How do I keep myself motivated?

I had same problem what i did was start joining 5k races zombie run color me rad etc.... then i was hooked .
don't think about it just sign up and start training find a friend to also do the run you can both hold your self accountable
i used the couch to 5k app but there is plenty out there . good luck

You know, this is the golden question. It varies from person to person and is the MOST important aspect of making a healthy lifestyle change.

I'll share what helped for me. When I realized MFP had a forum and started reading the threads and making friends. Seeing the success of my peers combined with all of the information I was both learning and unlearning really helped to keep me motivated. In short, it was becoming a part of this wonderful community, meeting some wonderful friends, and making my health a priority in my life instead of an afterthought.

You know, this is the golden question. It varies from person to person and is the MOST important aspect of making a healthy lifestyle change.

I'll share what helped for me. When I realized MFP had a forum and started reading the threads and making friends. Seeing the success of my peers combined with all of the information I was both learning and unlearning really helped to keep me motivated. In short, it was becoming a part of this wonderful community, meeting some wonderful friends, and making my health a priority in my life instead of an afterthought.

Thank you for sharing. That's a really great story. I've just been looking at how much progress some people in this community have made and it's amazing. It's really great how they all help and encourage each other. Hopefully I'll take a leaf out of your book!

Another bit of advice I'd like to give is to not get discouraged. When people are trying to lose weight, they are often emotional about it. When they ask questions here, they often perceive disagreement or bluntness as negativity or rudeness. That is rarely the case. So if you ask a question and you feel like people are being rude, step back, take a deep breath, and try to see the information they are giving objectively instead of emotionally.

You have to REALLY want this. REALLY REALLY. More than you want chocolate, or a bag of chips, or whatever unhealthy food you may crave. A coworker asked me why I wasn't eating the chocolate that was laying around, and I said because I want to lose weight more than I want that chocolate. You may not be there right now. And that's okay. Be patient with yourself. And most of all, love yourself. :flowerforyou:

First of all, I wanted to say you are a beautiful young woman, just as you are. You've got a very pretty face and gorgeous hair. Believe it or not, most people are not looking at you and judging your harshly. Those who do are not worth your time or attention.

As far as motivation goes, I would try to figure out the different priorities you have to figure out if there are any conflicts.

For example, you may want to lose weight for college but you also may not want to be miserable or to starve. Once you figure out all the things that you want, and what you assume getting those things means, it may help you sort things out.

Losing weight doesn't require that you starve yourself. It also doesn't mean doing painful exercise. It means figuring out what works for you. So if you like cake, you figure out how to factor a small amount into your calories. If you don't like running, choose another physical activity you do like - walking, weight lifting, yoga, dancing, whatever.

If you are eating for comfort or other emotional reasons, figure out how you can meet your needs in other ways that don't require food. In the end, food is not capable of meeting emotional needs.

Good luck!