How do I get my motivation back??!!!

I need help!! How do I get my motivation to lose weight back? I was doing so well with MFP. Managed to lose 40 lbs but I have so much more to lose. I have a hectic schedule that includes work, school and three toddlers. Stress, stress and more stress! I'm alway so tired and keep putting off my workouts. I'll do it tomorrow, that seems to be my new norm. I"ve managed to gain some weight back but I don't want all my hard work to go down the drain. I can now admit that I have a food addiction, especially to sweets. And it seems that I've turned into an emotional eater. Man how do I start over? Where do I start? What do I eat and how much? Sigh..................HELP!!!!!
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Replies

  • TNoire
    TNoire Posts: 642 Member
    write down the pros and cons of losing weight and getting healthy
    post it on your fridge, you get discouraged read it memorize it
    get rid of all the junk in your house and fill it with nothing but healthy meals
    i can understand it being tough but you always need to take time for you
    sometimes we gotta knock things off our plate to make room for those things that matter
    you can do it !!
  • I lost my motivation for a while, and I actually started back with exercising today.

    I guess the one thing that truly helps me is thinking about the reward at the end of all of this - being healthy while also looking pretty damn good.

    Also bathing suit season is coming up, and I keep on thinking about how I would want my first two piece to look.
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    Fake it until you make it. Not doing is not an option.
  • shanaya37
    shanaya37 Posts: 49 Member
    I find that if I don't have those sweet treats in my house I don't miss them but if they are there I will eat them so I make sure I don't have them available. I like cheez whiz and celery and it is way better than candy or ice cream etc in my opinion.
  • judithanne013
    judithanne013 Posts: 21 Member
    Motivation is exactly what I need at this time. I just keep flitting from one site to another. Many just seem to have way to much information so I become exhausted looking for what I want to find. I work full time and am a college senior so I seem to always be trying to get things done. I just don't seem to have enough me time but really do not want to gain any more. But I will find the motivation and with the nice weather I will be getting out to walk.
  • cpudoc64
    cpudoc64 Posts: 135
    Fake it until you make it. Not doing is not an option.

    Oh, that saying....Makes me want to scream ! ARRGGH

    I think its about setting goals for yourself, learning what works for you and what doesn't. An understanding that this takes time and patience but with all that, you'll get there.
  • niqua215
    niqua215 Posts: 283 Member
    Thanks everyone. I've started on my grocery list and cut out the sugar and processed foods from the list. I've also decided to start on the 30 day shred tomorrow rather than Monday. And I'm going to buy an outfit a couple sizes down and hang it on my closet door as added motivation.
  • TNoire
    TNoire Posts: 642 Member
    need more motivation, this shows you anything is possible

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448
  • niqua215
    niqua215 Posts: 283 Member
    need more motivation, this shows you anything is possible

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448

    Saw this video on Facebook. That's awesome!
  • roote13
    roote13 Posts: 8 Member
    I had been doing so well last year. I was down 37 pounds. The several changes happened with work and schedules, and I totally blew it. Over the next six months, I gained back all but 10 pounds of what I'd lost. Just devastated me. I kept saying I was going to get back into it. New years. Nope, didn't. The next month. Nope didn't. Just kept eating and not exercising.

    I decided to change my attitude to look at it as I'm still 10 pounds lighter than I was before. I sat down and started to write about my weight loss/weight gain. In doing that, I was able to pinpoint what happened that got me so off track. For me, I need structure to be able to lose weight. I realized that our routine (my husband was also trying to get healthy with me) got majorly changed, we never set up another one. We just sort of started to wing it. Before we had a certain day of the week where we planned the meals for the next week (Thursday). We'd do our shopping on Friday. Then over the weekend, we would pre-prepare everything that we could...right down to measuring out our breakfast cereal in baggies for the whole week. That was so helpful in keeping us on track.

    Monday was our first day back to trying to get healty again. This week was successful (3.1 pounds lost!), but we still lacked our structure. So over our breakfast this morning, we worked out a new schedule to use to keep us on track. I'm not excited and hopeful now. Motivated, I guess you'd say!

    Good luck to you!
  • rvicini
    rvicini Posts: 252 Member
    You know what? You have to find the lifestyle you really like!.

    All those fad diets and restrictions you have to face in order to lose weight are not the answer.

    If you like cardio, do the cardio you like.. If you have never been to a gym, then you are missing it, it is a lot of fun and a great way to exercise. Some people like biking or running. Some of my pals are running buffs. They love it!. I don't. It hurts my back unfortunately.

