Stuck in a rut and need some motivation.

That sounds just like me. I get started for a couple of weeks then work and life gets busy and I stop exercising. So Monkey 02, my challenge to you is to try for three weeks, that's is just 3weeks in a row. I will take the same challenge. What do you think?

I'm not struggling with the exercise (although I'm trying to do 15,000 steps in a day which ain't happening) but I am struggling with the food. I'm usually 1 or the other. I eat well but can't get motivated to exercise or I exercise every day but eat not so great.

I don't know what will give you motivation, sometimes we just need that switch in our head to flick & BAM

Im trying to start eating healthy and hitting the gym again but i cant manage to keep going after i start. Im struggling to find a healthy diet to fit me. I start the gym one week and by the next i quit. I need a kick in the butt!!

Heya monkey02

I think it is pretty much been said here, baby steps. I used to be the exact same way as you. I am terrible at keeping to things. That said, what has worked for me (and I hope will work for you) was a strong support community who celebrated when I celebrated and kept to motivating me when I fell off the wagon. Here are a few things for you to consider;

1) BABY STEPS - I think it is great that you have chosen to become vegetarian. Remember that if you fall off the wagon, it is not an end all, you pick up and start again. When you see success with the one little project that you are working on, it gives you the motivation to work on more. By the time you take on more, you would have been accustomed to the little project that you started on earlier.

2) REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT AN EASY FIX - A lot of people say that it is not a 'diet' it is a lifestyle change. This cannot ring more true. When you find an eating & exercise plan that works for you, it is easier for you to stick to. Look for one that you can enjoy. Change is never easy but when you stick to it, you will come to wonder why you would keep up with the unhealthy habits that you had before.

3) DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP - I don't know about you., but I found it harder to keep to something when I fell off the wagon and I was very harsh on myself for that. Yes, we are our own worst critics but we should also remember that no one can change who we are but ourselves. If we berate ourselves for messing up all the time, it is very hard to get the motivation to start up again. So quite simply, if you mess up, recognise it and work towards being better later. It is that simple, if you had a bad day, remember that a brand new day/start is just one sleep away and work towards that.

I hope this helps and the best of luck!

Sign up for a 5k. Walk it if you have to.
I trained for my first one exclusively on a treadmill and got top 10 in my age division out of 65. My kids never said I wasn't a real runner after that!
people who run are the most wonderful people I have ever met and especially the runners on here!!
couch25k is a good program.
I ran 250 miles last month and am training for a marathon....and began a little at a time. the diet follows naturally

Just drive to the gym every day. You don't have to go in, but make the drive. Try it for a month.

Honestly I started with small goals like it was mentioned above. Every time a month passed I changed my goals and made new ones to stick. I signed up for the gym and another thing that I did to stick to the routine is decided to take all my shower things and rent a locker at my gym. So if I happen to want to shower, I need to go to the gym, and if I am already in the gym, might as well workout. I mean, it sounds very extreme, but it has worked! I have been going consistently for 3 months and I have lost around 30 lbs. So sometimes making yourself go the first couple of weeks, even if it's a pain, will be rewarding later.

I suggest finding an activity that you enjoy and is engaging... for instance, I enjoy archery, geocaching, biking, and gaming... I live in North Dakota, so I haven't been able to bike or geocache for what seems like ages, however in some places I can see grass. :drinker: Right back to topic. I ended up purchasing DDR pads and DDR for my XBOX360, then I got a kinect and several games for that. It has added variety to my routine, so I haven't gotten bored yet. For me that was the key. I haven't lost any weight really though, but I just found out that I have hypoglycemia, so hopefully in about 6 more weeks, the meds will kick in and results will start showing. In the mean time, my gamer score has gone up and I can shoot further with my bow. :glasses:

Your desire to change must be greater than your desire to stay the same.
To change your body, you must change your mind.
You don't get what you want. You get what you work for.
Losing weight is hard. Maintaining weight is hard. Staying overweight is hard. Choose your hard.
Persistence is far more important than perfection.
If you're tired of starting over, stop giving up.
If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.
Our eyes are placed in front because it's more important to look ahead than to look back.
Make one healthy choice. Then, make another.
You can have results or excuses. You can't have both.
Stop searching for strength and willpower. Start creating it.
Being defeated is often temporary. Giving up makes it permanent.
Stop saying I wish. Start saying I will.
Strive for progress, not perfection.
There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them.
Winners don't quit and quitters don't win.
NOW GO OUT THERE AND DO IT!

This is great! Can't add to this.

Nike's "JUST DO IT" logo is one of my faves.

I have been most successful with exercising once I came to terms with a few things and built my "plan" around that:
- it has to be something I enjoy doing ( ie, dancing)
- it cant be too strenuous - at least not at first... i don't want to be in pain... (just being real...)
- it has to be convenient and flexible-- ie, i can do it when I want, where I want
- i have to have variety because I get bored easily

As a result,
- I do a lot of walking-sometimes at the park while listening to a book on tape, sometimes in place at home with my "walk away the pounds" video
- I dance using my Wii and my "Hip Hop Dance Experience" and "Just Dance 4" games- sometimes I compete against my daughter
- sometimes I walk on the treadmill at the gym and sometimes on my treadmill at home
Because I was able to define what I like and what I wanted, I have been more successful and consistent with exercising than I ever have. My work outs on average only burn about 200 calories, but I am consistent and happy and I am losing weight steadily!

I find that when people want to lose weight, they tend to head straight for the gym.
I dont get the obsession with it, there are so many ways and places to work out - gyms are boring!!

I would suggest you try some other forms of exercise - C25K, Swimming, Jillian Michaels 30DS, Insanity, Yoga...these are all things that you don't need a gym for and I've just listed them off the top of my head.

The only reason I'm joining my gym is so I can start using the weights, I can't afford to buy them for home use.
However all my cardio is done at home or outside in the fresh air.

And with the dieting - you don't need to go on a huge diet kick, just use the calorie counter on here and you can still eat pretty much whatever you want, just so long as it fits for the day.

Start off by making small changes and it will get easier, I promise.