Motivated at night, defeated by morning. Looking for advice
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majigurl
Posts: 660 Member
I'm really struggling with starting.
I have so much motivation at night, but once morning comes real life creeps up and I have all the excuses in the book to not stick it out.
I started a gym at my work. I had a session with the training to make sure I'm using the weights right. He even set up a workout plan that is duable. - I always have an excuse NOT to go.
I know how to eat well, and that snacking at night is my enemy. I refuse to follow my own advice and have a zillion other excuses for that.
It's silly. I know it is.
Has anyone else been here? I used to take really good care of myself. I was fit, jogged and ate well. at 8 months pg with my last I was still hiking! That same hike now ( 4.5 years after my daughter is born) I would be exhausted half way through. I am bigger than I was the day I gave BIRTH to my youngest daughter. My motivation to be healthy should be higher with 2 kids, but I can't seem to get there.
I have had a few things happen in the last few months that I am hanging on as excuses.
**** My question to those that have found themselves in this spot: What got you out of this rut? What got you back on track and CARRING enough to just DO IT!
Motivation was never an issue for me. I just did. I never understood the issues others had with it. OMG I get it now
I have so much motivation at night, but once morning comes real life creeps up and I have all the excuses in the book to not stick it out.
I started a gym at my work. I had a session with the training to make sure I'm using the weights right. He even set up a workout plan that is duable. - I always have an excuse NOT to go.
I know how to eat well, and that snacking at night is my enemy. I refuse to follow my own advice and have a zillion other excuses for that.
It's silly. I know it is.
Has anyone else been here? I used to take really good care of myself. I was fit, jogged and ate well. at 8 months pg with my last I was still hiking! That same hike now ( 4.5 years after my daughter is born) I would be exhausted half way through. I am bigger than I was the day I gave BIRTH to my youngest daughter. My motivation to be healthy should be higher with 2 kids, but I can't seem to get there.
I have had a few things happen in the last few months that I am hanging on as excuses.
**** My question to those that have found themselves in this spot: What got you out of this rut? What got you back on track and CARRING enough to just DO IT!
Motivation was never an issue for me. I just did. I never understood the issues others had with it. OMG I get it now
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Replies
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I just read a book called "Why Weight Around". Its is an unconventional way of thinking but if you read the book, by the end you are super motivated. The book is very short and he gives his medical opinion about weight loss. His basic theory is to not drag out the weight loss over months and months. Start a VERY strict diet and the weight comes off very quick, then you can maintain it. I have been on the diet for 9 days and I have lost 11 pounds. The hardest part is the first three days. After that, your body adjusts and you can do it!
I dismissed this idea as rubish and actually followed the plan just to see if I would be starving after the first three days but the joke was on me. I highly recommend this book. It makes a lot of sense and it is working. I started at 186 and noe i am at 174 8 days later. the quick weight loss is encouraging and it motivates me to keep going!! I will exercise after I lose the weight! My goal is to be 150 pounds. I only have 24 more pounds to go so I will probably be done in 3-4 weeks!
Shelly0 -
Well yeah, I was like that for 10 years and just got heavier and heavier. I think it's what leads so many of us to the point we are/were when we came to MFP. You certainly aren't alone.
So, I can't tell you what will work for you, but for ME, I started really slowly and really easy. And I literally took it one meal at a time. Just "ok, eat better for THIS meal...." and then again later in the day "ok, have a healthy snack....". Then it was "ok, just walk up the stairs to my car instead of taking the elevator". Etc. I did the same thing about logging - just thinking "ok, log THIS meal/snack and I'll worry about the others as they come up". I started off with more calories so it didn't feel like a chore.
What happened was that I built some momentum by just taking really small and easy steps. If I succeeded at most of those little things they built on themselves and eventually I was moving forward. I fell down. I made mistakes. I still do. But that momentum was the key. Before I knew it I had lost a few pounds, which built even more momentum. Then, one small step at a time, my clothes fit a little better. More momentum. Then, one small step at a time, my wife said my face looked thinner. More momentum.
It's still hard. But all those little baby steps have led me to down a road where I now care about it more because I've had some success and I know that it works. But I literally, six months in, am taking it one hour, one meal, one workout and one pound at a time.0 -
I just read a book called "Why Weight Around". Its is an unconventional way of thinking but if you read the book, by the end you are super motivated. The book is very short and he gives his medical opinion about weight loss. His basic theory is to not drag out the weight loss over months and months. Start a VERY strict diet and the weight comes off very quick, then you can maintain it. I have been on the diet for 9 days and I have lost 11 pounds. The hardest part is the first three days. After that, your body adjusts and you can do it!
I dismissed this idea as rubish and actually followed the plan just to see if I would be starving after the first three days but the joke was on me. I highly recommend this book. It makes a lot of sense and it is working. I started at 186 and noe i am at 174 8 days later. the quick weight loss is encouraging and it motivates me to keep going!! I will exercise after I lose the weight! My goal is to be 150 pounds. I only have 24 more pounds to go so I will probably be done in 3-4 weeks!
Shelly
Strong first post. Are you the author? It sure looks like it. I hate it when people come on here spamming us under the guise of helping someone with a legitimate question.0 -
OP, I've been where you are. My suggestion is to commit to logging EVERYTHING as honestly and accurately as possible. Even those late night eating sessions. Eventually, you won't want to see those eating sessions in your log, and you'll make different decisions.
You CAN do this! 0 -
I know where you're coming from! A few years ago, I ran all the time, was fit as ever. Then I had shoulder surgery and wasn't allowed to do anything for 6 months. Then I just wanted to complain about how I wasn't allowed. I hung on to that for a whhhilllleeee. The moment for me was when I saw a picture of myself and was frankly disgusted. I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without being totally out of breath and it was embarrassing! I made small changes, one by one. I didn't change everything at once. I started back with MFP and started logging. Once I got in the swing of that, I started slowly working exercise back in. Now I'm doing Jazzercise and running and I feel amazing!
