What do you use for motivation

I am really struggling now after losing 17 pounds I feel like where I want to be is so far away after working so hard already.

What motivates you?

Replies

  • Beating Craig :-)
  • jonesin_am
    jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
    Make smaller goals (or stepping stones, as I call them) to get you to your big goal. That way you have small achievments/celeratiosn along the way. Some of mine are scale related, some are inches related, and some are fitness related. One thing that works for some friends of mine is to put a $1 into a jar everytime they work out, or for every pound they lose...then after a certain amount or a certain time frame they can take that money to go buy something such as new clothing or a fitness gadget.
  • _kannnd
    _kannnd Posts: 247 Member
    The Fitocracy app/site gives me a lot of motivation. You get points for every workout you do and you level up with your friends. I'm always pushing myself to get just a little more.

    I go in small 5lb goal increments. They are easier to hit. I get myself some shoes or something as a reward for doing it. But I do have to maintain the 5lb loss for a few days before it is counted.

    The other motivation I have is a small sized two piece swimsuit hanging in my bathroom. I bought it at the end of last summer as motivation to lose the rest of this. I'm getting there...slowly but it's happening!
  • kelfer80
    kelfer80 Posts: 78 Member
    Someone once said that there was NO way she could see herself losing 100lbs, but -5 lbs 20 times was doable!!
  • Trueray
    Trueray Posts: 1,189 Member
    Seeing the changes that people are making on this website is more than enough motivation for me. Love ya'll :)
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    i find if i do it first thing in the morning, then it is done,,,, i cannot put it off.
  • I have a picture on my wall, IT when i was happy with my body and its right where i have no choice but to look at it, Thats my major motivation plus ive managed to get my friend involved jogging even tho she kept telling me! but its worked and motivates us both!
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    The mirror motivates me. That's all.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    I have a really weird motivation. There are only two things that are going to happen to us in life. We will get older and we will die (oh, and taxes will happen). Unless I die permaturely I AM GOING TO GET OLD! My motivation is the fact that I can choose, for the most part, how I want to get old. Do I want to get old stay fat risk getting diabetes, stroke, debility and end up in a nursing home having to get my diaper changed at 70? OR do I want to be a vibrant active 70 year old who can take care of herself who is healthy and knows that if I fall I'm not going to break a hip.

    Getting older and my blink of an eye life is what I'm using for motivation.
  • Danger2OneSelf
    Danger2OneSelf Posts: 883 Member
    My sexy lady friends on MFP!!
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
    I have the photo of me at my heaviest weight and my determination to never go back to that girl keeps me going.

    some buy a favorite outfit in their goal size and hang it on there wall that motivates them to lose those pounds.
  • _crafty_
    _crafty_ Posts: 1,682 Member
    looking good naked has it's benefits
  • _AllieCat_
    _AllieCat_ Posts: 515 Member
    I'm motivated by many things.

    Looking hot naked
    Being as healthy as possible
    Being stronger than any woman I know
    Having a higher quality of life
    Being the best version of me
  • Trueray
    Trueray Posts: 1,189 Member
    My sexy lady friends on MFP!!

    LOL Bro!
  • diodelcibo
    diodelcibo Posts: 2,564 Member
    Myself.
  • loved1
    loved1 Posts: 206 Member
    I joined the Healthy Wage 10% challenge. I lose money if I don't lose weight. My greatest motivator (honestly) is wearing and looking nice in my smaller clothing & almost a tie is my health.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I come here and a few other places and look at the before and after pictures.

    I think about the times when I was in better shape and felt better about myself. I see how much accomplished and focuesed I was and I use that.

