Decide to Fight... or Not?

paxbfl

I'm trying to figure something out... about myself and people around me. What is it inside you that makes you decide to change - and drives you to stick with that change?

Right now I am so incredibly motivated. But a few months ago, I had a "screw it" attitude and just didn't care. I don't fully understand what changed between then and now. This concerns me, because I don't want to go back.

Several things have happened to me that might help explain it for me. I have two friends, both approximately my age (45), who are battling serious health problems.This has opened my eyes to the importance of taking care of myself. Being 40+ pounds overweight is simply not healthy. The second thing was stepping on a scale and seeing the numbers 250, a weight I swore to myself that I would never reach.

So now I'm full speed ahead - hitting the gym 6 days a week, eating right, using MFP religiously. I talk to a friend of mine who complains about being overweight. I say "Come to the gym with me! Let me show you my workout. Use MFP and look at my food diary! Eat what I'm eating. I guarantee you'll lose weight like I am!" But he lowers his eyes, looks away and says, "I dunno..." and I can see in him the same "screw it" attitude I had. He just isn't ready.

What does it take? What makes us flip that switch to commit to fighting? How do I convince my friend to get going - or is it even possible? And most importantly... how to I avoid turning my switch off? Because I NEVER want to go back.

4mydogs

To me it is no longer about beauty or "being skinny" it is about being healthy. I had a health scare and ended up in the hospital and had surgery at 45 years old for diverticulitus. I saw that my future would be more health issues if I didn't change my life. I hired a trainer 6 weeks post op and I have been hitting it ever since. Since changing to a whole foods diet I have started to feel better than I ever have as an adult. In additionm I have engagaed my friends and family as my support system and explained how important to me this is. Lastly I give myself a break mentally and not beat myself up over the past and what I should have done, I just focus on today and try to make good choices. I wasted too much time worrying about what I should have done or what I will look like in 6 months, instead I find inspiration in each day.