Why do I always lose my motivation?!? HELP

Brieyonce
Brieyonce Posts: 23 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I always start out going strong... movin and groovin... eating better... tracking everything... and then I feel like something always happens or i get burned out... i HATE this yo yo stuff. Why can't I keep my mind focused and stay determined.. I can't stand looking and feeling like this so why does my motivation and drive take a hike? I am so frustrated with myself. I'm letting myself down... I want to find the real me... but I am standing in my own way... any tips or helpful advice?!? :(
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Replies

  • Char0434
    Char0434 Posts: 7
    I am the same way. I find its easier to just take it 1 day at a time. Focus on your positive changes and let the little negative slip ups go.

    I also find being on mfp a great help. Seeing all my friends succeeding and being strong helps keep my determined and on track :)

    Feel free to add me if you want a new support buddy.
  • NickeeCoco
    NickeeCoco Posts: 130
    Have you tried keeping a photo log? Every week, take a picture of yourself (my camera has a self timer, but a phone/mirror works just fine) in a pair of shorts and a sports bra. I do a front and a side photo. I print them out on my computer and put them in a binder. Being able to see the changes, to see how far I've come motivates me.
  • fimary
    fimary Posts: 274 Member
    I know what you mean, same thing all great at beginning then a couple of months down line, going to try and aim for something my cousins are down from scotland first weekend in aug want to be good til then, maybe need extra motivation are you planning for something or could you find something to aim for.
  • Whipppets
    Whipppets Posts: 267
    It is a vicious cycle as most people want results so quickly and it is a full time job to be fit. Then they quit.
    Wake up each day and think how can I be fitter today. When you start seeing results or someone
    comments on the positive change it will definately kick in.
    Do not just do the same thing all the time change up your routine.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
    People lose motivation simply because they not willing to do what it takes to achieve their ultimate goal . why? excuses and laziness . THAT SIMPLE
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    motivation is a strange thing. sometimes what motivated you last week won't motivate you this week.

    now dedication is different. dedication gets you through a work out you really don't want to do. you tell yourself, this is happening.

    set a goal. in my opinion, you should be training for a race. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Capt_Apollo/view/why-you-should-be-preparing-for-a-race-545663 find one in 6-8 months, and register. when you lose your motivation, you'll continue to stick to your program in order to perform at your race.
  • KristysLosing
    KristysLosing Posts: 683
    I am SO in the same boat. I have gotten lazy and it's frustrating. I want to keep losing weight...so why am I not motivated to do it? I just have to do it. Not blow the day when I get home for dinner and just do it. :smile: Now to actually execute that. :wink:
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Motivation is what gets you started, you need to develop a routine that works for you so it becomes a habit. Working out is part of my morning routine just like showering, brushing my teeth, etc. In the beginning when it wasn't a habit I had alerts on my email that said it's workout time, and I treated them like I would any other important meeting. I put them in there as goals I still do that this weeks goal was to ride 30 miles on my bike, now I have 2 weeks to get to 35 miles.

    As for nutrition part of it, because I don't deprive myself of anything that isn't hard to continue, I just cut back how much I eat of it.
  • Queenb1212
    Queenb1212 Posts: 108 Member
    You're right sometimes our motivation fades, but that's what we have to change about ourselves. I have found it very helpful to appreciate where I am right now. I'm surely not were I used to be and as long as you dust yourself off and not gain more than 5 lbs., you will never be disappointed. I've learned to hold myself accountable. Nobody can do this for me but ME! So set a new goal; walk into it slowly; (x) each day on the calendar that you stick to your plan; and your motivation will return in no time once you see your progress.

    Friend me if you'd like. We really need to keep each other MOTIVATED.
  • deesign4427
    deesign4427 Posts: 14
    Having a goal helps and not beating yourself up if you have a bad day. I am guilty of saying 'that was a bad day, I'm rubbish so I won't bother' when what I should say is 'that was a bad day, today will be better.'

    Motivation around weight/health also has to be put in context, spending time with friends/family becomes easier as you feel fitter and gain confidence.

    Becoming self obsessed will not make your life become more fun; for you or those around you.

    I have a special celebration coming up in September, followed by another in November. My aim is to feel fitter at each event. I have set a modest 7lb loss for the 1st one but as long as I steadily lose I will not be disappointed. My reward will be a pamper and a new outfit / part outfit (shirt or shoes etc) to wear to the events.

