How do you stay movitvated when it is so easy to give up ?
MsJennyffer
Posts: 85 Member
Just went over my page and read my "About me" , "WHy I want to get in shape", and "My inspirations andddd I am very happy to share with out that I don't exactly feel that way anymore. ( If you don't know what I mean go take a look)
I still have work to do but I feel better about my self. I don't want to update it because I want to leave it as a reminder of why I began, and for motivation to keep going. Slowly but surely Ill get to my goal.
So how do you stay motivated?
I still have work to do but I feel better about my self. I don't want to update it because I want to leave it as a reminder of why I began, and for motivation to keep going. Slowly but surely Ill get to my goal.
So how do you stay motivated?
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Think about how good you'll look once your done! Get pictures a fit models and every day girls and them everywhere! In your mirror, on the background of your phone, it doesn't matter anywhere! Also there are some great motivational videos on YouTube! I can give you the name of some great videos!0
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Because I like a challenge! Giving up is too easy, plus, stronger, fitter that's the push. I do it to prove doctors wrong, doubters wrong and myself wrong.
If I say I can't do it, that's a challenge to then do it!0 -
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I have given up before and don't like how I feel afterward. I Just keep plugging away and chipping away at the pounds. There are some days I am more motivated than others. There are also days I don't exercise or eat at maintenance. I will not give up though. These are short breaks of maybe a day or two.0
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Motivation is fleeting...it doesn't last.
Determination is the key. Have a reason - and post that reason everywhere. When I began this journey, mine was, "I want to be beautiful in my husband's eyes." I felt so unattractive back then, so now that inspires me to continue because it confirms how far I have come, and how I have transformed myself both physically and emotionally.
I am also working on a collage - pictures to inspire me to reach my goal, which includes BEFORE pictures - to document where I was - as well as pictures that represent where I am going.0 -
To me, motivation comes and goes. Success is a matter of decision, and at times it's separate from mood and emotion. I don't always feel motivated to go to the gym when I get off work. Some days I'd rather curl up in bed, especially when the months get darker and longer. Sometimes I would really like that extra glass of wine or a larger bowl of ice cream.
But conscious decision isn't swayed by fleeting moods and emotion. I may feel like telling someone to F*** OFF if they give me a tight work deadline, but it doesn't mean I should, and more often than not, it's best if I make the conscious decision not to. So there are times I make the conscious decision to go to the gym even though I don't want to. Or make the conscious decision to not have the cookie that is offered to me at work.
If I have decided that I want to be fitter and lose weight, if I want results, I have to stand by it, regardless of how I feel on a particular day. (Granted, there are days if I'm battling illness or it's my birthday I will be flexible) but as a rule, I find the Nike way to make the decision and "just do it" gets it done when motivation isn't always there. I hope this makes sense. :drinker:0 -
Find your carrot! lol. A trainer friend of mine from the gym gave me that advice before I lost 112 lbs. When he first said it to me I looked at him oddly. And he meant no disrespect, just he said "how do you get a donkey to move? You dangle a carrot in front of its face". He wasn't calling me a donkey ... it was an analogy but you have to find your carrot. Mine was being tired of being the single fat girl and wanting to find love. When I wanted to give up, I just mentally visualized my "carrot" and it kept me on track. Everyone has a carrot ... find yours!0
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It can be hard to keep motivated when the scale slows down. Which it always does at some point. When I was my top weight at 237, and my Triglycerides were close to 700 which meant Diabetes was knocking on my door, I started making changes in my diet and activity level. After my mom died, right before my granddaughter was born and I turned 49, that was the final push to get really serious about losing the weight as well. Not wanting to hit 50 at that weight was a huge motivation.
But now the 50th birthday has passed. My weight is out of the Obese range. My Triglycerides are down to 147. And I am in size 12 jeans. (down from 20s). I look and feel so much better. All my family and friends are telling me I am skinny (yeah, right) and even my doctor has said I have lost enough.
But I am still around180. That is too much for 5'6". That extra 25 lbs is still too much extra stress on my back and joints.
So I have to remind myself that this is not a diet. This is a permanent lifestyle change. And even tho I am lucky to get 1 pound a month at this point, as long as I continue to make any progress at all, I will eventually reach my goal weight, and this will remain a way of life for me so that I don't gain any weight back.
I so wish that I could open the eyes of many of the young people today to look forward to the time they will be 40 or 50 and decide where they want their health to be at that time, and start working toward that goal NOW.
It was SO much easier to simply lose weight when I was in my teens and 20s, but I really wish I had educated myself more about nutrition and exercise back then, so I never would have reached 80 pounds overweight by my 40s.
Kudos to you OP for taking control of your health at this age. Trust me, it doesn't get any easier.0 -
It is hard, very hard. When my alarm goes off at 5:45 every morning to exercise, I often ask why am I doing this, I could have another hour at least in bed!
Even when I'm working out I think why am I doing this!! But I do it because I know how rubbish I feel if I don’t, it helps me with so much in my life, not just being healthy and feeling better about myself.. this is what I tell myself constantly, I know how awful I use to feel before I changed my lifestyle and I’m not prepared to go back to that, No matter how hard it is.
You have to be mentally strong and push through! I know its hard and you often wonder why you bother but it is worth it and just think how you would feel if you gave up.. Be strong, you can do it.0 -
Focus on what I have accomplished rather that how much farther I have to go.0
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Focus on what I have accomplished rather that how much farther I have to go.
Maybe it is easy to give up? But think of it this way. Getting/staying in shape is hard. So is being fat.
