Share your secret to dedication!

Something typically motivates people to start, but once you start and develop habits you really make it a part of your life and not just some diet thing.

The secret to dedication--actually, I have two: 1. MFP. Seriously, this place keeps me in line. 2. My workout time is pretty much the only time I have to myself, ever. Now that I've claimed it, no way I'm giving it up!

I do exercises that I enjoy -- I would never be able to stick with it if I had to go on the elliptical for an hour a day. I do variety of workouts that I think are fun and enjoyable. Now, on days I don't work out, I feel all grumpy and nasty. I never make myself do exercises that I don't enjoy or eat foods that I don't like to eat... though some days are still a struggle, at least I'm enjoying myself (for the most part) while on this journey.

You just have to decide that it's time to take care of what's important to you. I've been so "on again/off again" for years, but this is the first time I've really said that it's time to quit quitting and driving others crazy with whining. On FB, for so long, I've started a new way to lose weight so often that I know others got tired of hearing it. Then my husband listened to me whine so much because I felt horrible from the weight. I self-medicated with food over every little emotion (boredom, anxiety, depression, etc.) My mind would drive me crazy with the struggle of deciding which "way" to lose weight because everywhere you turn, there are so many ways" to do it and all of them pretty much contradict each other.

I finally decided it was time to find a way I could eat "normally", to be able to eat how I would eat after dropping the pounds, and keep it off. I knew I couldn't swear off carbs forever. I don't eat terribly anyway, just ate way too much.

It's never an easy day and it's constantly planning on every meal. I can't spontaneously eat so well because then I'm backed in a corner I don't want to be in. It's truly a lifestyle change. I have to constantly give myself pep talks and be there for myself because I've discovered, friends and family are fine, but after a while they get annoyed and often negative and they really aren't the most reliable support. So many friends use the "it's only one time" when trying to get me to cave on cravings. If I cave every time I hear that, I'm worse than before I started.

You just have to be your best friend on this and keep yourself focused. Plus, there are lots of people in the MFP world who seem to be great support! Know that if you do hang in there, you will feel so good in so many ways. You can either chose a path of regret or a path of accomplishment. :-)

For me, it's goals that have nothing to do with the scale or clothes or how I look.

At first, it was being able to run a 5k, so I started C25K. I wanted to run with my brother and my niece and not have them wait forever at the finish line, and later, do Warrior Dash with them and be able to keep up with them. Then realizing that one of the races I did was the first of a Triple Crown, so I wanted to do the other two, which were longer distances. So being able to run a 5k was no longer enough... I needed to be able to run a 10k.

But in the beginning, having a program where I could track my progress ("Woo! I can run a whole mile!" Then "Woo! I can run TWO miles!" etc.) kept me going. When I didn't see changes in the mirror, when I the scale wasn't budging, when my clothes still fit the same, I knew I was becoming a stronger, healthier person. And having lost both my parents to heart and lung problems, this was important to me.

Eventually, the fitness bug caught hold of me, and running is now a habit. It's something I do for fun and relaxation, not just a means of burning calories. (Although being able to eat like a vortex of vultures is nice!)*

From there, I moved on to lifting weights, because I was awestruck at the progress made by the lovely ladies of MFP who lift. I'm just starting a program with that (stronglifts 5x5) so I can chart my progress like I did my running.

It's not about my weight or my pants size or anything like that. If it were, I would have quit a month into it. I was never that upset about my size. It's about my health and longevity. I want to be around a long-*kitten* time and I want to feel great for that long-*kitten* time. So I had to make eating right and getting regular exercise just as much a part of my daily routine and maintenance as showering and brushing my teeth. It's NOT an option.



*Yes, I did google what a group of vultures is called, and they can be called a cast, committee, meal, vortex, venue or a wake. A flying circle of vultures is a kettle. I like the alliteration of a "vortex of vultures" best.

I had plateaued and failed by eating too FEW calories...I've done a ton of research and now have moved back into losing. I have tried every diet out there but found that anything too restrictive would only last short term for me.

what works now? I have calculated my TDEE at the sedentary rate. that gives me 1641 calories per day to maintain. I've reduced that by 15% and have set MFP to 1400 calories per day NET.

I love to eat, and am a huge 'snacker' so I am motivated to exercise everyday so I can eat each and every one of those exercise calories back!! this includes my daily chocolate addiction!

