money for and put on the calendar helps me. Usually I also rope a buddy or two into signing up also and we motivate each other through the training.

JaneWrastle

Nice Pic!

pital74

I waited to have kids till I was 30, same age my mother had me. Unfortunately, because of bad health choices, my mother isn't able to be the grandmother she would like to be. Although I still want my daughter to wait to have kids, I want to be a healthy and fit with all the energy to keep up with grandkids. This is a long term goal, seeing as my daughter is only six now, but small changes now can make all the difference later.

BerryH

Bothered by too much contentment? I recommend getting a divorce and losing your job in the same month! Worked for me!

More seriously, I know what you mean. Here's my blog from a few months ago where you can see how contentment and still feeling "fit enough" got me from super-fit to obese:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/my-before-before-picture-95514

Now THOSE pictures will stop me getting into a rut again!

And I agree with the others, you need a series of long-term and more immediate goals to keep you going. The number on a scale should be the least of those.

JaneWrastle

Thanks for the blog post....it is true - weight is not a philosophic concern when it comes to knees. I had ACL reconstructive surgery after a roller derby injury in 2007. Every pound that comes off makes running and everything else so much easier.

And also - you hit the nail on the head with contentment is how a lot of people gain the weight. It's how I gained it in the first place....there is so much that can happen to your body while you are working out and eating only half healthy and feeling 'content'. You wake up one day and it's like you were on a mental and fitness vacation for years.