Pick your hard. I would rather my "hard" be maxing out in the weight room or bringing down my mile time...instead of being out of breath trying to climb a flight of stairs...0 -
Focus on seeing the next lb off on the scales. Forget the overall goal..concentrate on the next lb and set yourself mini targets..0
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Ok my carrot is being able to walk pain free in disney world in 4.5 months. I lost 16 pounds in Aug and sept. slowed down in oct and gained back 2 pounds. Went to NY to watch my hubby do the marathon who was incredible and I was in soooo much pain with all the extra weight and walking 5-6 miles up and down and around manhattan to see him run and meet him at the finish and get home. Now back home, I think I twisted or pulled something in my left ankle/ calf cause could barely walk past three days. Needless to say, there was also food and family in abundance this past week and I didn't log anything!!
Sooooo back to logging, making better choices, will walk 20-30 minutes slowly by Friday and will use your carrot advice. If I can lose 30 pounds in next 4.5 months and condition myself to walk more I will have fun in Disney instead of being stuck in these horrible poor meees I've had the past three days. A vacation should be A reward; not a nightmare that caused me sooo much anxiety the few days before and the poor meees the few days after. It is about determination And not motivation. My motivation goes up and down not just by the day or week, but every few hours.0 -
I listen to the Rocky theme tune. There's nothing like some funk bass and a brass fanfare to make you want to get outside and exercise. Or just put a headband on and punch stuff. Either is good.0
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Because I like a challenge! Giving up is too easy, plus, stronger, fitter that's the push. I do it to prove doctors wrong, doubters wrong and myself wrong.
If I say I can't do it, that's a challenge to then do it!
^^^This.
Also fear is a great motivator too lol. I'm terrified of needles. If I don't lose weight I'm going to end up diabetic. <<<Fear driven xD0 -
DebbieLyn63 thank you for posting. We're almost twins in age and numbers and your post really really touched me. I had bacterial meningitis in Feb( 4 th major hospitalization for issues from cancer to gall bladder to blood clots then meningitis in past 8 years ) and each one was a 20 pound loss in the hospital, 3-6 month recovery with minimal activity and gain back of weight + 10 because activity was walking from couch or bed to bathroom Then After meningitis I had to take Depacote for migraines and instead of going back to my 230-240 range I actually saw 260 in the doctor office who quickly told me people gain 20-30 pounds quickly like in a month with depacote. So now decreasing that med and taking water pills and logging got to first 250 and then 237 on here. But am 45 and have very high cholesterol and tri numbers which my dr said he rarely sees in any of his patients and have a brother and sister with juvenile diabetes and my Dad boarder line adult onset and am also on blood thinners for clotting issues for life and welchol for cholesterol and about 8 other meds.... Anyway at 45 years old and still have a pair of red jean Mickey Mouse shorts size 12 that I quickly lost weight and went from 210 to 180/ 175 "easily" in my 30 s to wear to Disney World then. But know at 5'6" if I could get to the 180/175 these would fit again and make my trip in 4.5 months such a reward. I want to hit 46 at that weight and if I slowly go lower by another 10 pounds in 10 months after that fine. It's soooo much harder now being just a few years older and lots more health issues.
Thank you for posting. Your similar age and numbers helped me relate and not feel so list and alone and in a dark place today.
Good luck. You're my blessing for today!0 -
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WILLPOWER!
it really depends on bad u want it?0 -
So how do you stay motivated?
The mirror and how my clothes fit.0 -
I look at my old pictures and my empty nightstand which is now free of medicines that were due to my extra weight and that is more than enough motivation for me to keep up the fight. I have iron will and refuse to walk that road again,0
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After 2 years, it's become habit. The only motivation I've had has been to be able to buy clothes at regular-sized shops. Now that I can do that, I keep going because what I've done is build habits.
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GIVING UP IS NOT AN OPTION!!!
That is my theory.....0 -
I'm glad this photo happened.0 -
I like to look at the "reports" when I feel my motivation slipping. Something about that downward line that brings be back to the reality that I am rocking this. Also, I find that reading the "Success Stories" gives me a little boost...0
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I'm a very goal-oriented person, so my weight loss goal is like any other goal. I do not accept failure.
I will keep working at it until it is accomplished. So, when I don't feel like it, I remind myself of what needs to be done to achieve the end goal.0 -
Because I feel so much better since I've been paying attention to my diet and eating (what I think is) a healthy diet. I have more energy during the day. I sleep better at night. Sure, I do miss my old breakfast of two meat, egg and cheese biscuits, but it's just not worth the risk of feeling like I did for so long: unwell.0
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I stay motivated by setting small, incremental goals and by realizing this is a long process.
There is no secret, no crash diet that works long term, no magic pill or supplement, no way to jump start the weight loss, and most important, there is no excuse to not move more.
Being tired is NOT a valid excuse, even a 20 minute walk around the neighborhood is better than that same 20 minutes spent sitting on the couch surfing the 'net and eating.
Also, for me a huge part of successfully reaching my goal weight was I kept my goals and what I was doing to myself. I made no grand announcements to friends or family. I just started eating better and moving more. That took the outside pressure off to be immediately successful and allowed me to play around with what worked.0 -
<<<< would rather look like this than what I used to
Vanity mainly. :-) The health thing is a great side effect!0 -
I rely alot on visual things. There's a dress that I love by can't fit into, and that's lying out. I've got a note next to my bed telling me to run when I wake up, not hit snooze. I keep reminding myself that if I like losing weight more than I like being lazy, and I feel better losing weight than I do being lazy, then how come I keep being lazy? But also diversion tactics. Like brushing my teeth when I'm hungry.0
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