motivation NEEDED :(

lsilly15

I have been off track for the past 3 weeks and I have no motivation to get back on! What helps you guys get back on track??

WaterBunnie

Luckily my head seems to be in the right place at the moment but if yours isn't you need to either wait until it is or make yourself up an incentive that's strong enough to make you stick to it. Most important thing is not to consider yourself a failure for taking 3 weeks off. Draw a line and move on!

_Bob_

for me it's just a good workout, makes feel great even though some days I don't want to go to the gym, I always feel better when I do. that and the evil scale at the gym.

cindylou_21

I have been off track for the past 3 weeks and I have no motivation to get back on! What helps you guys get back on track??

You have to really want it for yourself. How bad do you want it? :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

thriftycupl

I agree with WaterBunnie -- my head is in the right place for now. You have to want to stick with this for yourself. If there is another reason, it won't work as well. For me, it's knowing I feel better, look better and am healthier for the long run. I had to start on my own and now I've just started reaching out to the community here for friends and support. Keep up the good work and be proud of where you are at. Don't let a few weeks get you down. Start up again and move forward. You can do it!

thriftycupl

for me it's just a good workout, makes feel great even though some days I don't want to go to the gym, I always feel better when I do. that and the evil scale at the gym.

I agree. A little exercise always reminds me of why I'm doing this.

Natihilator

I think you have to look at yourself and ask why you think you lost that motivation, and also why you got it in the first place. How bad do you want this? Because at the end of the day, you could get hundreds of replies with hundreds of ways other people find their motivation, but none of them could work for you. Good luck!

aablacknell

The fear of stepping on the SCALE. It is the scariest thing ever!!!!

tantalee

think about what was the thing that you wanted in the first place. Do you still want that?

butterfliespink

I absolutely despise exercising-so I Zumba!! Dancing is something I've always enjoyed and I burn a TON of calories. That, and realizing that if I want to be healthy, I have to change. I can't keep eating junk and sitting on my sofa watching TV and expect to like how my body looks. It doesn't work that way for me. I know I have to do this-even when I don't want to. And I occasionally give myself a cheat day, which really helps me stay on track. You can do this! You are stronger than you know! Stay focused, stay positive-and know there are a lot of people on here who will support you NO MATTER WHAT!!

Beautiful_Ideal

I'm now 5 days back on track from a few months of slacking. Previously, I lost ~45 lbs on MFP with months of dedication and hard work. A few random observations about how I get through the harder days.

1. Usually, my inspiration for losing weight (being a single-digit jean size, being able to run more easily) keeps me going.
2. If I falter a little, my MFP buddies are always there for me (friend me if you want to!).
3. If all else fails, I take a real hard look at what I want to eat that will keep me from making my goal for that day. I ask myself why I'm eating more than I need [I eat pretty filling things]. Usually the problem is not that I'm hungry!
4. Sometimes I will eat that thing, not going to lie - but I ALWAYS make myself burn the calories off.
5. If you can't eat as much as you want (I have this thing for 340 calorie pizza pockets. I always want more than one.), I pair that item with something healthy (baby carrots, broccoli) to keep myself full.

Meta Message: Take things one day at a time. You know why you want to lose weight. You decided that this was the journey for you. Keep those reasons in mind, and hold yourself accountable (through increased exercise, eating right, eating less 'bad' food) every day. Don't think about the months/years it might take you to lose weight. Do a good job today. Do a good job after dinner. Do a good job in the next five minutes.

You can do it!

Pamela777

WaterBunnie is right - 1st don't feel like a failure. 2nd -U do need to find the reason u want to lose and hold on to it. I have been there, and the longer u procrastinate the harder it is to pick urself up and get going again. Start with ur next meal, don't even wait til tommorrow - cause in the morning u will be like - hey I did it! I didn't die from starvation, here's a fresh new day! Best of luck to u!:happy:

ingalynn

Knowing that the healthy foods I bring into the house are not only helping me, but my children and husband is a good motivator. My husband is diabetic, and though my children are active and at healthy weights, it is great to see them eating all of the fresh fruits and vegetables I have been stocking. I really just started doing this for myself...now I can see the impact it has on my family.

ashhhhole

When I feel like that I take a "me day" so I can have a couple free hours. Then I lay out my goals. I start big with things like I want to lose x number of pounds, I want to run x miles, I want to eat cleanly, and then I consider why I want that. That usually reminds me of why I should want to do this. Then, to get me moving again I make a 4-6 week "plan." Something achievable. Usually I make a calendar and list the workouts that I want to do and when I want to do them. Then I make food goals, only go over my cals one day a week, drink at least 6 glasses of water a day, things like that. Then I use the calendar to keep track of everything. The first couple days are the hardest, but when everything is laid out for me it makes it easier for me to keep reminding myself that this is all worth it.

Also, I find that I lose motivation when I get bored. So switching up what you eat and what your workout routine is will probably help.

yoovie

deciding that I dont need motivation this time. decisiing that I dont need motivation today.

My BRAIN needs motivation- not my body.

My body tells me what it needs.

When it feels tired and sluggish and low on energy
when it feels like it always has cabin fever
when doing nothing on the couch all day makes me irritated instead of calm
when im not sleeping well

all these things tell me that my body is ready to go back to some regular workouts.

What my brain wants has nothing to do with today.
My brain needs to butt OUT of my body's business.

I have my heart and my body. They can ut their shoes on and go.

Forget the brain.
Go zombie mode.
Go workout brainlessly.
Your body wants it, needs it, is craving for it, begging for it.

Give your body what it wants, prove you love it.

Dont worry, your brain will end up taking credit for motivating you to workout by this time tomorrow anyway :P

Pet03

Just start back on your routine that you were doing before and brush it off. You can't go back and change it but you can move on to the future. I have been there and done that. It is hard to get back up and march on but you can do it.

jenschnack

try going to the fat2fit website. Try upping calories. I went from 1200 eating back some exercise to 1440. This week I started New Rules of Lifting for Women and I am eating 1500-1800 calories and still losing.
Sometimes taking a week off can help reset your metabolism so if you are good this week you might just see some good lose.

MehiraDeOro

I lost 30 pounds before, so I used it as my motivation when I gained 10 pounds of it back last semester.

I kept asking myself, "Why would I lose all this weight, just to gain it back? Might as well throw all that hard work out the window!"

auroranflash

Try on a bikini.

After you're done being physically ill from what you see in the mirror, go find your tennies and go for a run.

:flowerforyou:

Ahh self hatred, the ultimate motivator of women.

WJZR

I posted a "fat photo" of me on my refrigerator door, along with a "skinny" one from years ago. Along with the message: YOU did it before and you CAN DO it again!" Now maybe that will motivate me.