how do you motivate yourself to stick with it

The single most motivating thing my husband ever said to me was:

"How long did it take you to gain that weight? Did you gain it in a few weeks? A few months? No, it took time. If it took time to gain the weight, why wouldn't it take time to lose it?"

And it's true. Weight doesn't just fall off. If you're not willing to put in the time and work then you don't deserve it. Anything in life worth having is worth working for. I schedule the gym in my planner. I cross it off when I do it. I decide ahead of time what I'm going to do at the gym so that I look forward to it and I always feel kick *kitten* when I'm done. You just have to make it a habit!

Hi, have u tried the 5:2 way of eating

I'm just starting (again)...Day 1; for me, it helps to keep in my mind that I've done it before. And when I really saw amazing results, it's because I found something to do (active) that I really enjoyed. That made it more meaningful than just "making" myself go work out.

Think of it as a new lifestyle rather than a diet.

I understand where your coming from, I was always someone who wanted fast solutions. When I think back on all the diets I started which lasted a few months and were tough going, I am filled with regret. If I had taken on board the good advice I read on here and another forum I would have all my weight lost and be in maintainance for years. I have been losing and gaining for the past 5 years because I had an all or nothing attitude. I've changed my attitude, set my goal to lose 1 pound per week, got a fitbit and now consider this to be a life style change. I'm eating between 1500 and 2000 calories a day, eating what I want and enjoying it. For some reason the cravings that plagued me before are gone, I think it's because all my meals are satisfying, I'm not substituting real food for "diet" foods and I'm eating more protein.

Iv read sucess posts and am amazed, but when I think its going to take 1 year? 4 months? However long, I think to myself, nope, not possible, I cant do this, I cant think that ill ever be slim, its only week one, and I have negative feelings. Im 5 foot 3 and 194 pounds, so huge for my height, its gotta change, byt the lowest iv ever been is 170lb which is still big, I dont feel its possible, especially as I have now become a sahm and activity has dropped loads since I left work,
help please, how do you stay focused knowing you have such a long road ahead xxx

Honestly, I haven't read some of the other replies on here. But as someone who is 5,1ft and started at 185lbs before losing weight - I then managed to drop 28lbs in 2 months. Initially I used anger and frustration to keep me motivated. Anger that I'd let myself get that big, and anger for how I'd let my unhappiness of my weight affect other aspects of my life. Eventually I started to love the gym! It was an amazing way to destress from work and other aspects of life! But along side that, I walk a minimum of 3 miles a day, and swim minimum 3 times per week. I live in a town where unless you love getting really drunk every weekend - you don't really tend to develop much of a social circle. So as someone who doesn't drink at all - its very difficult to find someone to exercise with. Best thing to do is to set yourself mini-goals whilst you're exercising. Challenge yourself. I work 15 hour days 7 days a week. So each time I exercise I set myself a mini goal to try and take 30 secs less for each mile I walk. I don't 'deprive' myself of any kind of food - but I keep 'moderation' in the forefront of my mind. If I feel a junk food craving coming on, I will drink a bucket load of water so I feel more full, and plan somewhere to go the next day to indulge in my junk food craving, but still keeping in balance with my calorie allowance for the day. Don't look at it as changing your lifestyle, look at it like breaking a bad habit or two. Don't villanise the things you want to change, it just makes it all seem like a bigger mountain to climb than it really is!

by seeing noticeable gains, ofc

YUP,A year (almost) for me. I Was hypnotized last January and with my determination and strength, I am down 45 lbs...We aren't supposed to be weighing ourselves, but I had to know how well I was doing, right? I am new to MFP as well.Going to use it to it's full potential,I have 45 more lbs to lose!

I started Jan 20,2013. I set a goal to be at my target weight by March..I laugh now looking back. Its been almost 1 year and Im almost to my goal weight. Hind sight I wouldnt change a thing. When I reached march of last year i was a little bummed but then I said HEY you made it this far and it wasnt terrible you can keep going. Then I got into a routine. I log my whole day in the morning.I plan everything in advance. This helps me see A. How much do I need to exercise today & B. what else can eat to reach my calorie goal. I try to get as close as I can without going over. I eat what I want and I pay close attention to portion sizes. I use measuring cups/spoons and a scale to be as accurate as I can. I sarted jogging and I love it. I look forward to my workouts. Its time I get alone and I feel better mentally afterwards. My jouney hasnt been perfect, I have "fallen off the wagon" a few times but I am happy with myself and my progress. Good luck to you on your journey.

