Motivation, please!

I am in need of motivation! How did everyone else get up and get at it? Tell me your stories :) Feel free to add me if you would like, the more friends that can cheer me on the better :D !
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Replies

  • jdploki70
    jdploki70 Posts: 343
    The biggest thing, the absolute most important part of weight loss, is to do something. Anything. Big, small, whatever, you have to make a change. After than, the other changes come easier. My first change was swapping out white rice for instant brown rice. From there it was minimizing red meat and using sandwich thins instead of bread. Going from two slices of cheese on a sandwich to one. Eating smaller portions at dinner, etc.

    Exercise it was watching less TV and moving more, to going to a gym and being on a cardio machine for 20 min, then 30, then 40, then 50. Weight training same thing. Going to the gym 1 or 2 days a week to 4 or 5 days a week. People who start big, and make huge sweeping changes in everything they do, tend to resent those changes and it all falls apart when they get mad at themselves, their trainers, their spouses, life in general, the bathroom scale, and they give up. Anyone looking for super quick results with minimal input and next to no life changes isn't really being practical.
  • thanks! i will definitely try the small things first!
  • scward1991
    scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
    Hi there!

    I gave up mayonnaise and full fat coke at first.. and between Christmas 2011 and about a month ago I had lost over half a stone just from doing that and nothing else. Totally agree the little changes make a BIG difference. Be honest with yourself, you won't lose weight if you are kidding yourself about what you consume in a day!

    In the past month I have lost another 4 pounds. Regular exercise and sticking to the consumption guidelines that myfitnesspal has suggested has helped me no end!

    Good luck!
  • jwatts1202
    jwatts1202 Posts: 26
    I had NO motivation/will power. I just started sunday (may 20th) i've lost 4 lbs..I cut out sodas (but will drink half a can if i get a headache) im only eating fresh veges, chicken breast, red meat occasionally. Nothing that comes from a box or bag unless it's frozen veges in a bag..I can not tell you where my motivation came from cause ive been wanting to do this for a yr...even bought the food to do it several times, just to throw it away. I think you just finally get to a point and say F this fat!! lol and bam, you're motivated!
  • WaimanaloMan
    WaimanaloMan Posts: 160 Member
    Hey Chelsea,

    Everyone's motivation is different, but in my experience that initial push to get up and going is the toughest one, but after that it's been easy to stay on target. It sounds corny but eventually those fitness steps you have to make a concious decision to do everyday become second nature further on. For me, watching what I eat and working out everyday has now become my lifestyle, and I can still do all the other fun things I like to do. You can totally do it, there isn't any secrets to getting into shape, you only really need to stay motivated. Feel free to add me if you would like, I log on daily!
  • jdploki70
    jdploki70 Posts: 343
    Oh yeah, and adding salads to your daily diet is another big step forward.
  • lexington87
    lexington87 Posts: 27 Member
    My best motivation is a note on my fridge that says
    "Are you hungry or bored?"
    Hungry- eat the chicken
    Bored- walk the dogs

    It has stopped many eating because I'm bored moments and if I'm not hungry enough to eat the shredded chicken then I'm eating the wrong food. Plus the puppies love the extra walk and attention =)
  • Iansmommy123011
    Iansmommy123011 Posts: 872 Member
    Feel free to add me if you like :)
  • lururu
    lururu Posts: 123 Member
    My friend lost lots of weight and I didn't want to be her fat mate, a bit selfish and vain I guess but it was for the best in the end. Now I just can't seem to stop :P
  • KIMBAILEYWILLIAMSON
    KIMBAILEYWILLIAMSON Posts: 258 Member
    My motivation was a coworker was losing weight and I asked her how she was doing it and all she did was eat half of what she usually does, said it was hard first few weeks and she was right but it got better. I realized diets didn't work for me but eating right and exercising is what really works or has for me. YOU can do it once you decide to. It is so worth it!
  • sashanicole88
    sashanicole88 Posts: 180 Member
    My biggest motivator is wanting to accomplish something within myself. Proving that I can do this. Instead of giving up, I want to know I pushed through the difficult times, the pain, and the sacrifice and made a legitimate change in my weight and in my life. It is so motivating to know I am changing myself for the better!
  • kaimi2011
    kaimi2011 Posts: 141 Member
    :flowerforyou: feel free too add me.

