How do you find the motivation to keep going?

this is a very serious question. The bottom line is I never want to go back to where I was. I was to tired all the time, I never had the energy to do anything. I stopped going to the beach with my friends because I did not want to put on a swimsuit. I did not even want to go in the pool with my family because I was embarrassed. My doc was not happy with my cholesterol. Even my little dogs wouldn't sit on my lap because I barely had one (sad, but true) even doing laundry was becoming a hard chore. I was depressed and angry so I put more food in my mouth. My clothes were to tight and getting tighter every day. I didn't want to look in the mirror and I realized I hadn't taken a photo with my kids in 2 years! I was always the one taking the photos not wanting to be in them! I don't ever want to go back to that and think about it every time I start losing my motivation. I took my first full body photo in over to years for my profile pic here! it felt amazing. I have to admit my kids keep me motivated now. They call and ask what ya do today and I can respond with I jogged 4 miles!!! I feel good and that motivates me to keep going. I have made calorie counting a game and my family has been supportive. My daughter (who is 20) has serious obesity that runs on her fathers side of the family, she has always been active but now she is really into fitness and I am proud of her. She looks to me for guidance and now I can give her advice so she has a healthy relationship with food and is not scared of eating or in danger of developing an eating disorder. MFP has been the guiding force behind me keeping motivated. A good group of friends here that do not judge but encourage me to keep going. I have tried ediets, adkins, south beach in the past. All unsustainable. But here, the way we log in our food and know just how much we can eat depending on exercise, has proven to me I can do this and I can do it long term! good luck!

watch this type of *kitten* every night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLv0Vsegmoo

Thank you for this link. I'm going to watch all of these.

No problem, just found this series tonight and it is extremely interesting

Thanks for this. It was exactly what I needed today. :flowerforyou:

I have to work a lot too, and I had this problem. Something that helps me when I work a lot is to make something in bulk on the weekends and either freeze it or refrigerate it for the week. Salads, casseroles, chili, etc. Crockpot receipes on Sunday are great for this, but really could be anything. Normally, those foods are much better having been made at home than if I were to grab McD's or stuff from a vending machine and much more filling. Also, I found I am more productive and have better work results when I leave work at lunch even if it's just for 10 minutes to go for a walk. It helps reduce my stress. Part of it was an attitude that I wasn't worth the time and effort for this, and I had to change that belief. Why do you feel like you can't make or take time for lunch? Do your other co-workers get lunch? Why are they so much more special than you that they are allowed lunch but you aren't?

WOW sounds like you have nailed it this time and have the right attitude.

I'm not in a hurry to lose it either and just think getting fitter and healthier is the way forward.

Good luck on your journey x

watch this type of *kitten* every night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLv0Vsegmoo

Thank you for this link. I'm going to watch all of these.

Ooh, thanks! I'll check that out tonight.

There is an old story that says when seafaring adventurers finally arrived at their destination they burned their ships. There was no going back, they had no choice but to survive.

If you new way of eating is something that has become a lifestyle change, there is no going back. It is only when it is a diet (temporary) that we hop on and off. Burn your ships! The old way of living is gone.

At a certain point, motivation is irrelevant. Your new habits simply becomes the way you live your life.

The thing that crystallized all this for me was realizing that my body has it's own timeline, and I am not in control of how many pounds I lose in a week. It's my job to eat well, track my calories, move every day, and be patient while my body slowly changes. Getting fixated on a certain rate of weight loss sets me up for failure.

Find a way of living that is good to your body, and then just live. Get on with your life and don't over think it.

Motivation is temporary. Will power even more so.

SIS