I have lost motivation...

Just think that you can keep doing what you are doing and be miserable or get going and maybe start feeling less miserable. I deal with chronic pain issues and I go through rough spots/injuries/recovery and it sucks. Makes me want to quit. Then I I think, what am I quitting? Healthy eating, exercise that makes me happy and healthy? Just start, right now, today. And then do it again tomorrow : )

Just tell that voice in your head to be quiet and do something.

Yesterday I did not want to run, I was lazy, I felt like crap, just wanted to sit on the couch and do nothing.

But i didn't

I told my brain to shut up and I went for a Jog.

And know what? I beat my PR by 5min!

we all have moments where the mojo is gone, it's up to you to tell yourself to get over it and work on being a better you. You will notice your mind going from "don't do it' to "keep going"

HI everyone, I used to exercise like crazy, almost excessively and was proud of my results. Last July I got severely depressed and stopped completely. I keep trying to start over but find a reason not to workout on a particular day. I am not usually one to make excuses but I just can not seem to get my mojo back. The depression is now a vicious cycle cause I hate how I look, you would think that would be motivation enough but I get this there is no use attitude. I hate it and want the old me back. Anyone overcome this and how did you?

I have gained and lost my motivation so many times it isn't even funny. I tried a 4 Day Pretox a coworker of mine recommended, lost 6.2lbs and my motivation is BACK!!!! One day at a time.

I agree with most posters who say you just have to force yourself to move.

But, are you being treated for your depression? I know from personal experience that untreated depression can be a HUGE obstacle to get over on just will power alone.

You can't give up!! You have come to far to give in and not stand back up.... We fall at times, but we must remember to never give up....

You are not alone. Some of my recent MFP entries are show below:





I tend to sleep and eat a lot when I'm depressed. I always wallow in self-pity and find that talking to a professional didn't help because I had that same "there is no use attitude." The feeling of hopelessness was quite overwhelming.

Right now, you probably feel like nobody can help you. I've been there. I can relate. And you know what? You are absolutely right. Nobody can help you but yourself.

Put up a cork board on your wall and label it "Under Construction." Create a detailed calendar-like workout and diet plan. Print it out pin it on your board. Set short and long term goals. Pin a before picture and inspiring pictures of what you want to look like in the near future. Suggested things you may want to include on your board are progress pictures or reports of the following:

1. Face pics - so you can see how happy you are getting while taking on this awesome "new" you adventure
2. Body pics
3. Weight
4. Measurements
5. Exercise progress - either your progress in running, increasing weight in lifting, etc.

During your progress, there still maybe a time that you will feel depressed. Cry if you need to; scream if you want to. But whatever you do, don't ever let depression immobilize you.

Are you psyched? Are you ready? Come and get some!!! Booyahh!

bump! You are not alone.

I feel your pain!!! I lost 50 lbs, and in the last few months gained 9 back, lost 1 again...It's soooo hard after all we've accomplished not to be disappointed, depressed, hard on ourselves. I know how bad depression sucks, I was in it's grasp for 5 long miserable years...It's hard, but you CAN do it. One step, one day, one moment, one meal at a time! Feel free to add me if you'd like, I'll try to help along the way!!!

I actually got this in my email box today and thought I would share

Overcoming a Setback

It happens — you miss a few workouts and you feel like you've fallen off the weight-loss wagon. It's tempting to mentally slap yourself around, right? (Or head for the fridge.) Before you start, I want to remind you of something: Being hard on yourself is the Old You.

The New You knows how to deal with setbacks and get back on the wagon. And after all, there are no mistakes, just learning experiences. Weight loss is a process — it takes time. You will encounter small failures — everyone does — but every pound you gain can be lost.

And if you miss a workout, it's not the end of the world! Get to the gym the next day and continue to focus on your short-term goals. Just because you made bad choices today doesn't mean you can't start over tomorrow. New day? New beginning. And don't you forget it!

I've battled with depression for many years now, and the only thing that I can tell you from my experience is that exercise has been a better form of mood swing management than any medication. The only exercise you regret is the workout you don't do. Try to take it one day at a time. Say to yourself, "I will do ___ today" and make it manageable. If you feel like doing more, bonus! Keep going! If you don't, you at least have given your body something to work with for the day, and sometimes, that makes all the difference.

Yep, I've been there... in fact, still am there, to a certain degree. I've struggled with depression for almost a decade now; it definitely leads me to lengthy bouts of sitting on the couch doing nothing but eating and drinking more than I should (thankfully, not a major issue, but certainly wasted calories). I'm currently in an upswing; exercising and eating right, but that's after many, many months of not doing so. And this certainly isn't the first time I've gone through this cycle (nor is it likely the last, unfortunately, but I'm being honest with myself here).

What I do to get myself off the couch and out on the roads (I'm a runner when I'm not a couch surfer) is to just tell myself I'll do one run. Just one. Not commit to doing it every day, which tends to overwhelm me when I'm in a funk; not overcommit and schedule my next marathon, since I end up feeling crummy if I break that promise to myself... I just tell myself I'll get out there for a single short run. And there are plenty of false starts; but one of those times, the time when you just act quickly, throw your workout clothes on and just get out there before you give yourself a chance to change your mind, you do it. You just exercise and you feel better that you did it and you remember how much better you feel when you're treating yourself right. So you try to do it again the next day, and so on.

I'm in the middle of it now; just trying to take it one day / run at a time and am feeling really good about it. If I can keep this up for a bit, I'm going to think about picking a race (most likely a half) and following a training schedule, which takes the thought/debate out of it for me somewhat (i.e., I treat the schedule like it's a stone tablet and do what it says so that I can't cut it short or skip it). Probably the best I've felt over the past decade was when I did that for my first marathon... I was exercising regularly, feeding myself well to fuel the exercise, and just generally feeling better about myself/things than I had in a long time.

Sure - you'll likely have more bad days; but just promise yourself *one* workout and don't break that promise.

Best of luck to you!!!! :flowerforyou:

I was in your shoes about 4 days ago. I really wanted to change but I was so upset with myself for having to start all over. I to had loved working out and was very conscious about what I fueled my body with, and then I just gave up (due to life happening). I struggled forever trying to get back on the wagon and failing each time. My problem was that I knew what I use to be able to do physically and I was so disgusted that I had to start over that I would give up before I even really gave it a chance. I didn't want to do all that hard work over again. BUT... One day I just kicked myself in the butt! I gave myself a very much needed lecture (in my head not out loud), it went something like this.

" YOU are the one who let this happen to you and it didn't happen overnight. So why do you think it's going to be fixed overnight? It's not! You have to let go of the past and just focus on the future! You have the tools and the knowledge to succeed. SO get up and succeed!"

After that nice little self lecture I went to you tube and watched a bunch of weight loss success stories and beach-body success stories (this is what I do for motivation). After about an hour I got up put a workout video in and pushed play and I felt good, so good in fact, that I followed it up with another workout video! And I have been pushing play everyday since. I know 5 days doesn't seem like a big deal, but it's a start, it's my start and I feel amazing! The best I've felt in a long time.

The point I was trying to convey is, YOU are the only one standing in your way! You have to just let go of whatever it is that keeps holding you back and push play, go to the gym, or whatever it is that you like to do. I wish you luck!

Maybe plan easy exercise goals? I've struggled with motivation issues too, and what got me back into working out was using a pedometer. It's easy to track progress, and it's low intensity.

Hope you're feeling better