    Having friends on here for the support helps. :)
  • kmillar1224
    kmillar1224 Posts: 91 Member
    Hi,

    For me, my biggest motivator was that I woke up one day feeling like a 90 year old woman on her death bed and looked even worse lol I didn't want to feel/loo that way anymore. So, I have taken matters into my own hands and getting the job done. I find the people on here and the stories they share super inspirational - take advantage of it!!

    Good luck, girlie!!!
  • My biggest motivator is the future....being around for a long time to enjoy life & all it has to offer.
    But yes, just find something you enjoy doing...and just do something every day.
    I spent far too long not doing much at all and am tired of feeling tired.

    If you get off track, just think about the things which mean the most to you.

    Those will be the things which will help you get going again. Also, realize how much better you'll feel, how much more energy you'll have.

    Good luck and forge ahead! :)
    Sarah
  • VoodooLuLu
    VoodooLuLu Posts: 636 Member
    my motivation was seeing a picture of me i was heart broken!
    i was 116 and after 2 pregnancies i was 185 pounds...
    tried many things and im thankfull to my friend who told me about MFP,
    its helped me out so much!!!
    and so has the UFC!!!

    Good luck on your adventure and if you want to add me please feel free to do so!!!!
  • raisingbabyk
    raisingbabyk Posts: 442 Member
    My best motivation is a note on my fridge that says
    "Are you hungry or bored?"
    Hungry- eat the chicken
    Bored- walk the dogs

    Love this!
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
    I think it really helps to have a goal to work towards. That way when you're reaching for the Snickers bar, you can remind yourself it won't help you reach that goal any faster. The most important thing when setting your goal though, is it has to be reasonable. For instance, it's probably not reasonable for a woman of 5' 11" to set her goal to fit into size 0 pants, because that's probably not even possible because her bones underneath are bigger than a size zero.

    For most people, fitness goals work best and are more motivating than weight loss goals. If you set your goal to lose 5 pounds in two weeks and you fail, you'll lose your motivation. Instead, pick something that you can definitely work towards. For example, running one mile without stopping to walk, completing a 5k, bench pressing 100 pounds, hiking to somewhere you've never been before, etc. Make sure to set small milestones along the way too so you can pat yourself on the back. For example if your goal is to run one mile without stopping, your first milestone is when you run 1/4 mile without stopping, the second milestone when you get to 1/2 mile, etc.
  • ShereeJane
    ShereeJane Posts: 4
    i gave up nothing NOTHING...i just eat much less or maybe have to wait till next day if out of calories.....walk 30 minutes a day..wherever u can fit it in...and log EVERYTHING you put in your mouth...if you want ice cream for dinner..just eat ice cream..no dinner. be reasonable.u can't do that everyday...but u dont have to deny yourself completely to lose weight......if u have a bad day...take another walk...or eat less the next day...one lb a week has been my steady loss....and i dont feel deprived of anything. YOU CAN DO IT!!!
  • jwatts1202
    jwatts1202 Posts: 26
    My best motivation is a note on my fridge that says
    "Are you hungry or bored?"
    Hungry- eat the chicken
    Bored- walk the dogs

    It has stopped many eating because I'm bored moments and if I'm not hungry enough to eat the shredded chicken then I'm eating the wrong food. Plus the puppies love the extra walk and attention =)
  • jwatts1202
    jwatts1202 Posts: 26
    My best motivation is a note on my fridge that says
    "Are you hungry or bored?"
    Hungry- eat the chicken
    Bored- walk the dogs

    It has stopped many eating because I'm bored moments and if I'm not hungry enough to eat the shredded chicken then I'm eating the wrong food. Plus the puppies love the extra walk and attention =)

    haha that's fantastic!! I'm gonna have to make a fridge note!!
  • hoskibn
    hoskibn Posts: 86
    The best advice I can give, as I am sure others will attest to is, start moving...fight that little demon on your shoulder that says you don't have time, or advises how comfy that couch looks...the first step is the hardest, and portion control is key.
  • vb4evr
    vb4evr Posts: 615 Member
    I am in need of motivation! How did everyone else get up and get at it? Tell me your stories :) Feel free to add me if you would like, the more friends that can cheer me on the better :D !

