What's going to be my motivation this time? HELP!

well. having to move for work is certainly stressful. heres what helped me. I had to go for a blood test early in the morning, and was in the testing office with about 20 folks in their 60s & slightly more (I'm 53) and only 3 of them WERENT in walkers. and they werent steady on their feet. I go to a small gym with a bunch of older ladies & all of them walk upright, heads high & shoulders back, , have a spring in their steps & those who are diabetics have reduced their insulin dosage since attending, and control their blood surgars with exercise, and all of them are full of pep & vigor & are thoroughly enjoying their retirment... compared to the folks getting their blood tested who needed help to get out of a chair.... that made me think cuz its less than 20 yrs away for me.. so onward with exercise & keeping active & eating healthier.

Hello Dennis,

I'm afraid it's true that motivation comes from within, you're either in it 100% or you're not.

I am at the moment, thankfully. My reason though, unfortunately, is because I am a type 2 diabetic. This is all down to my unhealthy lifestyle and I can only ask you to, please, not get like me!

Losing weight slowly and exercising regularly is actually the best thing I have ever done. The more I do, the more I want to. So get going in small steps and you will get to where you want to be.

My motivation is my desire to remain healthy. I know that there is no time like now to do what I need to do to stay fit. I'm 57 and not getting any younger.

I broke my wrist, requiring surgery 8 years ago and during that time, I was on pain killers and could not exercise due to swelling. I hated being immobile. Don't want to go back there again.

I want to minimize my chances of reduced mobility, so I work out most days of the week, doing exercise I like to do.
It's not a chore for me to eat right and exercise, I do it because it is my lifestyle.

Find exercise you like to do, you are in a new neighborhood, get out and go for a walk after dinner. Switch calorie heavy dinners for something more appropriate to your energy requirements and control portion size. If you need a snack, make it a healthy snack that is providing nutrition rather than empty calories.

Good luck, you can do this.

Dennis,

Welcome to the MFP forums!

What got me going and kept me going was part vanity, part enough-is-enough, and part family history. Ten years and a few kids ago I was a naturally trim and exercised regularly, which felt great -strong and energized. After 40, I was tubby, tired, couldn't get up the stairs without huffing and puffing, and was unhappy with the way I looked and felt. There was also the specter of family medical histories, and I wanted to make sure that our kids started out with a mindset of balance and smart choices when it came to their health. It was the third time I tried to lose weight, but I wanted it for real this time so I buckled down and did the work. It took a little over a year to get where I am, but the results were consistant and usually the way I wanted them to go. The few times I started gaining back, the "I did not come this far ..." conviction took over, and I used my mess ups to get back on track.

Like you, I am a stress eater. My first step was to limit as much as possible poor choices coming into the house, substituting them with healthier things I liked. That way, if I found myself stress eating, then at least it was a good choice. I also set myself an easy goal - 25 pounds in 10 months - so pressure was low and if I screwed up there was time to rebuild. Finally, I try not to go into the kitchen after dinner. There have been times I've asked my husband to finish the clean up alone since I know what will happen if I'm in there!

Exercise was well worth the time, even though it was hard in the beginning. I can't recommend it enough, though. It is a fantastic way to beat down the stress and to stay out of the kitchen. I can choose to think or tune out, depending on what I need. In addition to the people I now greet regulalry, I've been luck enough to make a few friends. Exercise puts me in control of a tons of different things, how I feel and act just being two of them. And the sense of accomplishment I get is a huge reinforcer. I am back to feeling fit and energetic; I am a calmer, happier person when I exercise regularly. There are tons of ways to begin; choose one that might be fun, and go for it. If you don't like it, no big deal, there's always something else to try out.


Best of luck in your new job! If you are gutsy enough to leap into that, know that you have what it takes to do this, too.