    In order to find your fitting lifetyle you have to understand something: You can't lie to yourself saying that if you LOOVE pizza, you will go on without eating it. False! You can, but in moderation. you can cook and make the healthiest choices of pizza. Don't avoid them!

    AVOID BINGEING! Just do everything in moderation! Find the healthy lifestyle that is comfortable for you, if not, then you drop it! Experiment with your cal budget! That is the key..
  • ddky
    ddky Posts: 381 Member
    How ? You already know that, you lost 40 pounds. Start over right now. Do it for you and your children. You don't have to do intensive workouts. Just watch the calories and take a walk around the neighborhood with your children. Good luck to you.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I apologize in advance if what I say offends you but I am going to speak a little tough love. There is nothing anyone else can tell you and it is not really about motivation. To think about that is a waste of time. It's all about action. Doing. Decide what you want and what you believe is right and JUST DO IT! Like Nike says.

    Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I apologize in advance if what I say offends you but I am going to speak a little tough love. There is nothing anyone else can tell you and it is not really about motivation. To think about that is a waste of time. It's all about action. Doing. Decide what you want and what you believe is right and JUST DO IT! Like Nike says.

    Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.

    This. Motivation is for suckers. It's great when I have it, but when it's gone, dedication is what gets me out of bed at 5am when the alarm goes off. Make a plan and stick to it whether you're motivated to or not.

    Handle your business.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i agree with the above two posters.

    make the decision to make healthy eating and regular exercise a part of your life.

    a video might inspire you and give you a push (it did for me) but in the end it's because you've decided to make a change.
  • KES71GEM
    KES71GEM Posts: 9 Member
    Work, school, and three toddlers? Right there is your motivation! It sounds like you are a hard worker who devotes her time to these three things. Still do, but just add YOU into the mix. Never stop thinking about yourself and your health, and I've found that the other tasks get easier. Best of luck! Stay on the right track!
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    I apologize in advance if what I say offends you but I am going to speak a little tough love. There is nothing anyone else can tell you and it is not really about motivation. To think about that is a waste of time. It's all about action. Doing. Decide what you want and what you believe is right and JUST DO IT! Like Nike says.

    Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.

    This. Motivation is for suckers. It's great when I have it, but when it's gone, dedication is what gets me out of bed at 5am when the alarm goes off. Make a plan and stick to it whether you're motivated to or not.

    Handle your business.

    Yup, this. And when you don't feel it, do it anyway. Fake it until you make it, cliche or not, it works.
  • niqua215
    niqua215 Posts: 283 Member
    You know what? You have to find the lifestyle you really like!.

    All those fad diets and restrictions you have to face in order to lose weight are not the answer.

    If you like cardio, do the cardio you like.. If you have never been to a gym, then you are missing it, it is a lot of fun and a great way to exercise. Some people like biking or running. Some of my pals are running buffs. They love it!. I don't. It hurts my back unfortunately.

    In order to find your fitting lifetyle you have to understand something: You can't lie to yourself saying that if you LOOVE pizza, you will go on without eating it. False! You can, but in moderation. you can cook and make the healthiest choices of pizza. Don't avoid them!

    AVOID BINGEING! Just do everything in moderation! Find the healthy lifestyle that is comfortable for you, if not, then you drop it! Experiment with your cal budget! That is the key..

    Great Advice . Thanks :)
  • niqua215
    niqua215 Posts: 283 Member
    How ? You already know that, you lost 40 pounds. Start over right now. Do it for you and your children. You don't have to do intensive workouts. Just watch the calories and take a walk around the neighborhood with your children. Good luck to you.

    You are absolutely right!
  • niqua215
    niqua215 Posts: 283 Member
    I apologize in advance if what I say offends you but I am going to speak a little tough love. There is nothing anyone else can tell you and it is not really about motivation. To think about that is a waste of time. It's all about action. Doing. Decide what you want and what you believe is right and JUST DO IT! Like Nike says.

    Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.

    Thanks
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    ((niqua215))! C'mon. Let's go work out!!
  • giastu
    giastu Posts: 6
    I need help!! How do I get my motivation to lose weight back? I was doing so well with MFP. Managed to lose 40 lbs but I have so much more to lose. I have a hectic schedule that includes work, school and three toddlers. Stress, stress and more stress! I'm alway so tired and keep putting off my workouts. I'll do it tomorrow, that seems to be my new norm. I"ve managed to gain some weight back but I don't want all my hard work to go down the drain. I can now admit that I have a food addiction, especially to sweets. And it seems that I've turned into an emotional eater. Man how do I start over? Where do I start? What do I eat and how much? Sigh..................HELP!!!!!


