What gives you your motivation?

Pictures - I see pictures of myself and I can't believe how heavy I've gotten. I want to have happy memories of good times, but instead all I can focus on pictures is how heavy my thighs look, I can't believe I have a stomach roll and I wish I had thinner arms. Pictures are definitely one motivation for me.

My husband - my husband weighs about 50lbs less than me. I hate feeling like I'm so much bigger than him. He deserves to have a sexy and skinny wife. I deserve to be that.

Children - I just lost a pregnancy in January. We are going to start trying again in about a month and a half. Since my miscarriage I have gained 10lbs -5 of which I have lost. I want to try and get as healthy as possible for my next pregnancy so I don't have to have the fear of gaining too much weight or wondering if my unhealthy choices were what lost my pregnancy.

I think you just need to find your inner strength and determine if you want it. If you really want it, and I mean want it so bad you can taste and feel it, you will do it. You are worthy and you do deserve to be happy. Nothing will ever taste as good as being thin feels. Good luck.

I guess you have to start being accountable...not motivated

You have a good plan set in motion and it will take time....it took a long time to put weight on and it's going to take a long time to take it off...just know that

1) Keep groceries in the house
2) Premade chickens come in handy when you don't want to cook
3) Sandwiches, again, no cooking
4) Just do 20 minutes of exercise and build up from there
5) Stick with MFP and get a group for support system to hold you ACCOUNTABLE

Good luck, have a plan and stick with it

My motivation is the image in my head of myself at the lake this summer being happy and confident in a swimsuit! I was hoping to be in a bikini by the start of summer, but now I'm hoping by September I'll be able to wear one. :happy:

I also go out to eat a lot, and it is probably THE reason why I'm not losing very fast. I really don't like cooking, but I'm going to start doing it more anyway. So I can relate there! I noticed you said you were only going to go out once a month.. that sounds great, but it may be too intimidating at first for you to give it up almost entirely. As another poster said, work on slowly cutting it out. I know if I try to do something all at once (something difficult anyway) that I feel overwhelmed with trying to make such a drastic change that I end up giving in! But you may be one of the lucky ones who can handle the "cold turkey" approach better. (Just something to consider before you swear it off!) Whatever you do, just remember when you're having a hard time, you're not alone, and it's always good to come on MFP and talk to others! You can do it!!

I work at Wendy's on the weekends and I have not eaten out since I have started here I have eaten a piece of grilled chicken from my work twice i believe, but I always bring my own food and I can't help but thinking everytime somebody orders a triple baconator that sandwhich is my allowed calories for the day, just a few months ago I was were you are, and I told my mom I can't wait until I am serious about losing this wieght and on Feb 2nd a friend introduced me to this place. I came on here and it all changed, my first day I failed miserably, but my next and every day after that I have stuck with it and 35 days later I have lost 14 lbs.I found ways to tweek the foods i use to eat to healthier options. I love it, that is my motivation I feel better, I eat better, I look better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqKXCuCCN5M&feature=related

This video of this korean pop band. The girls are GORGEOUS and just LOOK at their figures.
Every time I go for a biscuit I think "I want that body- not this body" and put the biscuit down
Plus the song is cracking x

:happy: At first, my motivation was just to see if I could actually do it this time!

Now, what motivates me is how good I feel and how much energy I have!

Also, if I start thinking about overindulging I go and look at my 'before' pictures (there are some on my profile, if you want to check them out). I am NEVER going to look like that again!

Hang in there. It takes time but, as they say--anything worth doing, is worth doing right!:flowerforyou:

What motivates me is summer coming around the corner and wanting to play with my daughter at the beach and in the pool without being self-conscious. I also am trying to control my borderline diabetes. How I got started was that I picked a start date a month prior, so I could get mentally prepared. I had planned out what I was going to do so that when March 1st rolled around I was ready. I had to rid my fridge of all the things I liked--fat and carbs. I also made three simple rules that I had to live by if all else failed--1.)Water, water, water 2.)NO fast food at all 3.) No eating after 6PM. I also keep telling myself that if I slip up I just need to get back on track. Believe me, I've only been at it for a week, but I've lost 6lb and that is motivation enough. Sometimes it just has to click in your head that this is the time to take back control. My time is now and I'm not stopping until I'm back in my size 8 jeans comfortably! Good luck.

my motivations:

1) I have a friend that lives on the beach. When I went to visit her last year I think I was the only person in a one piece (I was not the only one that should be in a one piece though). I want to be able to go visit her and not feel like I stick out like a sore thumb.

2) Online window shopping. I am a member in a bunch of sample sale websites where they have great deal on designer clothes and acessories. I love the clothes but know I am not going to spend money on clothes like that until I am more in shape.

3) My friends and family. I have a sister and a friend that both are in great healthy shape and run marthons, do centrury bike rides, and half triatholons and I would like to be able to do that with them some day. I also have a couple friends that have lost over 100lb and 60lbs and they motivate me to keep at it.

4) My personal trainer. She keeps me accountable for what I am doing and I know I am spending money to see her twice a week and it would be a waste if I didn't keep going.

I still eat out almost every night for dinner since I am on limited time. I get on a bus to work at 6am and don't get off the bus from work until 6:20 pm and stop and have a quick dinner then head to the gym with a training session at 7pm 2 nights a week. So I tend to only have 2-3 hours awake at home during the week. I now plan where I am going to eat and before I leave work each day I check the nutrition for each food. I might stop and get a salad at McAllisters Deli now instead of a whooper with cheese. As long as you are making the right decision when you do eat out that is what matter. You might want to check out "Eat This Not That" book which would suprise you on what is actually better to eat when out.