Motivation Techniques

frankie964

Interested in you sharing your techniques for motivation . I find it difficult to get past the 4 week mark and historically revert back to bad habits.

grobbygru

Keeping the exercise up.

tilzie

i personally find it really important to surround yourself with likeminded people and maybe even have someone (even online) who you can stay accountable too!

frankie964

Thanks you, good advice )

ChefSuzzieQ

If you need to get a performance manager, a friend or family member. It it a behavioral psych technique. You set a plan for what you want to accomplish. I wouldn't use weightloss, maybe exercise or staying within your caloric goals.You need an amount and a time frame, also a reward for yourself and something for them if you don't come through. So, for example when I was running I had to run/jog for an hour 5 times a week. My sister was my performance manager. If I didn't do a run I paid her $5. If I did all my runs for a month I took myself in for a manicure, something I don't do often so it was a treat.

You have to find something that ) the PM wants and you don't want to lose or do to keep them tracking you and B0 a reward that you really do want.

frankie964

The proof is in the pudding. I have been to the gym for two weeks now. Lets see how it goes. Cheers.

frankie964

Great advice. Thank you.I will give it a go.:0)

Aperture_Science

Motivation: I try to remember why I started all this. I also try to keep a positive and negative image in my mind, trying to focus upon what I will be and where I have come from.

But I really wanted to post a comment about continually failing at 4 weeks. Are you dieting or are you making a life change? In my experience the people who approach weight loss as a diet, tend to go hell for leather in the early days. They eliminate certain foods from their eating plan (sometimes entire food groups), even if it is something that they love, they plan an aggressive weight loss strategy, and sooner or later they crash and burn.

People who treat their weight loss as a new way of living however tend to do the opposite. They do not ban foods, they moderate them. They set smaller incremental goals and find it (relatively) easy, and although they see others galloping off with record 5lb per week losses, they plod on. It's a bit like the hare and tortoise story.

So, if you find that you often fail, ask yourself "am I pushing myself too hard, too fast?"

Best wishes.

meerkat70

Keeping the exercise up.

This, for me, too. As long as I'm exercising regularly, the diet stuff tends to fall in line. I find it really hard to focus on eating healthily if I'm not working out.

LiveEnjoyEndure

For me I'm just a big show off and don't like the taste of humble pie. So I commit myself to challenges and then tell lots of people.

My current challenges are:

1) Brighton Marathon
2) Triathlon
3) Cycle 10,000 km in 2012, including a 100, 200, 300, 400 & 600 km cycles
4) Cycle up & down Mt. Snowdon

I have found the support I receive from MFPals and www.dailymile.com pals great for keeping me on track and motivated.

I find my motivation levels, self-esteem level go up and down a lot even on an hour by hour basis. So I just schedule things in and prepare before hand. So if I plan on cycling/running/swimming the next day, I have all my kit out ready before I go to bed. Then go to bed in good time so I do not feel too tired in the morning ( and put my alarm on!)

I also make structural and resourse commitments which make me feel 'guilty' if I don't use them. Like I bought a pair of expensive running shoes and knew this made me a 'Marathoner'. When I wanted to up my water intake I bought a 34 oz water bottle and filled it up twice a day.