Feeling Good - how to keep motivation high?

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sophiajackson99
sophiajackson99 Posts: 90
in Motivation and Support
I am still in the first week of my commitment to myself to find a happier size. From this vantage point, high atop the runaway train of solid belief, it appears that anything is possible. I am losing a little weight every day, I'm not hungry at all and my motivation is so high it feels drug induced. This scares me a little.

I read a blog yesterday by a fellow MFPer nine months after she too had started her journey. It went something like this. "What's wrong with me? Where's my motivation? I just want to eat all the time. I don't care about anything." I have to admit, I left that reading a little shell shocked. I don't want anything to kill my blissful mood, my belief that I (we, God) can conquer this problem once and for all. What's a girl to do?

To me, the concept of losing weight is all between the ears. It's not about what to eat - who doesn't know that broccoli is better for you than cake? It's not about knowing how to move - who can argue that four hours of mindless tv is better than walking around the block? No. We all know what to do. So the difference to me, is plain and simple motivation. I am always curious about those who get out of bed every day at 5:30 to work out, rain or shine, kids wailing or not. They find a way, they make it happen. Their motivation is the difference.

So I want to know, how do you motivate yourself? How do you keep the happy feeling? Do you avoid the scale, (which can be incredibly depressing when it doesn't move)? Do you surround yourself with those who love you just the way you are? Do you avoid pastry shops like an alcoholic avoids the bar? Right now, I know someone could plop a box of chocolate chip cookies in front of me and I wouldn't care. I'm not interested. But I fear that someday, my good feelings will come to an end... Then what?

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  • justforme8
    justforme8 Posts: 68 Member
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    I agree 100% with you. I know that I feel so much better when I work out, I also know that it is hard to get out and I HATE working out at home, not sure why but I do. I finally have the eating down, its pure boredom when I eat, or stressed. I want to feel good about myself. and fit into my clothes again. I am a happy persone in general, always over weight/chunky and never let much bother me. I love to work out once in a routine, but I am worried for my children. I do not want them to grow up unhealthy.
    My motivation is in my head, sounds lame but it is. I also WANT to run a marathon, reallly do. I started to train last year, and then became preggo, only gained 12 lbs, but still have weight to lose from my 1st (shes 6) YIKES! I also enjoy seeing how far people have come!
  • Hitsujikai
    Hitsujikai Posts: 111 Member
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    For me the motivation is to feel comfortable in my own skin.

    I'm a very warm person and I overheat very quickly when I'm exercising. I have to really consider how best to dissipate the excess heat in order to extend my workout. When I play football in the summer the other lads would just go shirtless to solve their own overheating problems and even though I wasn't the largest of the bunch, I was the most self conscious, didn't remove my shirt and drove myself to dehydration, vomiting and illness.

    It's not just things like that though, I've been a bit of a recluse since university started again in September so between then and Xmas I didn't see much of my friends because I was either studying, working or sleeping. Over Xmas I caught up with them all and each mentioned how different I looked from the last time I saw them, asked what my secret was and looked gobsmacked when I told them I had lost 4 stone 3 lbs (59lbs) in the four months since they last saw me.

    My new motivation is to build up some muscle mass where there had previously been flab. I've started lifting weights, doing crunches and maintaining my weight despite the increase in muscle and my friends are beginning to notice that too, to the point where one friend joined the site and has asked to workout with me with a view to them losing weight too.

    I suppose the real secret of motivation is to set a goal, reach it, be rewarded, set a new goal and repeat.
  • sophiajackson99
    sophiajackson99 Posts: 90
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    Thanks! The motivation is in your head, you're right. I like your quote too - the greatest pleasure is in doing things that others say we cannot.

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