I know what you mean about Un-eff your habitat - what a fabulous site. I am highly motivated by other people, so reading others' success stories is very inspiring. I'm also motivated by my friends who are on the same path as I am, I'd hate to see everyone else tone up, lean up, look great, while I'd be left in the dust. So - a bit of negative motivation I suppose?

On the positive motivation side I love looking good in clothes and not having to suck in my stomach and shift to look less fat. I miss the confidence of really liking my body. I also have a bit of a crush on my personal trainer, which is very motivating Also - photos - they are a huge reality check and I'd love to take a picture I don't cringe about again.

Ah, the urge to snack. I try to deal with it by waiting a bit, and then drinking a glass of water. If that doesn't work, I have a dill pickle or two. Often, though, I find that if I don't snack, the urge goes away after 15 or 20 minutes. I'll sometimes also convince myself not to snack by asking myself what I would cut out of my dinner in exchange for having a snack now. And sometimes, I'll have a more substantial snack.

Celeigh12 makes a great point about commitment. I've decided to change the bad habits that had led me to slowly gain weight, and to commit to a different sense of who I am, in that aspect of my life. But I do occasionally need some motivation. Usually it involves thinking about what the future offers if I continue on this path (or, contrariwise, what it looks like if I go back to my old habits).

I've got a number of reasons to lose weight, but what motivates me on a day-to-day level is becoming a faster cyclist. I ride in hilly terrain, and I know that I'll go uphill a lot faster if I weigh less. I like going on long rides and tours, and I plan to get into the sport of randonneuring, which involves long rides (200+ km) done within a time limit that's pegged to the distance. I should add that cycling is fun for me; I enjoy doing it. Where I need motivation is to do the interval training that will make me a stronger, faster cyclist; intervals aren't fun, but they do help me improve.

I'd also like to get back into running, but at my current weight it's too hard on my knees. I think back to when I was lean, a couple decades ago, and imagine what it will be like to be like that again. That's motivating too.

And the scale is motivating, especially since I read "The Hacker's Diet" and discovered the exponentially weighted average, which is a way of smoothing out the daily fluctuations that can otherwise be depressing. Even if I weigh 2 lbs. more one morning than I did the previous morning, it's OK as long as the reading is still below the weighted average.

I don't find music particularly motivating, though in the dead of winter, when I'm exercising on rollers in the basement, it's necessary to avoid complete boredom. I usually do hard workouts alone. I cycle with my wife, but we're unevenly matched, so a moderate workout for her is active recovery for me. We do a lot of rides together, though, because it's fun.

Good luck getting off the plateau!

Injuries are tough. Get well soon!

I've had a cold for a couple of weeks, and I had to cut back dramatically on my cycling. However, I've continued to count calories and to lose weight. It is hard eating less, but it can be done.

Have you figured out how to limit the urge to snack? If so, the rest of us would like to know your weird trick. :-)