I've been here for a year and a half. This is another part of my life, like brushing my teeth, changing my clothes, just something I know I need to do.

As you have successes, you will be more tempted to keep going (that is, if you are really ready for this. Most think they are but fall off track too easily. They just aren't ready!)

Everything is about goals. Big goals and little ones. I think what helps is the fact that I set daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals. If you enjoy making your goal then you have your need in hand. For me my small goals are sometimes silly and would mean nothing to anyone else. Buy an article of clothing one size smaller and try it on in a month. Make a great food and freeze it what every you want. Just make it work for you.

It isn't easy and sometimes you will not see the results, but as long as you know that you are improving your health and that in time results will come too, it makes it easier to stick with.

When you reach your goal weight you will still have to watch your portions and exercise to be able to maintain and stay healthy and fit. It's early days, try to fit in easy wins like a daily q/w hour walk with the pram that soon add up. You can do it, believe in yourself. )

I think its important to change your perspective. Its not going to take a year, its not going to take four months. Its going to be a lifetime commitment to being healthy. Also, there is a positive and a negative to every situation. I am a mostly stay at home mom, I work about once a week outside the home, for 4-6 hours... but other than that I am stay at home. I homeschool my kids, which keeps my time pretty full, plus I am studying math on my own so that I can help my kids when they need, and in preparation for going back to college... all of that keeps me busy, but not physically active. Anyway, as a stay at home mom I can tell you that there is some advantage... it takes discipline, but you can exercise every day with the commitment you used to get up and go to work with. If your children are very small it may involve doing 10 minute bursts of activity while they are occupied, or even plopping them in a playpen and ignoring their fussing for 1/2 hour while you take care of you for a bit. Other options include putting them in a stroller and walking, nice long walks...

You can lift weights or do an exercise video while they sleep.

If they are older than you can simply teach them that mom needs this 1/2 hour or hour of exercise to be healthy, and they can color, or watch an educational program in another room, or play with toys, but are not allowed to interrupt you or get in the way while you are exercising.

Back to lifetime commitment thing, since being healthy is a lifetime commitment, rather than feeling rushed to accomplish a goal weight by a certain date, instead make some goals that are not related directly to the number on the scale. For example, "This month I'll start getting 1/2 hour of some kind of exercise... any kind, every day, and I'll keep my net calories in healthy parameters." Don't set your calories so low you feel you are starving, find out what your TDEE is and subtract 20% from that.

I have found for myself my bodymedia device also helps with my motivation. I have a certain plan, schedule for workouts, and in the past if I missed a workout, or just couldn't bring myself to do the one I was "supposed" to do that day I would get discouraged. However since I have the armband, while I still have my schedule, my fall back goal is simply to register a certain amount of activity on the band, so if I'm supposed to a weight lifting routine and I just can't get myself going, I still go for a walk. At the end of the day I can look and see successes on at least some of my goals because I reached that basic activity goal.

I still try to stick to my routine as much as I can, but I am more flexible and view the minimum activity goal as an absolute, a non-negotiable... I just do it.

Iv read sucess posts and am amazed, but when I think its going to take 1 year? 4 months? However long, I think to myself, nope, not possible, I cant do this, I cant think that ill ever be slim, its only week one, and I have negative feelings. Im 5 foot 3 and 194 pounds, so huge for my height, its gotta change, byt the lowest iv ever been is 170lb which is still big, I dont feel its possible, especially as I have now become a sahm and activity has dropped loads since I left work,
help please, how do you stay focused knowing you have such a long road ahead xxx

I think we all still have the feeling like we can't do it, at least I do. Almost everyday I think to myself "there's no way I will ever be at a "normal" BMI. I think my scale has just been lieing to be over that last few months. I haven't actually lost anything." But you have to put aside those feelings and take it one day at a time. Take before pictures now! I didn't and I wish I did. Compairing pictures will help motivate you. Pay attention to how your clothes fit. When they start getting looser, you are making progress! It's hard but make little goals and always take it one day at a time.

Last time I lost nearly 30 pounds I really did think my scale was lying to me or broken!!! I still to this day think I need to buy a new scale!