Question - How do you personally stay motivated?

sludwig

This is only day two of my experience with this site. I really like how it works. It reminds me a lot of weight watchers. However, it's better because it is free. I have convinced a few of my friends to do it with me. I hope they stick with it!

I want to lose 30 lbs. This seems like such a large goal for me. I would like to stay with it and achieve this goal. I am one of those people that will dive into things head first very excited. However, after a certain period of time it starts to fade. I would like to know how others (that would be you) stay motivated.

Thanks!!!

BamaRose0107

The idea of being healthy and comfortable in my own skin has helped me stay motivated. I realize I am the only one accountable for my success and I am also the only one accountable for my failure. You can do it you just have believe in yourself and be determined to meet your goals. It won't happen over night but hitting that goal no matter how long it takes will be such a sweet reward for the hard work. GOOD LUCK!!!

Monda

I am just like you. I dive head first, very excited, but then I start to fall. Recently, a thought came to mind that is sticking with me and it seems to be keeping me motivated. Here it is: "I look forward to seeing results tomorrow, from the success I made today." It helps to keep me going forward and keeps me from wanting to stop. I also don't weigh myself everyday. I tend to get discouraged if the results are not what I want them to be. I feel like I have lost weight but I have been afraid to get on the scale. This is why my ticker says no weight loss as of yet. When I finally get on the scale and I see a double digit #, I know that will motivate me even more. I also am doing weight watchers on my own and using this site for the support. I try to stay away from the things that discourage me. I hope this helps you. Feel free to add me as friend, if you need to. Good luck!

tlblood

I also did WW and got bored with it, and therefore stopped being successful with it. I've only been here for 2 weeks, and I think the novelty is what's keeping me on track, and the success I'm seeing is keeping me motivated.

msh0530

I give myself a lot of pep talks. Some of them are pretty spirited. A couple of weeks ago, I had an extreme battle going on inside one afternoon. It was "want to get healthy woman" versus "freezing to death woman". Basically, it was over getting back outside in the frigid cold to go and work out. Thankfully, "want to get healthy" woman emerged victorious, and felt so good about her victory, went on to work out an extra half hour on Wii fit before I went to the gym. I often remind myself that quitting is NOT an option, and to NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP! Anyway, it is mostly internal talks like this that get me through. When I feel myself starting to waver, I hit the boards on here and get instant support from my cyberfriends to poke me in the right direction. I wish you luck on your journey. Here's to smart choices!

KendalBeee

I tell myself that I'm never going to lose weight by sitting on the couch WISHING I was thin. Sitting on the computer won't make me lose weight. Eating poorly won't help me lose weight. Making excuses won't help me lose weight. Making plans to go to the gym and eat healthy are not the same as actually doing them.

I know what I need to do and its not easy (although I must say it is getting EASIER to keep it up). I've also been a person to get excited about a diet and within the first week I cheat and fall face first off the wagon. Now I know its ok to have a bad day. Its ok to mess up. I just have to try harder the next day. If I have a 1000 calorie lunch, then I know I need to have a small dinner and exercise sometime soon to earn back those calories (trust me, its happened to a lot of us...we have lunch and THEN log the food and feel disgusted by how many calories we just ate),


It really is a one day at a time thing for me. And trust me, its going to take a lot of days....I have at least 80-100 pounds to go.


GOOD LUCK!

smelmel

I log my calories while I am exercising on a stationary bike so the time goes really quick.
I usually only exercise for about 35 minutes so I don't get burnt out , I used to go for 60 min or more at the gym but once I lost the weight I lost the motivation so now I have decided to 30 min each day forever even when I am skinny, fingers crossed I stick to this. Goodluck on your weight loss journey.

oats4breakfast

Perhaps look at it like "quitting smoking" (which I've also done).
I didn't actually quit smoking, which I did enjoy often, I quitted (to name but a few) wheezing, coughing, being a social outcast, being a slave, going to gas station all the time .. but not for gas, constantly searching for a place/time to light up, risk of disease and dying young, waking up tired etc etc etc . So, you can see, quitting smoking wasn't the motivation, I simply became a non-smoker. I quit all that other stuff.
I did, however, have to change my entire lifestyle of way of thinking to do all of this.

So, motivation for weight loss (which I have just started too) etc could be not seeing the results so seeing the scale not count so high, but perhaps look for things you want to do. So, you don't actually "want to loose weight" ... but you want to be able climb the stairs without puffing, not sweat while eating, live longer, be able to go on holiday without being self concious, throw the ball for more than 5 minutes with your son etc etc.
I don't know about trying to fit into those pants from 10 years ago, because that just seems too materialistic and not really something worth "living" for.

