I need help staying motivated - PLEASE

babyduck76

Hi, I'm new and need motivation. I had my daughter in August 2011 (14 months ago) and haven't been very active since. I joined a walking challenge at work and we are on week 2. I have been walking 2-3 miles a day but with winter around the corner, it will be harder and harder for me to get outside to workout. My husband setup the treadmill last weekend for me but I hate being on a treadmill.

My main goal here is to lose some of the weight, I'm currently at 216lbs, and I want to be able to keep up with my daughter. We used to hike before she arrived and would love to get back into that so that our daughter can grow up with a love of nature and exercise.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to stay motivated after the walking challenge ends on 10/31?

PAZlady

No one can really motivate you. You have to want it.

Never tell yourself "I'm not motivated." That's not the real problem, unless
you really don't want to lose weight or live a healthy lifestyle. As long as you
do want these things, you have all the motivation you need.

It may be true that sometimes you don't want to exercise, or that you really
want to stop and get fast food rather than cooking dinner. That's
understandable, but it doesn't mean you're not motivated. It just means that you
want two different and opposing things, and you have to make a decision.

Telling yourself that you lack motivation is just a way of denying that you
really do have a choice. It makes the problem seem mysterious and out of your
control, and it makes you feel less powerful than you really are, because you
lack something (the motivation) you need. Not true!

In the long run you'll do better if you acknowledge that the choice is yours to
make. You can choose either option, without making excuses or inventing a theory
like "lack of motivation" to justify it. Then, pay attention to how you feel
about the choice you made, and decide whether that is how you want to feel most
of the time.

Being consistent does not mean being perfect. (There are going to be days when
you decide to do something other than stick to your exercise and diet routine,
and that's fine.) But becoming consistent does mean giving yourself the power to
choose.

mom060812

First welcome to the group!!!! I struggle with this myself, but you have come to the right place though for help!!! First remember this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. Second you will have days where you just blow your calories out of the water, thats ok. Third remember you didnt get here over night so it will take some time to get it all off. I have taken pictures of myself that I keep on my cell phone so that I see it everytime I turn my phone on. Its a great reminder of what I dont want to be anymore. I also have measured my thighs,arms upper stomach and lower stomach and keep all that posted on my wall so that I see what im trying to get away from. It helps me having those in my face all the time, it keeps me on track....for the most part Also any walking in place dvds are great too. You can pop those in at your daughters nap time or before she gets up and get some exercise in that way. I live in ohio so we are on the verge of winter too, and I have 3 kids so getting out isnt all too easy. The dvds help though. Anyways you can do this!!! Its one day at a time

babyduck76

Great response! Thank you so much. I guess I just needed the reminder that it is a choice that I need to make. I will do my best to make the choices to exercise and eat correctly more days than not.