Motivation - How can I get it back?!

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LiveMore101
LiveMore101 Posts: 84 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hello everyone!!

I have been trying Myfitnesspal for some time now, for almost 2 years, or more, I would say. The problem is, I'd eat healthy a few days, recording my exercise and eating habits, but then after those days are up, my motivation to keep going starts to wear thin and I go back to guzzling down junk food.
I'm wondering how to maintain my motivation and to just KEEP going.
I don't get a ton of encouragement from family, so it's especially hard to try my hardest and get to where I want to be.

I really just want to lose 10-15 pounds. Nothing major, but big enough where it seems so hard to do.
And, speaking of that, how long do you think it'd take me to lose that?
I'm not asking for it to fade away within a day... I'm just a girl of fast results, and if I don't see 'em and get 'em, I start to give up all over again.

So, if any of you have some type of advice... Success stories or struggles yourself, I'd be very appreciative to hear it!!

Thank you!

Replies

  • rgerbertxn
    rgerbertxn Posts: 8
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    Hi!

    I am in your same boat in many ways. The most I really need to lose is 15 pounds but 10 would really be fine. I travel quite a bit for work and as a result eat out which makes it even harder. I get home and get back on track and then give in to the smallest temptations.
    I'm responding here not to discourage but to let you know that you are not alone and I hope that I see some other responses here with good motivational advice. I've been on this yo yo for about ten years. Not sure how old you are but I'm in my 40s and my whole body has changed!

    Best of luck to you (and me)!
  • LiveMore101
    LiveMore101 Posts: 84 Member
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    Hello!

    Thank you so much for responding.
    It's so good to feel that I'm not the only one here!

    If I may ask, when you say your whole body has changed, is that in a good or bad way?

    Oh, well, I'm in my late teens, so I guess there's a bit of a difference! ;)
    But, thank you, again!
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    I think that a big part of my motivation is health, not appearance. I was not grossly overweight, so the extra 35 pounds I was carrying around was not that noticeable. But changing my eating is made me feel so much better. That feeling is more motivational than the change in size.
  • rgerbertxn
    rgerbertxn Posts: 8
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    Well, as I've gotten older my metabolism seems to have changed/slowed down. If you're only in your teens you are smart to be addressing this now as you can change your diet and exercise and make it a part of your life. Best of luck!
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    Motivation is very fleeting. Build healthy habits that will ensure that you eat healthy and exercise. That's the only thing that keeps people going.
  • Denise_Valentine
    Denise_Valentine Posts: 93 Member
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    I am in the same situation with motivation, but larger goal. (50lbs) I actually took motivational quotes and posted them around my house. beside my bed on the bathroom mirror, by the kitchen sink etc.. and read them out loud. also don't step on the scale too often. weight can fluctuate daily. being on here and getting a good support team that cheers you on and comments on your posts really helps too. a good goal to set is to loose 1lb or 2lbs a week. I know it's small but realistic. add me and i'll cheer you on!

    one of my fav quotes..

    "Make time for it. just get it done. nobody ever got strong or got in shape by thinking about it. they did it!"
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
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    Watch a Rocky movie. Especially the part where he climbs the mountain in Rocky IV and shouts DRAGO!!! at the top! If that doesn't motivate you then nothing will! Haha!
  • karlospiklington
    karlospiklington Posts: 143 Member
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    Watch a Rocky movie. Especially the part where he climbs the mountain in Rocky IV and shouts DRAGO!!! at the top! If that doesn't motivate you then nothing will! Haha!

    That is good advice. I find playing the rocky theme tune any time I can't be bothered to exercise makes me want to run through the streets wearing a headband.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    Try to find an activity you enjoy and exercise might even be easy. You have to try a lot of things to find one that really gets you sometimes. So check out what sorts of possibilities there are around you or on DVD and just start jumping in :)

    Another suggestion is weight lifting, because you'll definitely be able to tell you are doing something. The physical changes come fast, but before that you'll see strength progressions quickly enough that it's motivating. And from the very first, you'll get DOMS, lol.

    The food thing is harder, I think. Of course, any little change is better than no change, so those are easy to add in if you take a minute to check the calories of choices. Then that becomes so easy that you do it more and more. The only problem with doing the food part that way is that the results aren't necessarily fast. But it's a very easy thing to add in the meantime, imho. Like check the cereal you eat and try a different kind with fewer calories to see if you like it. You'll find lots of things that you do like that help cut back, usually :)
  • thintuition
    thintuition Posts: 2
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    Here are a few things I've noticed have been working for me:
    1. Study a raw food diet!! - I'm far from being a vegan BUT when you look at calories nature has and then look at the cereal box! Realizing this I like to add raw food once or twice a day and feel like I'm treating myself when I eat anything above 100 calories! Lol. This knowledge has helped me not go over the calorie limit so I feel successful there!
    2. I watched Black Hawk Down one day. Josh Hartnett used to be in all the magazines. Throughout the whole movie everyone was running somewhere. This was the first time after a movie I was feeling like running!
    3. Find youtube videos that have exercising that you like. Maybe even just watch some and hopefully you'll want to jump in - maybe have coffee before watching so you'll have energy for it!
    4. NO OFFENSE, but, you BECOME who you hang around!!! The friends I hung out with were obese - now I am. My older sister hung out with small and cute and chubby- Now my sister's close group of friends is tiny and run marathons together!
    5. If I eat junk food, I don't feel like working out BUT USUALLY if I start walking for 20 or more minutes, after a couple times I feel like I should eat healthier.
    6. My new favorite thing right now is cinnamon! I put honey and cinnamon in my old fashioned quaker oats! And you can slice an apple (I hate sour apples!) any kind but sour! unless you like those! Lol! XD! Slice the apple, sprinkle cinnamon on it and put it in the microwave until hot! (A minute or two) ...It tastes like apple PIE :) ... Our store doesn't have organic apples - I hate GMO's! So I have organic applesauce with cinnamon! Yesterday my man brought home a chocolate creme pie with calories gallore! it tasted like chocolate pudding on a crust with gross whip cream. The pudding part was yummy! One piece 360 calories! For a cup of applesauce and cinnamon I saved 172 calories. :)
    This is what has helped me-hope I have passed some help on :)
  • LiveMore101
    LiveMore101 Posts: 84 Member
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    Wow!
    Thank you all who have replied to my post!
    Some of what you guys are saying is great stuff! :)
    I didn't realize I could get so much encouragement on here! Thank you!
  • julie2000anne
    julie2000anne Posts: 14 Member
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    One thing that helps me is Pinterest, believe it or not. If you look at the Health & Fitness category, there are lots of inspirational things that motivate me!
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
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    I'd say to set smaller goals that are attainable rather quickly but add up to your overall goal in the long run. For some people's personality type, the "health is a marathon not a sprint" mentality doesn't go so well if they set goals in large chunks. Maybe shoot for weekly goals first and build up from there. Instead of saying my goal is to loose 15 lbs, say my goal for this week is to loose .75-1 lb through 7 days of staying on track then build from there.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Everybody is different, but at 19 you should be able to drop 10-15 lbs in a few months. If you are currently maintaining your weight, you could do it by exercise alone, provided you did not change your current diet. You'd need to be careful that exercise didn't make you eat more.

    Try setting fitness goals for yourself. Something you could realistically reach in a few weeks. Once you meet the goal, set another. The changing goals will help keep you motivated.

    Work on cleaning up your diet later. You don't have to totally give up fast food or your favorite treats. Just work some vegetables in there as well.
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
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    keep tracking what you eat--even if they are bad days. It will give you motivation to change the next day. ask for help and motivation on MFP...like you just did. : ) good luck!

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