Motivation to keep going when you feel great?

Nedra19455
Nedra19455 Posts: 241 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've only lost 6 lbs of the 70 lb I will need to lose in order to reach a healthy BMI. But I already feel so much healthier and more energetic! And I like the way I look!

So even though it would be awesome to actually lose a lot more, I'm having a harder time getting motivated. If I stopped now, I could avoid having to buy new clothes and, to be honest, I'm pretty afraid of when I hit the plateau -- there's a certain sense of "should I quit now while I'm ahead?"

I've only been at this for 3.5 weeks and I'm pretty sure I am going to keep going -- mostly because I am curious about what it feels like to be half my current pant size -- but has anyone else gone through an early decrease in motivation after being fairly successful so far?

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    multiply how you feel x10...and you will have how you feel when you are 60lbs lighter...
  • scubasuenc
    scubasuenc Posts: 626 Member
    For me it has been the opposite. Early success has encouraged me to continue.

    However I have been dreading and expecting the dreaded plateau every week for six months. I haven't hit it yet. I've had weeks were the loss has been less than a pound, but they were usually followed by weeks with larger than expected losses.

    Don't let the fear of a plateau stop you from continuing. If you feel better after 6 lbs. imagine how you will feel after 12 lbs or 18 lbs.

    I'm a firm believer in the old adage, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' What you are doing is working. Why stop now?
  • athertonsl
    athertonsl Posts: 9 Member
    I know what you mean, I have lost a stone so far and feel amazing and am a lot happier with how I look. I want to lose another 2 stone but since I hit that first stone I have gone up and down by 1lb! Losing a stone was my initial goal and since I've reached that I have let my motivation slip slightly but I have had several 'special occasions' these last few weeks where I didn't want to feel restricted and ate whatever I wanted. But as previous posters have said, I can't imagine what I will feel like when I get to my ultimate goal and I know my motivation will return, especially with the nice weather coming I'll be wanting to wear summer clothes that show off my new figure! Good luck xx
  • richardtylerrizzo
    richardtylerrizzo Posts: 1 Member
    It's tough staying motivated, and I feared everything you are fearing. A few years ago my goal was to drop 75 lbs. From June 2012-Feb 2013 I dropped 60lbs, went sky diving, and found out I was going to be a dad. I hit the, "well I have dropped 60lbs so I am OK now wall," and a year later I added 20 lbs back. I'm "starting over" in an attempt to get to my original goal, and my biggest motivation is knowing how poorly I look and feel now, compared to what I did even when I was 15 lbs over my goal.

    I say keep at it! If 60lbs is your goal go for it.
  • lottewiegeraad
    lottewiegeraad Posts: 64 Member
    multiply how you feel x10...and you will have how you feel when you are 60lbs lighter...

    Exactly!
  • msbeeblebrox
    msbeeblebrox Posts: 133 Member
    I'm pretty happy at 155 pounds, and dropping weight is something I've been putting off for a long time. I decided, mostly out of curiosity, to lose 10-15 pounds of fat. When I made this decision, I wrote a list of ten reasons that motivate me to lose the weight. (chin-ups will be easier, my stomach will look fantastic, I'll buy some new great clothes, etc). When my motivation dwindles, I return to my list.
  • 5pmsomewherenow
    5pmsomewherenow Posts: 163 Member
    I feel where you are coming from -- I used that same excuse about having to buy all new clothes, too. It held me back, as a pretty lame excuse for quite a while. The truth was, my clothes needed to be updated anyway, so getting more fashionable, smaller clothes was a great plan to work on over time.

    "A healthy lifestyle" is NOT something you will keep going for a set amount of time, reach a goal and then "go back to my real life" -- it doesn't work that way. Anyone (myself included) who has lost a lot of weight, gotten really fit -- then STOPPED, will attest that if you don't lead or maintain the healthy lifestyle changes
    you will get an unhealthy, fat, unfit body, guaranteed.

    So, this is what I did this time, and suggest for anyone else -- keep in mind that any changes you make to get healthy, will have to be made for the rest of your life!! The habits really have to stick. Honestly, this was really "freeing" for me. I'm not on a diet -- I'm changing the way I eat. I'm drastically reducing caffeine, sugar and alcohol because that's the way I want to live and fuel my body. I'm finding really entertaining and challenging ways to stay fit, because I will be "moving" this way for a long time.

    If you feel a tiny bit better now, think of how much more energy you'll have for all the fun stuff if you really make the changes and they STICK this time. Take small steps, lose gradually, revel in the positive results, and take on only what you can handle to change forever -- not with an END in mind. Once we get to the healthy BMI we are happy with -- it takes just as much discipline to maintain the lifestyle. I've been maintaining for two years -- it's never over. You can DO it, too.

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