Motivation HELP!!!

Motivation ebbs and flows. Remind yourself daily (if you need to) why you are making the changes you are and what the end result(s) will look like. Recognize that it isn't easy (if it were everyone would be at their goal weight) but it is worth it. Set mini goals for yourself and celebrate those accomplishments. You can do this!

One thing I've learned since starting calorie counting 16 months ago is that motivation is not always there. You will not always feel motivated. If you want to succeed, you can't wait for motivation to arrive. Obviously there has to be enough to get you started in the first place, but after that... nope, you can't rely on it. I realised that there will always be bad days. There will be days when I want to eat everything in sight. There will be days when it's miserable outside and I can't be bothered going for a run. There will be days when I don't want to measure/log all my food. There will be days when I don't give two hoots about fitting into a certain pair of jeans, or improving my running time, or even my chances of having a stroke in 20 years time. Depression gets me down a lot, and there are times when I really don't care.

But: I made a decision. I made a choice. I decided that my health, and managing my weight, was important enough to be a priority. I don't always feel like going to work either, don't feel motivated, but it's important. I don't always feel like cleaning my house, or studying towards my degree, or being kind to family members who are annoying me, but somewhere along the line, I decided that these things were important enough to put the effort in. Other people probably don't always feel motivated to read to their kids at night, or make them dinner, but... you get the picture.

For me, once I realised that health, fitness and maintaining my weight were to be a priority, I took steps to make it as easy as possible for myself. I try to avoid setting myself up for failure. I decided not to cut out any foods or food groups, and still eat all the foods I like on a regular basis. I knew that restricting myself too much would backfire. I try not to overthink things too much, just meet my calorie goal, getting in as much good nutrition as I can. I try to hit targets for protein, fibre and certain micronutrients, but I don't worry if I don't on any given day. Otherwise, I just eat the foods I like, track them to make sure I'm eating the right amounts, and carry on. Don't make it more difficult than it has to be.

I don't force myself to do exercise that I don't like. I soon realised that the stationary bike is not much fun (for me) and I can't stand vidoes like the 30 Day Shred. So, I don't make myself do them. I discovered that I do like running outside, so that's what I do, and exercise is, for the most part, enjoyable. I also set goals for myself, like finishing the Couch 2 5 k programme, running further than I could the week before, entering a race, and I found a friend that I sometimes run with. Those things keep me going when I'm tempted not to run. It's no longer about burning calories or losing (now maintaining) weight - it's about getting better at something that has become a hobby, about getting out into the fresh air, getting the endorphins flowing.

The way to stay committed is to make it a lifestyle change and for me, it's essential that it's a lifestyle you can live with permanently. Otherwise, you are going to want to quit as soon as the motivation and enthusiasm runs out. Make small changes and turn them into habits that you can sustain.

I always like to fall back on this saying:

Losing weight is hard.
Maintaining weight is hard.
Being overweight is hard.
Choose your hard.

Weight loss is hard, if it wasn't, there wouldn't be such a problem with obesity. Do what you can to make the process as easy for yourself as possible.