Staying motivated after a year and 100 pounds

Sunscreenandsweat · May 2013

So I'm not new to this but I've lost so much already and I do want to lose more it's just so hard right now I can't seem to stay on track. It's like I forgot how I've been working more hours which is making me stressed and they delayed someone I'm very close to from coming home from the army. I work in a kitchen as a dietary aid and part of my job is portioning desserts and stuff and I'm always around food for 40+ hours a week and I don't work out as much as I want to. I've been eating out more and just eating without thinking like stopping at dunkin donuts and getting half a dozen. How can I keep myself motivated? Any ideas would be appreciated because it's nothing I've come up with is working

pcgeek · May 2013

I'm there with you. I pass so many restaurants going home and it's driving me crazy. I work to the bone and I'm under a lot of stress too.
Here are some tips that make me less crazy:
-Drink water. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere. Home, work, shopping - it has to be with you. You lose twice as much with water and it makes you feel full.
-Instead of thinking - oh I need more food! I'm so hungry! Think about what you've done so far. What it was like at your heaviest? For me, I wasn't able to tie my shoes and now I can do it without any struggle!
-Wear flavored lip gloss. I have a chocolate flavored lip gloss stashed in my pocket at all times.
-Gum is your best friend. Sugar less, of course.
-We're stressed and overloaded but we -have- to make time for ourselves and workout at least 30 minutes a day - 5 times a week. 30 minutes isn't too bad.
The biggest thing that gets me going is sitting down every night and writing about my day. Why it went horrible and why I'm so stressed. I have a ton of journals and I'll continue to make more!

Please don't give up. From one over eater to another, you can do this. WE can do this.

Airgetshealthy · May 2013

I am feeling the exact same! I hit a plateau then got sick from Jan - April and now I am just getting back into a routine of exercise but I am still trying to get my eating back to the right portion sizes. I did Insanity and was eating a very high number of calories while doing that but then I couldn't seem to get back down to lower amounts after. I hope you get back on track, just remember a few bad days can't ruin all your hard work! You're such an inspiration to many people, you have done amazingly well! Keep going you are so close!

odusgolp · May 2013

Do something totally new. What's your current routine for exercise? Running? Try lifting... Lifting? Try swimming... Whatever, just something all together new to get excited about. Just a thought

MyOwnSunshine · May 2013

Make some rules for yourself... instead of saying "I can't..." say "I don't..." and then don't do that anymore.

Here are some of my rules:

I don't use the drive-through at any fast food restaurant anymore.

I don't stop to get food on the way home from work.

I don't eat donuts any more.

I find time to work out at the gym 90 minutes 3 times a week.

I do yoga in the mornings before I go to work.

I don't eat french fries any more.

I take the stairs at work.

I don't drink my calories.

If I worked in food service, I would definitely have a rule that I DO NOT EVER EAT FOOD AT WORK UNLESS I'VE PLANNED IT OR BROUGHT IT FROM HOME!

I find that having rules makes it easy for me to not make poor choices in a moment of weakness, like when I'm tired and driving home from work, when I'm stressed or when I want to comfort myself with food.

Losing is hard, but maintenance is even harder. Instead of focusing on losing more right now, why don't you raise your calories a little and focus on maintaining for a while, then you can go back to losing with renewed commitment.

AllonsYtotheTardis · May 2013

When was the last time you took a maintenance break? I mean - stop eating at a deficit, and eat at maintenance for 2 weeks. It does wonders for getting you re-motivated.

emancipateurself · May 2013

I'm almost at my two year mark at MFP and during my first year is where I lost most of my first 100 pounds.....you lose motivation because it's HARD!!!!

Well that's one way to look at it right?

I've been where you are at...I have months where I am just dragging my feet making bad bad choices..and I feel like a failure.

I needed too remember why I started this in the first place, re-evaluate and decide to move forward again.

It's harder the closer you get to your goal...and your goal may change as you get closer.

And no excuses....but also reminding yourself that it's ok to be human and eat a donut...don't let the 'binge' or 'bad' choice ruin it for you though.

That's my advice....

ryry_ · May 2013

Maybe it's time for like a month long diet break...Bring the calories up to maintenance and just focus on maintaining for a month. Don't go off the deep end and start putting back on the weight!

Otterluv · May 2013

When was the last time you took a maintenance break? I mean - stop eating at a deficit, and eat at maintenance for 2 weeks. It does wonders for getting you re-motivated.

I'm in the middle of one of these right now, I can't tell you how much it's helped my mindset and my energy levels. It's not a free for all, it's just raising up your calories to maintenance level for a couple of weeks. You would think that it would make you want to not go back to a deficit, but I've found that after a week I'm ready to get back to it (though I have a week left), it's completely refocused me.

You are getting fairly close to your goal weight, and have lost a lot of weight fairly quickly. If you haven't already, it's probably time to set your loss goals closer to .5 - 1lb a week. That will give you more calories to play with and hopefully be less restrictive.

Staying motivated after a year and 100 pounds

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