What keeps you going?

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2

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  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    If I cant grow and change and work toward something, and meet my milestones and record my history as I go... then I have nothing and I will dissappear and I will have never meant anything except a wasted existence, thrown away out of laziness and apathy, when so many people would do anything in the world to have what little I have.

    Will power, opportunity, all my working parts and passion.
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    I'm up at just after 3:00 am every day. I found that it's they only time I can consistently make time for the gym. If I put if off till after work, one of the kids, or my wife, or my work...or something, will find a way of interfering at least twice a week.
    I wake up thinking, "This is my only chance. Now is the time, because later is just too dam unreliable."

    From a practical point of view, I get up every day that early because it's the only way to stay in a the right sleep cycle. Taking off Wednesday would make Thursday feel like Monday, again. If that makes any sense.

    Nice! That is awesome!
  • Tdk4685
    Tdk4685 Posts: 293 Member
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    I work out after work every day, except weekends. I don't have enough time or energy in the morning to work out and I don't want to wake up earlier to do so. Working out in the evenings works best for my schedule. Try a different time of day and see if it helps.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
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    Yeah, that fear of getting overweight again is big for me. How long have you been a morning exerciser? It never becomes pleasant, but after 6 years, I generally do wake up before the alarm and manage to get myself out of bed... But I also found over time that mixing things up is a great motivator. I have a ton of DVDs that I rotate. And, get out of the house once in a while -- specifically, if you can get to a class or find a workout buddy, even once a week, it helps so much!! I am not a runner, but just ran a 1/2 marathon due to encouragement and inspiration from a team. If Insanity isn't doing it for you, there are so many other wonderful calorie burns out there, both cardio and strength!! Keep up your great work, either way! (But take a day off here or there if you need it, too!)
  • phillieschic
    phillieschic Posts: 615
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    My size 6 jeans.
  • Rosa1213
    Rosa1213 Posts: 456 Member
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    Two things keep me going: results and not wanting to be overweight again.
    I'll look at myself in the mirror and think: "Look at how far you've come." And I look at old pictures and think: "Do you want to look like that again? Didn't think so."
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    If I cant grow and change and work toward something, and meet my milestones and record my history as I go... then I have nothing and I will dissappear and I will have never meant anything except a wasted existence, thrown away out of laziness and apathy, when so many people would do anything in the world to have what little I have.

    Will power, opportunity, all my working parts and passion.

    That is awesome girl! And you are such an inspiration yourself!
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    Truthfully...... the fact that I know every single summer I end up going somewhere that has a beach. I like being a "spider monkey" in the kitchen and climbing on things to get to the top shelf. I love my size 0 and XS clothes, and its too expensive to replace them with bigger sizes. I LOVE the look on the faces of guys in the gym when I outdo them.

    MFP and the people on here keep me going.
  • slackerwoman
    slackerwoman Posts: 261 Member
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    Being able to eat dessert and not feel like a failure because I know I worked for it.
  • sgaranzuay
    sgaranzuay Posts: 34 Member
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    Great question - all too common when you're in the throws of a weight loss routine! I also wake up early to work out before my 1 hour commute! :-( It's really hard some days, and honestly, some days I skip the AM and simply work out in the evening (losing time with the kids). But, I think what keeps me motivated are a series of small goals. I have a really hard time keeping motivated DAILY for a goal that takes weeks or moths to hit. So.....

    I make a series of small goals for each week. Such as:

    - Work out (cardio) 5 times this week
    - Lift 2 times this week
    - Stay on my meal plan for 3 days in a row, 6 days out of every week
    - Make it through the morning
    - Make it through the afternoon!
    - Make it ONE MORE NIGHT without "discovering": the Oreos in the pantry and devouring them all!
    - Find one hour (just one...more is great, but one is mandatory for me) to just sit and relax with no cell phone, no computer, no iPad, no TV, no Kids, etc. One hour of time for me to jut breathe and focus on whatever remains for the week.

    Then, we I hit these goals, I allow myself to have a free day (actually a free meal, maybe two). The free day also serves to "trick" your body and metabolism - keep it guessing and on high alert - thereby facilitating easier and more consistent weight loss.

    Lastly - I stay involved with this site and the wonderful people I've met here. We're all on our own personal weight loss journey - but we're ALL SIMILAR in our desire to be healthy and lose weight. I love this site - the other people in my life are generally, but not practically, supportive of my weight loss. Last weekend was my Mom's birthday - someone decided on Fogo De Chao. (Brazilian Steakhouse). Really? Seriously? More than one family member showed their support by offering me cake - 5 different times. So, I turn to the people on this site for encouragement, solidarity, and support. :-)

    Hope this helps,

    //Severin
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    If your husband gets upset about not being able to spend one hour a day with you, then dedicate that hour to being "Ball-punch O'Clock"

    He'll be ok with you going to the gym after a few days
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    Yeah, that fear of getting overweight again is big for me. How long have you been a morning exerciser? It never becomes pleasant, but after 6 years, I generally do wake up before the alarm and manage to get myself out of bed... But I also found over time that mixing things up is a great motivator. I have a ton of DVDs that I rotate. And, get out of the house once in a while -- specifically, if you can get to a class or find a workout buddy, even once a week, it helps so much!! I am not a runner, but just ran a 1/2 marathon due to encouragement and inspiration from a team. If Insanity isn't doing it for you, there are so many other wonderful calorie burns out there, both cardio and strength!! Keep up your great work, either way! (But take a day off here or there if you need it, too!)

