Staying motivated ALL day

Roma989
Roma989 Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
Every day I wake up feeling really motivated about keeping to my calorie goal and I usually do for breakfast and sometimes lunch, but then around dinner I completely throw it out the window. I'm not sure what happens but I lose my motivation as the day goes by. Even though I know that I'll be happier if I stuck to my goal intake every day, I always end up eating candy and/or a bog dinner and ruining that day.
Anyone have any ways to keep yourself motivated ALL day and not just in the morning? Or ways to keep yourself distracted from snacking?

Replies

  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Oh, good grief... I don't stay motivated all day. I don't even stay motivated every day! Motivation is a cool thing; it gets you started, and it gives you boosts along the way, but you really can't rely on it to stick around all the time. You really have to make small realistic changes and stay consistent with them until they become habit.

    It's very common to want to eat more later on in the day. I don't know if people feel tired and therefore their will power lags or what, but it's not unusual for people to start reaching for sweets etc and blow their goal for the day. If that's what's getting in your way, then work with it. Experiment with meal timing and frequency to suit your preferences. Allow more calories for when you are more inclined to eat. For example, I often don't feel like breakfast, and I like to eat a lot in the evening, so that's how I structure my intake. A small lunch, a large evening meal followed by evening snacking. If you like candy, then allow for it in your day. Maybe even log it in your diary at the beginning of the day, and work around it. I have chocolate nearly every day, and it hasn't slowed me down at all. I absolutely don't feel motivated to count calories all the time, but it's just what I do now, so I do it.

    Some people pre-plan and pre-log all their food for the day, and that works to stop them mindlessly snacking through the day. You could try that. Some people find that having a good routine and only eating at certain times works for them. With all this stuff though, once it becomes habit, it's a lot easier. It's not about being "on a diet", and keeping going as long as you can through sheer willpower, it's about making changes that you can actually live with, and then being consistent.

    And try to stop looking at a day as "ruined" if you happen to exceed your calorie intake. If you see it in such black and white terms, you're more likely to end up quitting because it's too hard. Perfection isn't required to be successful. :flowerforyou:
  • Sweetredpoison
    Sweetredpoison Posts: 66 Member
    This happens to me as well. The one big thing I noticed is that if i don't have anything planned it all goes out the window when I come home from work. Also put it in your diary before you eat it, so you are less inclined to go over and you stick with what you plan on eating.
  • Roma989
    Roma989 Posts: 2
    I used to be in the habit of not snacking and staying under my goal but I never saw it as a habit. If I can get back into it it'll be much easier! Thanks :smile:
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Make sure not to set your calories too low, too. It's later in the day that I definitely notice if I've eaten fewer calories than I need. That can cause a lot of snacking or even binging in folks. The snacking's not bad if it just gets you up to what you need to eat by then.

    I snack more than I eat lunch, but I do make sure to hit my macros and not eat complete junk, lol. If I ate lunch I'd probably still snack, so it works nicely that I like smaller bits of good food (often!) :)
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    Yeah, I'd say your calories are probably too low. By the time you get to the end of the day your body is desperate for calories and makes you eat a load of food. If you eat more calories throughout the day your body shouldn't feel the need to do this.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Every day I wake up feeling really motivated about keeping to my calorie goal and I usually do for breakfast and sometimes lunch, but then around dinner I completely throw it out the window. I'm not sure what happens but I lose my motivation as the day goes by. Even though I know that I'll be happier if I stuck to my goal intake every day, I always end up eating candy and/or a bog dinner and ruining that day.
    Anyone have any ways to keep yourself motivated ALL day and not just in the morning? Or ways to keep yourself distracted from snacking?
    You're losing your DESIRE not motivation. A motivated person will do what it takes to complete a goal. You're inspired, but not truly motivated.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • blueham5
    blueham5 Posts: 67 Member
    Just keep yourself busy and you won't stress about keeping under your calorie goal until meal time comes around.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Some people pre-plan and pre-log all their food for the day, and that works to stop them mindlessly snacking through the day.
    ^This. Even if you just prelog your dinner sometime after lunch. You'll see the direct result of the choices you made earlier in the day: How many calories do you have left for dinner? How much protein & fiber do you need to get? (The MFP goals are minimums.) Then plug in different meals to see how they fit your macros. Perhaps you'll have enough calories left for a small snack, like a piece of really good chocolate, a small handful of nuts with a little fresh fruit, or Greek yogurt? Try to choose snacks that are delicious, nutritious, and filling.
  • afat12
    afat12 Posts: 178 Member
    Are you eating enough? I'd say take a break and treat yourself to a few little things every now and then. I know if I am super strict all the time it just sets me up to eventually overeat and overindulge. Best of luck to you :flowerforyou:

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