    This was me after a horrible flu, I was off my routine for 10 days and it was so hard to get back at it. I took each day and did a little at a time and worked back up and now I'm back on track. Don't look at it as, I have to workout for 30 minutes. Do 10 or 15 and the next day do 15 or 20 and so on. You will get there. If you're watching a tv show, jump up and do a quick burst of exercise at every commercial, with all the commercials these days, you'll get a good mini workout in! :) As for the sweets, ALLOW yourself a splurge, if you do not, you're going to crave them all the time. Look for low calorie sweet treats and enjoy! Just enjoy in moderation. You'll get there! Hang in there and congratulations on the weight loss, that is an awesome achievement! :)
  • think about your kids and your health .if you dont start now and eat right you will never see your grandkids or maybe your on kids grow up . I know this is not what you want to here but this is what I had to do.take one day at a time and do your very better that you can do..when you eat to much foods dont let this stop you just start again and again you will get though just keep it up and I know you can. sign by a friend dANNY58 . go for it i know you can .
  • trying on something cute at a store fitting room, and hating how i look in it always motivates me.
  • Without sounding like an ad... My determination didn't click until I started reading "Lose it fast, Lose it forever" by Pete Thomas. He was a contestant on the biggest loser and has kept his weight in check for over 7 years. As a self-admitted over-eater, the way he writes is directed towards people that have difficult relationships with food. And he speaks very plainly. It was easier for me to accept his advice than that of a fitness guru that has always been thin and doesn't understand food addiction issues.

    My motivation came when I realized my own self-destructive behavior and knew that only I could do something about it. I also moved my attitude from "this is a diet" to "this is a permanent lifestyle change."

    You've got to set aside time for yourself. It is not selfish. Your kids need you. They need you to be healthy. Don't pencil in your workouts, make them a priority. Be very purposeful about your food shopping and your meal planning.
  • Hleaver
    Hleaver Posts: 15 Member
    Motivation is the hardest part. I just lost 40 pounds and have another 60 to go. For me i find that if I weigh myself everyday and put into fitness pal my diet everyday I make myself accountable for I have done the day before. I have been up and down a lot but only by a pound or two. I have found this time that losing a pound is much easier than losing 5 or 10 if i have a bad week. It also helps me to have someone that encourages me everyday, and for me it is the people i work with, they are my cheerleaders I also talk with my sister and we try to motivate each other. You are a very attractive girl just remember that your life depends on the choices you make. Good luck and if I can be a supporter for you let me know ...Howard
  • Brownsbacker4evr
    Brownsbacker4evr Posts: 365 Member
    Yeah. I faced a similar situation in the way that I just lost motivation and kept skipping workouts when I told myself to go. There is really only one true way when you don't wanna go....just drag yourself to your workouts and get going.

    I tell everyone, with me, it's like: When you don't do it for so long, you don't wanna do it, but once you start doing it, you don't wanna stop your routine.
  • lightdiva1
    lightdiva1 Posts: 935 Member
    I lose my motivation once a month. I just push on. I give myself a break and cut myself some slack, but I keep going. Having children is draining, (I have 2 of my own, and babysit 2) I have no energy to work out. So I don't do aerobics. I do strength training instead. I have only lost 32 pounds and have 140ish more to lose. I do wall push ups, squats, lift my 3 year old daughter in the air for 15 reps. (She weighs about 38 pounds) I dance while doing the dishes, or do squats, or knee lifts. Every little bit counts. Each day I can push myself to do 10 wall push ups an hour. By 4pm my arms want to fall off, I push on. I let myself have pizza (my favorite food) once every two weeks or so, I just make room in my day for it.

    You have to decide to make it a lifestyle, not a diet. This means you will live like this the rest of your life, not just until you lose the weight. I will eat pizza, and cake, and pudding, and gravy. I will just do it in much smaller portions, and not everyday. I will get to where I can do 10 real push ups on the the ground correctly. I will do them everyday. I will keep pushing, everyday, even when I am tired.

    I find it helps me a lot to get my children and husband involved. "Count Mommy's push ups, do the squats with me, help me cook and make our salad. dance party!" I have gotten used to logging everything I eat, and I make no excuses for what I eat. I decided to put that in my mouth. No sense in denying it. Lets work it off.

    Some people like to do cardio, I hate it. Maybe your like me maybe not. Find what you like, or can tolerate and learn to like.

    I used to be a dancer... a million years ago. Now I am old, and fat. Well, my goal is to get into enough shape so I can start taking adult classes. I can see me at 145ish pounds in a ballet class and that motivates me to get on keeping on.