For me, I'm getting my motivation through simply changing my life style. I'm not "loosing weight" but the changing of my life style will cause me to loose weight. In my mind, it's not reverse physcology or anything, it's simply picking a better "something" to focus on. For me, it my way of life. (I'm also working out etc but the motivation is coming by the way I think of it). So, in changing my life style, it invloves non-smoking, weight loss, working out, getting out of bed in the morning, sleeping better etc etc etc etc ............. that is my overiding goal. Living, looking and feeling better.
So, I haven't given up fast foods, I haven't given up cake and ice cream or even alchohol, I'll still eat it and drink but I'll be more sensible and responsible to myself about it .... and this app helps me do that. My motivation is not to not eat as much food or crap, but is to feel better after I eat and feel better after walking up 5 flights of stairs etc.
Also, my rewards for working out and eating better is not to pig out on junk and have a day off. My reward is to look, live and feel better every day.

I hope what I'm saying makes sense and helps.

Twylla

For me i've chose something to be my reward something that i really want and will only do it once i am half way then something bigger for the end result. For me i have wanted this tattoo that means alot to me for quite sometime so that's what i will do when i get half way and at that point i'll choose something for the end result. For someone else it might be a trip somewhere warm. I hope this helps! And also i've only been back on the site for a week or so but waking up now i feel is easier knowing that i am working at being thinner and i even feel a difference just the way i feel. Good luck with your weight loss!

nolan_84

There is always slight motivational things but for me it's more of the mindset. I focus in, think of what I want & I just do what it takes to get there. I've found that for me, it's all about getting into a 'zone' so to speak. I haven't taken my health as seriously as I should have, probably because I'm young and not THAT overweight... just enough to bug me really. But I have come to want to be as healthy as possible this year and make it my best year ever.

I have a wedding that I'm a Groomsman in this summer & I want to be looking my best, not only for me, but for my two friends that are getting married. They deserve the best & that includes me being at my best mentally and physically for their big day.

And as a very competitive person, something I think of is competing with myself. Each day I workout, I'm better than I was the day before. I think that's a good way to look at it too.

justjenny89

I find that my best motivation comes when I have a friend to work out with. Another good motivator is how good my clothes look/feel when I'm more fit.

Azdak

You have to be honest with yourself and recognize what keeps YOU motivated.

There is something called a Readiness for Change index. Many people get stuck in what's called the "contemplation stage". This is where you think about change, express a desire to change, but feel the loss of pleasurable behaviors that might occur with change and thus continue to raise barriers as to why they cannot change. Others go to the "preparation stage" where they might try an exercise class, buy a new workout outfit, make an agreement with a friend to follow a diet, etc. However, without having a strong motivation, strong support group, sense of intrinsic control or some drastic external event, it is easy to relapse before seeing progress.

Somewhere, somehow, you have to find the one motivation that leads you to make this change your top priority. For me it took years--finally it was a really, really crappy and scary blood test report at the doctor that hit me upside like a 2 x 4. That got me started and then seeing success became the self-reinforcing motivator.

Now that I have lost 55-60 pounds and am a lot closer to "ideal", and most of the medical issues have significantly improved, it's much more of a struggle to control my eating. I am better able to manage it and I am still (sloooowly) losing some fat, but I still have to fight it every day.

There is something called a weight-loss registry which tracks characteristics of people who have lost weight and kept it off for at least 2 years (which is really the minimum standard of "success"). Two that I remember is that they weigh themselves relatively frequently (avg 2+ times per week) and maintain a vigorous and consistent exercise program.

Me--just look at the pictures on my profile. I have one from Dec 2008 (blue tie) and one taken exactly one year later (red tie).

That's ALL the motivation I need.

mlove1307

I stay motivated by watching my body change!! Even now after losing 100 pounds I can see the difference going to the gym makes. :]

Feeling great, looking great... I'm still working on my mindset but sometimes I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and think "wow. you look awesome" and I neverrrr did that before!! :]

catherine1979

Honestly the thing that motivates me every single day is my son. I am tired of being the fat mom who sits on the sidelines. I'm tired of not being able to keep up with him. I want him to remember me as a fun, vibrant, active mom who always wanted to play. That's what makes me go.

RaeBella13

I know that this sounds ridiculous but knowing that I weigh in every Monday and then click that little "weigh in" link on this site....THAT keeps me motivated. I love to see that red number on my ticker go up! Earlier this week when I weighed in, that number went from "12 lbs lost" to "18 lbs lost"!! I love the way it looks on the screen and I love the way I personally feel! It keeps me going!

In addition to that, knowing that I need to lose 69 more lbs between now and 6/19/2010 (which is when I go skydiving!) is a huge motivator (when I'm dying in the gym that's what I think about!) and also the thought of shopping without a problem....fitting into the seats @ Fenway Park without being squeezed into them....being comfortable again in shorts...there are lots of motivators, i just have to keep them at the front of my mind, not the back! :happy:

bellinachuchina

When I first began, I would stay motivated by thinking about the end result, being in a size 10, and until I got near it, I wouldn't be satisfied.

The most motivational thing for me now is taking myself back. I look at before photos, but even more importantly I take myself back to how I felt emotionally & physically. That right there is enough to scare a craving off!!!

Another key thing for me is hearing all of the compliments I have gotten since losing weight, & how proud my family & friends are of me. I don't want to let myself, or them down, so that is also a motivation for me to maintain!

sludwig

Thank you for the comments and support. I really appreciate all of it!!!