    I see how my performance in sports has been effected by being out of shape and that really motivates me to do more and be better.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    I set small goals for myself. Its easier to reach than the larger numbers and less frustrating. Make a goal of 5lbs and say to yourself when I reach that goal I'm going to do xyz or get myself xyz. Reward yourself but not with food. Celebrate small goals.
  • I find callenging myself motivates me. Right now I'm working on burning 3500 calories in one week. I also challenge myself to stay off the scale. Currently I only weigh in every two weeks. So It's always a challenge to see what difference I can make to my body in two weeks. I also do my inches because if the scale doesn't budge I need to see some change and they say you lose inches faster than pounds! Another thing I do is I have two jars on my fridge. One says pound lost another says pounds to lose. It's a visual reminder of how many I need to lose and how many I have lost. It's a great feeling to move over my marbles into the pounds lost jar and see it grow! Overall the thing I'm learning the most is that if you really want something you have to work hard to get it. You have to take it one day at a time and keep going. Don't look back, just look forward and before you know it you will be where you want to be. Just don't quit on yourself because regret is an ugly feeling and trust me I've been there before and I'm not going there this time!
  • daj150
    daj150 Posts: 815 Member
    I have so many things to motivate me right now, that I don't really seem to run out of things to focus on...here are a few for me:

    1. My pants are starting to fit again
    2. I have knee problems, so I am getting ready to start P90X which will help with my leg strength and overall fitness to avoid future injuries
    3. Psyched about my event schedule (tri's and half marathons)
    4. Love getting compliments from the wife ;-)
    5. I feel better about myself the more I progress
    6. I remind myself of the last time I got sick...I can now count in years :-D
    7. And the list goes on....

    Good luck in finding your motivation...try and find more than 1 so you can flop to the other if you can't seem to focus on one
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
    Signing up for 5ks and seeing my improvement. I have the dirty girl mud run in August and I want to make it the whole way through and be a fantastic support system for my sister and sister-in-law who will be running it with me. My other motivation is my family because obesity is a problem in our family and it's starting to affect my 6 yr old nephew's health. I want to be a positive role model for them to become healthy for him.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    Mini goals. My next goal is to get under 260. After that, it'll be 255 (because I'll be well on the downslide), then 251 (because that'll be 125 pounds lost), then 245 (because I want to be at 145, and that'll be 100 pounds away).
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
    I have done two 5k's
    Signing up for 5ks and seeing my improvement. I have the dirty girl mud run in August and I want to make it the whole way through and be a fantastic support system for my sister and sister-in-law who will be running it with me. My other motivation is my family because obesity is a problem in our family and it's starting to affect my 6 yr old nephew's health. I want to be a positive role model for them to become healthy for him.
  • Christizzzle
    Christizzzle Posts: 454 Member
    What motivates me is friendly competition! That is why I love this site. I can push myself to do at least one percent better than the last person. And then two percent and so on...
  • kloco
    kloco Posts: 85 Member
    1. Really really good techno/dance music to exercise to
    2. Inspirational quotes as my background and lock screen on my phone. Right now my background says "One Pound at a time".
  • Gypsum74
    Gypsum74 Posts: 21 Member
    I think you should look at your profile picture about looking back! You've come so far already! I'm about 9lbs into a weightloss that seems sometimes like a mountain to climb - But I look on here and read the success stories - no magic wands, just a lot of people that have worked Really hard to achieve amazing things and it inspires me to carry on chipping away.
    Just think what you'll have achieved in another 3,6,12 months. I wish you all the best in the world moving forwards with your goals.
  • 10kaday
    10kaday Posts: 177
    I've lowered my cholesteral levels so I want to maintain that as well as hopefully never seeing other diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Last, I love wearing tight shirts and they look and feel good on me. :D I used to always wear baggy shirts to hid the fat. No longer need to do that. It's awesome!
  • JennKie1
    JennKie1 Posts: 200 Member
    My "before" photos - they made me cry the first time I saw them.
  • sweetNsassy2584
    sweetNsassy2584 Posts: 515 Member
    I look back at the progress I have made this far and a lot of my MFP friends keep me motivated.
  • MFP Success Stories, vacationing in warm weather, hot women at my gym, not-so-hot women at my gym, trying to not let my boyfriend get in shape faster than me, looking good naked, getting older.