I found exercise that I enjoy like a bootcamp group (not very motivated when Im on my own) and started the C25k a few months ago. I just ran 5kms for the first time today! I couldn't even run 10 feet without dying when I started! I was psyched to see progression every day and it kept me motivated...I couldn't believe I was becoming a runner!!

Eating more has kept my loss steady, I don't deprive myself of anything but I make smarter choices for the simple fact that I want to eat more, and now I prefer those foods for so many reasons.

Check that you're not under eating, set a calorie goal that's reasonable for you to manage on a daily basis and don't expect a quick fix. trust the process and it will happen. it took me years of trial and error to get to this place and you can too!!

Train insane or remain the same
No excuses
Sugar doesnt make you fat, you do
Discipline
Planning
Dedication

Amen

Always forward....never backwards!!! Something I always recite to myself "everyday"

A lot of the strategies I use have been mentioned, so I'll just repeat something powerful that I read in a forum post:

Time is going to pass no matter what. Next week, next month, next year will come. You can choose to remain the same and feel just as miserable then, or do something about it now and every day so that you don't.

I started because I hated who I was, I am continuing because I like who I am and losing this weight makes all the little things in life easier. Even the simple things like walking or climbing stairs. :happy:

A year ago I wore size 20 jeans and 2x shirts, now I wear size 8 jeans and s/m shirts...that's what keeps me dedicated. I kept my largest shirt and pair of pants....they are hanging in my closet, when I feel like I'm slipping I go and look at them, and it snaps me back.

I wake up to my poster every morning.

"Eat like ****. Feel like ****. Look like ****."

My son is my dedication. I can't expect him to eat healthy and do right by his body while I'm sitting on my butt eating fast food.

Bump for later

You have to tell yourself that you have the inner drive and determination to do this. No one can do it for you. No one can motivate you into doing it. It's not even enough that you want to do it. You just have to do it.
And when I don't feel like doing it (which sometimes I don't) I just tell myself "suck it up, cupcake!" and do it anyway.

I spent years telling myself how sick and tired I was of always being overweight. Finally this is what clicked for me... "all hard work brings a profit, mere talk leads only to _______________ (fattiness). I had spent so much time talking about what I was going to do that it was time for me to do something. NO ONE ELSE WAS GOING TO DO IT FOR ME. I had to realize this was a long process and just take one day at a time. Eat right, exercise today...check. Next.... do it all over again tomorrow. Not focusing on the end but on the steps... Focus on the activity not the results.... Do it EVEN when you just don't want to.

I have always struggled with my weight. I am one of three girls and growing up I was always the large sister. What I never understood was how I could be the athlete of the family, workout 24/7, and still be 4 to 6 sizes larger than my sisters. It has taken many years for me to realize the only way to be happy with who I am is to get my butt in the gym, find something that interests me, and to change my eating habits. Prior to deciding to change my life and my ways, I wrote down three reasons why I would begin losing weight and getting more fit.
1) I never wanted to weigh more than 200 lbs
2) I did not want to be considered obese
3) I did not want to get diabetes
When I realized I hit two of the three reasons as to why I did not want to live the way I was living, I realized I needed to do something about it. I never talked to anyone about my weight, what I was thinking, and why I was so discouraged until last year. About eight months ago my best friend came to me and asked me to participate in a half marathon with her. After struggling to run a mile, I decided to call her up and commit to running the half marathon. Four months after I made that commitment I ran my first half marathon and realized not only was I able to run one mile, I was able to run 13.1 miles. After the half marathon I began comparing my before and after pictures and saw a transformation in who I was. For the first time in six months I chose to get on a scale and realized my weight was still up there.
It has been four months since I ran my first half marathon and although the last four months have not been easy, they have helped me to transform my lifestyle, eating habits, and helped me to learn about the person I truly am. I recently decided to change my approach and instead of setting a weight goal, I chose to set a goal of cutting out wheat, dairy, sugar, and alcohol. I recently began a weight loss challenge and told my self to not become consumed in the number on the scale but to become consumed in the person I am becoming and wish to become. I am happier than ever and can honestly say my motivation stems from my willpower and strength to become a healthy individual. With this motivation comes the ability to transform my body from an overweight individual to a more tone and happy individual.