    Just keep on keeping on and we will all get to where we want to be. GOOD LUCK!!!
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    The thing a lot of people don't realize that that motivation will ALWAYS fail eventually. But it's not motivation that gets you to the finish line. It's a willingness to make the choices you need to make whether you feel motivated or not. It's making the right choices when it gets really hard, which it inevitably will.
  • mdepko
    mdepko Posts: 283 Member
    I'm not saying this to be rude, this is how I truly feel. You will never get thru this until you take charge and also take complete, and I mean absolute complete responsibility for it! You can't blame others, you can't make excuses, you have to be accountable to yourself to get this done!
  • Renee428
    Renee428 Posts: 29 Member
    I do the exact same thing every time. I do so good at the begining and I seem to lose steam and fall off the wagon. This time my goal is to make sure I jump right back on the wagon when I fall. I will have my days where I eat great all day until I get home and I ruin it or start off the day eating bad but as long as I am not dwelling on it and I get a couple of decent workouts in the week then I am happy. We just have to find the will to keep on moving through it and not fall too far off the wagon. Logging onto MFP has helped and I have clogged my FB with fitness and weight lose pages and people to make sure everyday that this is in my face. Feel free to add me if you would like.
  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
    Change is hard and uncertain so naturally people will gravitate back to what is familiar when you are not sure what to expect. It is all a learning process and you will get there....you just have to shut that voice up that says that you cannot do it or that it is not worth it to try because it is so worth it to hit your goal. Look at it this way, if you can physically do 1 more thing better than you did yesterday then you are making progress and changing for the better. If you pass that candy bowl and leave the piece in there that you would have eaten the day before then you are making progress. Don't expect to change over night and pat yourself on the back when you do well.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    Set small obtainable goals for yourself to start with and give yourself credit for small things in the beginning, maybe even one healthy meal a day. Once you start achieving the small stuff and giving yourself credit for that you will become more motivated because you will have been successful. Eventually you will be able to start setting bigger goals for you and you will achieve them.

    I always get frustrated when I plateau so I may set a goal of 1/2 a pound in a week or even 2 weeks, then when I get that 1/2 a pound I feel like a million bucks. I just went through that actually. During the last two weeks I kept giving myself credit for eating below my calorie limit and continuing to exercise where before I would have given up. It really helped.

    Feel free to add me if you want, I will be a cheerleader to help you along the way.
  • CaLaurie
    CaLaurie Posts: 178
    People lose motivation simply because they not willing to do what it takes to achieve their ultimate goal . why? excuses and laziness . THAT SIMPLE

    If only. Each of us has our reasons - some physical, some emotional, and sometimes life just simply gets in the way of life. It happens, doesn't mean we're lazy or are making up excuses. If we can find the patterns, what triggers the lack of motivation, we can take steps to counteract it. Calling ourselves lazy is likely to make the problem worse, not better.
  • sarab_84
    sarab_84 Posts: 5
    I am in the same situation! at the beginning I am precise, I track everything I eat, I do exercise... then it comes a day in wich I do not track something that I eat (normally because it is difficult to evaluate the calories..) or I do not go to the gym because of my busy life... I hate it! but that day comes ALWAYS!
    Feel free to add me, so we can support each other! :flowerforyou:
  • action_figure
    action_figure Posts: 511 Member
    My standard answer is here.

    http://actionfiguremini.tumblr.com/post/53432744622/lost-your-motivation-my-standard-answer
  • wick09
    wick09 Posts: 22 Member
    I am the same way :( Yesterday I started a 30 day challenge....planks, squats, crunches, push-ups. I know that is my exercise for 30 days, plus I am walking. I got to work on my eating a little better and I will be good to go :) Good Luck
  • action_figure
    action_figure Posts: 511 Member
    The thing a lot of people don't realize that that motivation will ALWAYS fail eventually. But it's not motivation that gets you to the finish line. It's a willingness to make the choices you need to make whether you feel motivated or not. It's making the right choices when it gets really hard, which it inevitably will.

    YES! Motivation ALWAYS goes away, because motivation means two things. One, it means the reasons that you decided to make a change, and those don't go away, but it ALSO means the emotional state you have IN RESPONSE TO THE DECISION TO MAKE A CHANGE. That ALWAYS goes away because ALL emotional states change. We don't have unchanging emotional states, because that's not the way human beings work. I got way more into that in my blog post that's linked up above, but I just had to respond to this person who totally gets it.
  • jim9097
    jim9097 Posts: 341 Member
    Do you exercise by yourself? Personally I go into battle everyday with friends! We make it fun and motivating for one another. We have awards for losing weight. Which is actually not a prize. But after every 15 lbs lost the person losing the weight must do the next conditioning workout wearing a 15 lb weighted vest. Just a little reminder of where they came from. Make it a game and I think you will find it much easier to stay on top of things.