    Make the decision to start and commit to it. Everyone has set backs, just make sure not to pack it in. Realize your mistakes, admit to them and move forward and fix it. Don't lose sight on your goals.
  • Marque74
    Marque74 Posts: 60
    The biggest thing in my opinion is having a good mindset. Keep telling yourself that you can do this. It definitely helps logging all your food everyday. I cut sodas out cold turkey and started eating alot more veggies. If I slip up and go over my calories, I just get back on track the next day. I don't worry about it or beat myself up over it. Also, I drink plenty of water. The main thing is to not give up. When you do that, you admit that you're defeated. Hope this helps.
  • ericachristie85
    ericachristie85 Posts: 69 Member
    When I realized I was young and this is the time of my life where I should look my best. I paired Chalean Extreme with MFP and my body changed in a matter of weeks. That was all the motivation I needed. From this I learned two key facts. 1) muscle is the fountain of youth, burns calories and revs up your metabolism. 2) Maintain a deficit, although you wont grow large muscles this is the only way to lose weight.

    Chalean Johnson is an amazing motivator, I would suggest getting your hands on "Chalean Extreme"
  • Thats such a great idea!! I will use tht!
  • Feed_the_Bears
    Feed_the_Bears Posts: 275 Member
    Hello,

    Motivation must come from within. The only way you'll do something, or make changes to your lifestyle is if YOU WANT IT. Everyone can tell you "you should do this or that, for your health or appearance or ability or what ever" but until you really really want those things, you won't stick to your goals. Really consider this. You can ask overweight person and they'll say "of course I WANT to lose weight", but you really have to translate those desires into actional desires like "I want to eat more vegetables", "I want to go on a walk every night", "I want to cook a balanced meal instead of order pizza". Sit down and be honest with yourself about what you want in your life right now. You deserve to do what you want.

    There's also a bit of a paradox with behavioural changes. "Action PRECEEDS motivation". Once you decide you want certail goals, you just have to start acting towards them whether the internal drive is strong or not. You do it like an ultimatum to yourself. At first it will sorta suck and you'll wonder why you want this. But soon you'll start to see the possitive side effects of increased energy and endorphins. That's when you'll really see what's so great about these changes and start to fee the drive to keep at it.

    Sit down and really consider what you want and how you're willing to act day to day.

    Good luck.
  • lNail
    lNail Posts: 8 Member
    my motivation came from... (or attempting to chase) after my lil girl...lol. I am a mother of three and was out of shape. I couldn't run for more then a minute it seemed like before I was just exhausted. So that was my motivation to get in shape...to be able to enjoy running and chasing my kiddo :) now running a mile or two is no problem.
  • Lots of ideas for motivation!

    1) Write a list, why are you doing this?
    2) Write a list, what you want to do when you achieve this goal? How will you feel when your each this goal?
    3) use a search engine for a weight loss image simulator, it will show your current weight and what you would look like at your goal weight! WOW is what you will say!
    4) Find quotes and post them everywhere! I searched for: motivational fitness quotes, click images, and tada motivation! I have a picture of a NFL cheerleader on my phone, so it is a constant reminder of this is how you want to look, not what you currently look like in the mirror!
    5) Forget how you feel, and remember what you deserve. You deserve to be happy in your own skin. You deserve to be proud of yourself!
    6) STICK WITH THIS MFP! Plenty of daily support! Heck, even add me as a friend! The encouragement here is amazing!
  • mhathy77
    mhathy77 Posts: 7
    I actually had two things that really sparked my weight loss. I have been big all my life, and went to a cardiologist shortly after my 30th birthday and he let me know that any damage that I had done to my heart could be recovered. This is something I had struggled with since my dad died, of a massive heart attack, when I was twenty. I had always simply considered my genetics an early death sentence, but this doctor allowed me the freedom to change my lifestyle. A few months after this appointment, we found out that my wife was pregnant with our first child, and at that point my whole life changed. I have lost 161 pounds since then. The beginning was incredibly hard, but I feel so much better. I have found that good friends who really care about you make all of the difference.
  • sig1238
    sig1238 Posts: 16
    True change must come from within. We can seek outside motivation all day long, but until we have a burning, all-consuming desire to achieve personal change, we are setting ourselves up for failure. Once we truly commit to a goal, make a plan, and follow through, we become unstoppable.