    Marathon runners are such an inspirationt o me, I lost all my weight from running! And I love it, Insanity is somethign different for me and I plan to incorporate it late after I finish into my weekly workouts!
  • vikingchix
    vikingchix Posts: 105 Member
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    I have a vision in my head of what I want to be and how I want to feel.....when I want to stop.....I remember that "picture" and tell myself that each step, peddle, mile, is bringing me ever so much closer and closer to that goal!

    I know it sounds crazy, but when I am out on my bike, and I am hot and tired and want to stop.....I make up silly things....."smaller jeans are just around THAT corner," "thinner legs at the top of THAT hill," "perky butt at the end of ONE MORE mile,"......LOL.....It's crazy I know...but for me....it works!
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    Truthfully...... the fact that I know every single summer I end up going somewhere that has a beach. I like being a "spider monkey" in the kitchen and climbing on things to get to the top shelf. I love my size 0 and XS clothes, and its too expensive to replace them with bigger sizes. I LOVE the look on the faces of guys in the gym when I outdo them.

    MFP and the people on here keep me going.

    I live on the beach. That should be my inspiration but I have grown very tired of sand... It may sound weird but I have! haha I and I love the fact that I am smaller than I was when I got married!
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
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    Being able to eat dessert and not feel like a failure because I know I worked for it.


    MMMM, I love Dairy Queen!
  • mariposa224
    mariposa224 Posts: 1,269 Member
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    Honestly, for the first month or more of doing it, it was mostly sheer determination. I started seeing results, that helped. Now I'm at my goal weight and want to continue working to make my muscles stronger and to get myself into better shape. I want to look the way I look now, or even better. That keeps me going. It's not easy to get up at 5AM, at least not in my head and I have to fight with myself a lot, even now, almost 6 months after starting, just not nearly as often as I did at the start. Just keep pushing yourself. If you choose something else over Insanity, that's cool. There are a lot of short workouts that are great out there. But I highly recommend continuing the AM workouts... I like it because my workout is all ready done by the time I get to work and I have my evenings free for other things.
  • addaline22
    addaline22 Posts: 114
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    I dont give myself a choice. I have 15 min to myself in the am and that is when I breathe, and center and make the coffee. then I have the kiddo to get up and ready for school and fed, and the dog, and then the mile and ahalf walk to school with both, and then back. by 9 am I have logged half a pot of coffee, half my water for the day and 3 miles. That makes me know I can do anything else the rest of the day, and that I have the power to keep going.
  • cindybowcut
    cindybowcut Posts: 250 Member
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    I too have those mornings that I don't want to exercise. In fact this morning I was fully dressed and sitting on the couch ready to start my video and thought I am tired I should go back to bed. But I told myself that since I was ready to go that I should just do it. I know for myself that if I wanted until evening I wouldn't do it. By the time I get home from work I am just too tired. My motivation comes from being diabetic and knowing that if I don't keep up what I have started I will be back on my medication. Right now I have a clean bill of health and don't want go back to what I was before. My other motivation is my before pictures. That will never be me again.
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
    Options
    I have a vision in my head of what I want to be and how I want to feel.....when I want to stop.....I remember that "picture" and tell myself that each step, peddle, mile, is bringing me ever so much closer and closer to that goal!

    I know it sounds crazy, but when I am out on my bike, and I am hot and tired and want to stop.....I make up silly things....."smaller jeans are just around THAT corner," "thinner legs at the top of THAT hill," "perky butt at the end of ONE MORE mile,"......LOL.....It's crazy I know...but for me....it works!

    Perky butt, love it!
  • LesleeBeAlive
    LesleeBeAlive Posts: 504
    Options
    Honestly, for the first month or more of doing it, it was mostly sheer determination. I started seeing results, that helped. Now I'm at my goal weight and want to continue working to make my muscles stronger and to get myself into better shape. I want to look the way I look now, or even better. That keeps me going. It's not easy to get up at 5AM, at least not in my head and I have to fight with myself a lot, even now, almost 6 months after starting, just not nearly as often as I did at the start. Just keep pushing yourself. If you choose something else over Insanity, that's cool. There are a lit of short workouts that are great out there. But I highly recommend continuing the AM workouts... I like it because my workout is all ready done by the time I get to work and I have my evenings free for other things.

    That is what I love aswell, knowing I have finished it and don't have to do it after work!

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