    At one point me and my wife did a little compitition. It was based on % of weight lost per week. The winner of the week got to pick the treat for the week. Could be going out to eat, or any number of other things. A movie, etc. you got to make it fun!
  • cyesalusky
    cyesalusky Posts: 2
    I have always had this problem. I get on a very serious workout and diet routine and do great until about Thursday when my body and mind is completely exhausted from working so hard. The only thing that has really helped me is to not think of your diet and exercise as a chore but more of a scheduled event during the day. I am a creature of habit so each day I know that from 5pm-6pm I am going to the gym. This helps me alot more than the thought of "I have to go to the gym". Another huge help for me is youtube motivational videos. That helps me to break out of my lazy mood and get motivated to hit the gym and eat healthy instead of hitting the fridge for ice cream. For me when I keep to my workouts it makes me want to eat better and vise versa.
  • PepperWorm
    PepperWorm Posts: 1,206
    Motivation is what gets you started, you need to develop a routine that works for you so it becomes a habit. Working out is part of my morning routine just like showering, brushing my teeth, etc. In the beginning when it wasn't a habit I had alerts on my email that said it's workout time, and I treated them like I would any other important meeting. I put them in there as goals I still do that this weeks goal was to ride 30 miles on my bike, now I have 2 weeks to get to 35 miles.

    As for nutrition part of it, because I don't deprive myself of anything that isn't hard to continue, I just cut back how much I eat of it.

    This.

    Stop relying on motivation. Every day is not going to feel like a super amazing day to work out. You just have to make it a part of daily habit and routine. There are days when I (and I'm sure everyone, too) REALLY don't want to/feel like getting in an exercise...but you do it. Almost always feel better afterwards, too. :)
  • cyesalusky
    cyesalusky Posts: 2
    I couldn't agree more. There is never a better feeling than when I finish a workout on one of those days where I have to fight myself just to get off the couch.
  • sw33tp3a11
    sw33tp3a11 Posts: 4,646 Member
    Yup thats how I feel everyday. But slowly im getting back in the game. Our daily life is stressful enough and now we have to watch what we eat and count calories it will definitely affect our motivation just dont give up remember why you started this journey and take it a day at a time
  • AmIhealthyyet
    AmIhealthyyet Posts: 361 Member
    Motivation is what gets you started, you need to develop a routine that works for you so it becomes a habit. Working out is part of my morning routine just like showering, brushing my teeth, etc. In the beginning when it wasn't a habit I had alerts on my email that said it's workout time, and I treated them like I would any other important meeting. I put them in there as goals I still do that this weeks goal was to ride 30 miles on my bike, now I have 2 weeks to get to 35 miles.

    As for nutrition part of it, because I don't deprive myself of anything that isn't hard to continue, I just cut back how much I eat of it.

    Excellent advice!
  • KatVaux
    KatVaux Posts: 23 Member
    Dediction! I never thought of it that way and it's a perfect way for me to think of it.
    I typically pride myself on my dedication.
    Great comment.
    Thanks
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Stop relying on motivation. Every day is not going to feel like a super amazing day to work out. You just have to make it a part of daily habit and routine. There are days when I (and I'm sure everyone, too) REALLY don't want to/feel like getting in an exercise...but you do it. Almost always feel better afterwards, too. :)
    This is SO true!! Today was exactly that day for me, and as I laid in bed at 4AM contemplating the idea of taking a day off and sleeping later...I reminded myself that I'd regret skipping and feel like crap all day, then as always...I got up and got moving...because its my routine. Was it one of my better workouts? Nope...but I did it anyway :ohwell:
  • gaj87
    gaj87 Posts: 53 Member
    Change takes time, so allow yourself the time to make the changes needed. Don't try to make all the changes at one time, it is to much to handle. Make a change every week or every month. Start by watching portions, then add drinking water, then add fruits and veggies, then add exercise, etc... These are just examples of changes to make.

    I waited until I had my eating under control before I started exercising because when I exercise my eating goes up. I made challenges to myself and did them for a few weeks before I added another.

    The biggest thing to remember is change takes time.
  • fullofhope76
    fullofhope76 Posts: 92
    Set some small goals and commit to getting them done. You can do this. Your motivation needs to come from within because it needs to be powerful enough to get you going. Only you know what that is. Good luck to you! Now go workout!

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