I need motivation

Hi Katie, I recognize some of those similarities in myself - sounds like you have done a great job getting down to 145 and I understand that you're terrified about gaining weight back. Here are some small suggestions I have for you, and feel free ot add me as a friend.

* Log your snacks that you're eating with your friends as you are eating them - better yet get your friends hooked on using MFP and work together to make healthier snacks when you guys are hanging out. I know this sounds lame but a group of my friends have adopted this and we have been pretty successful. Talk openly about your goals...once you have said "I don't want to gain weight back" I think ppl will respect that and will maybe be more concious of not having the cookies and snacks around openly? Also, you say that you "can't stop" I get this but just remember that you CAN. Just distract yourself. Start talking about weight loss/working out when you're doing it and it will deter you. I dunno there are lots of strategies I use. but those are some.

* I regularly look at pictures of myself before I lost some of the weight, and from before when I weighed in the low 120s - I too got close to the 180 mark this year and am now down to about 145. But constantly looking at pictures and reminding myself of how far I've come keeps me motivated.

*If you use pinterest, pin lots to a motivational work out board.

* If you find you're lacking motivation to go to the gym and be consistent and really work hard once you're there JOIN A CLASS ...I have always gone to the gym but this past summer was finding myself really unmotivated to be consistent and to really kill it when I was there..since I have joined a bootcamp class 3 nights a week it has totally re ignited the fire and I'm back to being totally into working out and now go 5-7 times per week.

Friends/bf is the biggest problem for me as well. I do great at the grocery store and making my own meals, but if someone is offering my food/alcohol it's so difficult to say no. This is why I finally gave in and started tracking. It's only been a couple days but so far kind of eye-opening.

As for the gym, have you considered taking any fitness classes? They may not be super "hardcore" but they're a great way to get moving, get your stamina up, and most importantly HAVE FUN! Now I go to the gym pretty much everyday. I know it's not the most effective way to lose weight but it has become one of my favourite hobbies since I started as a new years resolution.

All the best, and keep your head up!

Hello Katie, My name is Nicole and I so know how you feel! I just started here on MFP as per my doctor's suggestion for an easier way to keep track and I am terrible at sticking to this kind of stuff. That being said, I have been working out with a personal trainer for two years now and have gone down from 318lbs to 240lbs and still going down. It is the only thing that works for me, is being truly accountable to someone, even if I pay that person. Now I understand that isn't possible for everyone and I don't actually recommend using friend as a person to be accountable too, you might not have a good friendship in the end, especially if you start to avoid the person you made your commitments too. But find someone, even a friend on here to be accountable to, I guess I think of this more in terms of addiction...the first step is admitting you have a problem...being honest with someone about where you are truly at keeps you motivated to stay true to your goals!

Also, this takes way more time than anyone actually admits too! I went in wanting to lose my weight within a year...I was an idiot...thankfully my trainer humored me at the beginning to keep me going, and then made me see the reality of what I was committing too. I am grateful she exists everyday!

I just got out of having my gallbladder removed on Thursday so I am in laid up mode for the next four weeks, but I am still gonna be tracking myself, and somehow finding a way to stay active...even if its just simple walks. Don't commit to trying to workout 4 or 5 days a week, commit to just doing something...anything active each day, you'll be far more successful than you could ever imagine.

Hi, I literally just joined MFP yesterday. I have been trying to loose weight since I had my 2nd baby back in May. It seemed like nothing I did helped, but I think this website will help. I get encouraged when I record my exercise in the diary and see that it gives me "extra" calories. Like I'll eat breakfast, record it, see that I have so many calories left for the day, then do some exercise and suddenly I have more calories left! lol. I have been working the last few days to try and get any kind of exercise in. I do some at home in front of the tv, walking in place, lifting my knees high, stretching etc. I have a 4 year old and 9 month old so I have to do a lot at home and do it after they go to bed. During the day sometimes I will get exercise in by just walking around the mall, a store, or if it's nice the walking path near by. Walking is excellent exercise. What I'm saying though is that you can do exercise anywhere, I barely wold have motivation to go to the gym, it requires driving too and from and I don't enjoy driving. Also if you look at it as exercise cancelling out some of the bad stuff you eat it doesn't seem so bad.

I had Coldstone Creamery ice cream yesterday which even for the "Love it" size cup (fairly small) it was about 720 calories, but I made myself exercise later by dancing around with my kids, just turning music on and dancing and burned some good calories and ended up with my net calories being slightly less than what I was allowed to eat. I get tired a lot because of the kids, but I find if I even start with stretches while watching a good show then I progress into a more active type of exercise. I starting to get into a routine finally making sure I get some kind of exercise in everyday. I saw myself in the lighting of a dressing room in a store the other day as I tried on clothes and I got disgusted. I am sad because I was looking wonderful and in the best shape of my life right before getting pregnant with my 2nd baby. I was 115lbs and even at 4'10" I looked awesome with an almost flat stomach and I even had a csection. Now after my 2nd baby, she's 9 months old now and I am at 144lbs when I weighed myself yesterday. That is right about the weight I was when I was 9 months pregnant with her so I feel pretty awful being that size, though I may not look it, I know what I weigh and what I used to. I was a 5/6 and up to a 9 now. So I guess my motivation is I want to look great again, if I can after a csection I can after having a baby the natural way, it just takes time.

Sorry this is so long but I do know how you feel. You can add me if you like

I suggest getting a Fit bit, one that you can wear around the belt of your pants. They monitor and track every step you take, let you know how many calories you burn from walking, and challenge you to do more. I have been on/off MFP for a while now, now I am doing it more seriously. Keep yourself focused, and keep your eye on the prize, looking good in your bathing suit..

Getting back to the Fitbit, it has really motivated me to walk more and burn more daily. i got this Fitbit last week, and have lost 5 lbs just by using it to help me track calories burnt and taken in. It is okay to splurge once a week, just decide to exercise and walk to burn off the cookies and chocolate.

Don't give up, the prize is just ahead of you. Keep striving to move more.

Chiefsfan