how do you motivate yourself to stick with it

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  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    motivation comes from inside. you have to love yourself enough. and once you see results it becomes an addiction. no motivation needed.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,123 Member
    OK
    1) I imagine most people's activity levels would INCREASE being a SAHM running after little ones all day. Try to introduce more activities that you can take the kids with you to keep you active. Go to the park and instead of watching from the bench... play with them. Go to the museum (since I'm sure its probably cold outside). Lots of walking to do there. Play hide and seek... simon says.. whatever gets you moving.
    2) Losing weight is WAY more than physical. I would say 50% of it is MENTAL. You have to stop thinking like a fat person. Why can't you be skinny? There's no law against it. It's all within your power... within your reach... you just have to want it bad enough. You know what they say... "nothing tastes as good as being thin feels". That's what I keep telling myself.

    But, for some people... thinking of it from a "I want to be skinny" point of view is too much pressure and makes them obsessed. So think of it this way... "I want to be healthy for my kids" "I want to set a good (healthy) example for them so they grow up to be lean, healthy adults because they learned GREAT habits from me." Don't think "oh my gawwwwd I have to do this FOREVER? that's such a long time!... but I like french fries!" This doesn't have to be all or nothing. Its day by day... a healthy choice instead of an unhealthy one. I don't eat much fast food... because I've been away from it long enough that I get really sick if I eat it now. But, occasionally I have no choice and we go to Wendy's or wherever and I just try to make a smart choice from the menu. Grilled chicken wrap and baked potato with water (instead of burger, fries, soda).

    I still eat ice cream now and then (usually frozen yogurt). I still have pizza now and then (only 2 slices). You just have to make swaps.. make good choices most of the time... and you can allow yourself to have the other stuff in moderation. Make a deal with yourself... "ok... I can have a glass of wine tonight but I have to work out for 20min to earn the calories". Pretty soon it won't be a chore... it'll be second nature to you.

    I just logged 81 days (in a row, I've been on consistently since March)... I've only lost 6# so far (gained, lost, etc here and there) but I'm in the same size I was in HS... and that means more than the weight. Good luck. Take 1 day at a time.
  • ginalhorst
    ginalhorst Posts: 23
    I read this the other day and find it extremely helpful in the world of eating right and "diet" I hope it helps!!! God Bless :)

    “Forget about those New Year’s resolutions in which you decide on the first day of January how you will be conducting your life in September, some nine months later. Here’s why: any resolution that involves you making decisions about long-range upcoming behavior reinforces the self-defeating notion of living in the future rather than in the present moment. In fact, you can go about resolving until the cows come home, and you still have to live your life just like everyone else on this planet—ONE DAY AT A TIME. The important questions to be asking yourself are “How am I going to use my present moments this year?” and “Will I waste them in reviewing to myself how I used to behave, or how I would like to behave in the future, rather than resolving to live each day to the fullest?”

    What you can do is set up day-to-day goals for yourself, and then resolve to begin living with present moment awareness for the rest of your life. For example, instead of deciding you are going to give up sugar for a year, resolve to go one day without eating sugar. Anyone can do virtually anything if it is for only one day. When you go for one whole day without eating sugar (or any other new behavior), you are a totally different person at the end of that day. Learn to let that totally different person decide on the second day whether he or she wants to do it again on this new day, rather than letting the same old person decide that it is only going to be difficult in a couple of days anyhow, “so what’s the use.” Always let the new you make the decision, and then you’ll be living your present moments.

    You know how easy it is to give up on a resolution, and you may have attributed this to some character flaw or personality weakness. Not so! You give up on your resolutions because your mind resists the notion of trying to live your life in long stretches, when it is patently impossible to do so. It is simply a matter of asking yourself at the beginning of the day, “How do I want to conduct my life today?” Then very directly begin to carry out your goals for the day. When you get good at living your present moments one day at a time, you’ll see yourself changing right before your own surprised eyes. Remember, anyone can do anything for just one day, so tune out the sentences that keep you locked into your old self-defeating ways and begin to enjoy each day of your bright new year.”
    Wayne Dyer
  • xjupiter87x
    xjupiter87x Posts: 10 Member
    Just keep going take pictures of yourself and eventually it will happen and you will notice the change, which will keep you going. I myself didnt notice a change until i looked at old pictures. So i became my own motivation . When you get into the right mindset anything is possible
  • callas444
    callas444 Posts: 261 Member
    Habits- they define our everyday lives. We do nearly everything just by habit including driving! The hardest thing about changing your life is replacing habits that are hurting you with habits that make you more healthy (physically, emotionally, mentally, etc). It varies by person, but it takes several weeks to a couple months to make a new habit.

    Why is that important? Once you make healthy eating and moving more habits in your life, they become much easier. Yes, you still have to want it and believe in yourself (and no one can do that for you). But keep doing little things and make them a habit, and you will change. Fix things a little at a time or all at once. It's up to you. Push through it and give yourself small goals. Give yourself rewards for every 5 or 10 pounds (not food rewards). They don't have to cost money or cost much.

    And we all screw up, so give yourself a break. But don't make excuses, make plans on how not to screw up next time. You're worth it. You are the only person who can do this for you. You have to want it and you have to decide that you're ready and you're worth the effort it takes to change!
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    Admittedly, I've tried to maintain my weight because if I had to lose a lot of weight over a long period I fear that I would be overwhelmed. But when I am in full weight-loss mode I try to focus on what I'm doing RIGHT NOW. The past is over and the future hasn't happened. I try to stay with thoughts such as:

    Am I eating sensibly?
    As I'm eating, am I appreciating it?
    Am I being active by going to the gym or some other form of structured exercise?
    Did I take the stairs when I could instead of using the elevator?
    Did I walk instead of using mass transit if that was an option?
    Do I feel good? Why?
    Do I feel deprived? Why? It's not pleasant, but is it really unbearable, or am I letting my mind exaggerate? ..
  • repertoire
    repertoire Posts: 53 Member
    I'm making this my hobby. I track, study my tracking, think on it …. plan meals, plan exercise … It's kinda fun.

    Love this!
  • anlu37
    anlu37 Posts: 100 Member
    For me, it's not about motivation. It's about commitment. I am committed. I tell everyone I can that I am losing weight and why I am doing it. If I do that, I will stick to it so that I don't make a liar out of myself.

    27508099.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools
  • Fit_little_vegan
    Fit_little_vegan Posts: 36
    Rewards + goals = my success
    Lol but really I used to set weight goals for myself and if I met them than I was allowed to shop at a certain store. Like "I will not shop at *insert store* till I reach this weight" and it worked :) tough maybe harsh but it worked.
    Pre baby: size 0 (105-110)
    Post baby: size 13(185 in hospital, 175 post baby)
    Now: size 1
    It took till my daughter was a year old.
    Not at my goal yet but I'm still 100% motivated to get there :)
    Btw I'm a sahm too
    Single mom, no breastfeeding and had a selective c-section
    No excuses! Remember that <3
    If you want to reach your goal you can
  • HealthWoke0ish
    HealthWoke0ish Posts: 2,078 Member
    A real key for me was to set my goals far in the future...that way, I was less inclined to look at a date (because it was so far off in the distance) and, instead, focus on the process and just kind of knuckle down and get obsessed about perfecting my process.

    Other than that...sometimes it's just a matter of get-up-and-do-it-even-when-I-don't-wanna for me. :) Whatever you do, I hope it works. Good luck! :smile:

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