Hang in there, you can do this!!! :flowerforyou:0 -
Can you exercise at night? When you're feeling motivated you could go for a walk/run or do a work out video. There's tons on YouTube.
A trick I use sometimes is I tell myself if I just start a workout I can quit after 10 minutes since 10 minutes is better than nothing. Once I start I rarely quit.0 -
I was that way too. It takes time to form a habit. I decided that I would get up in the morning and DO IT whether I wanted to or not. I swear once you start you will feel better. Choose something that you can do and will make you feel accomplished. For me it was a 25 minute workout a day so I couldn't find the excuses. Do what works for you. Once the habit and the feelgood kicks in you will not want to stop!!
Feel free to add me as a friend if you want a kick now and again :flowerforyou:0 -
I have the opposite problem. I am movitaved in the morning, but not in the evening. However I can't drag myself out of bed early enough (reliably) to work out before work.0
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A trick I use sometimes is I tell myself if I just start a workout I can quit after 10 minutes since 10 minutes is better than nothing. Once I start I rarely quit.
I do this too. Once I'm going I almost never stop - I just have to keep going. Some of my best workouts have been on days where I dreaded it the most.0 -
If you are motivated at night, workout at night. You don't have to wait until morning.0
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I just read a book called "Why Weight Around". Its is an unconventional way of thinking but if you read the book, by the end you are super motivated. The book is very short and he gives his medical opinion about weight loss. His basic theory is to not drag out the weight loss over months and months. Start a VERY strict diet and the weight comes off very quick, then you can maintain it. I have been on the diet for 9 days and I have lost 11 pounds. The hardest part is the first three days. After that, your body adjusts and you can do it!
I dismissed this idea as rubish and actually followed the plan just to see if I would be starving after the first three days but the joke was on me. I highly recommend this book. It makes a lot of sense and it is working. I started at 186 and noe i am at 174 8 days later. the quick weight loss is encouraging and it motivates me to keep going!! I will exercise after I lose the weight! My goal is to be 150 pounds. I only have 24 more pounds to go so I will probably be done in 3-4 weeks!
Shelly
Strong first post. Are you the author? It sure looks like it. I hate it when people come on here spamming us under the guise of helping someone with a legitimate question.
Ditto. 35 pounds in 5 weeks? Let me know how that works out.0 -
I am totally opposite. I have NO motivation in the evenings at all!!! But my issue was that I never wanted to wake up in the mornings. Now I just do it, and once you get into the groove it gets much better. Not going to lie and say that I "jump" out of bed with the chirping birds at 5:00 am, but I set my alarm AT LEAST 30 min before I HAVE to be out the door so that I know I will have time if I need those extra minutes.
My SO is also trying to lose weight, so it normally works out the one of us is most apt to get out of bed and work out than the other and we REALLY motivate the other person to get up. Our pact is convince me to work out even if you have to be annoying about it and I will still love you. It REALLY helps when you have someone relying on you or supporting you to reach your goals. Maybe get a gym buddy or someone who you know is waiting for you to arrive so that you can't let them down! They say it takes about 3 weeks to make something a habit. Try to stick with it for that long and slowly it will just become second nature to you. Its hard, but everyone can get there!!!!
The thing about working out in the AM for me is that my entire eating habits change for that day. If I have worked out and gone for a run I make such healthier decisions in the day. If I woke up early and worked my butt off to burn those calories I don't want to eat them all back!! If you have motivation in the PM then DO IT!!!!0 -
Erm just for everyone here please don't follow the 'Why Weight Around' advice as it advocates starving yourself to lose weight.
http://www.amazon.com/Why-Weight-Around-Changing-Strategy/product-reviews/0615148077/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0
Some negative Amazon reviews.
It's about the 5-bite-Diet (which I think I have heard of but thought was made up BS) I am horrified this is real advice given out by someone who calls themself a Doctor.0 -
I have been there too.
I feel like I've been going in circles for the last few months.
I keep saying," tomorrow, I'll start fresh", "I'll plan out my lunches starting next week", "I'll add in the exercise after I do *insert lame excuse here*".
I hit my breaking point on Sunday when I went running with some of my friends. I had to bail halfway through the run. I couldn't go.one.more.step.
The following day, my breakfast, lunches & snacks were planned out for this workweek and this morning I rolled out of bed at 5:30am (which is a HUGE deal for me) and went straight downstairs to use my bike trainer - in my pajamas. I am in no excuses - no wasting time mode!
For me, I have to get fed up with myself and when I couldn't even run 4 miles, that's when I got fed up!
Good luck to you!
I hope you get "fed up with yourself" soon! (I mean that in the nicest way possible)0 -
I have been there too.
I feel like I've been going in circles for the last few months.
I keep saying," tomorrow, I'll start fresh", "I'll plan out my lunches starting next week", "I'll add in the exercise after I do *insert lame excuse here*".
I hit my breaking point on Sunday when I went running with some of my friends. I had to bail halfway through the run. I couldn't go.one.more.step.
The following day, my breakfast, lunches & snacks were planned out for this workweek and this morning I rolled out of bed at 5:30am (which is a HUGE deal for me) and went straight downstairs to use my bike trainer - in my pajamas. I am in no excuses - no wasting time mode!
For me, I have to get fed up with myself and when I couldn't even run 4 miles, that's when I got fed up!
Good luck to you!
I hope you get "fed up with yourself" soon! (I mean that in the nicest way possible)
everything about this! spot on. "Being fed up with yourself" is the PERFECT way to explain it!!!0 -
OP, I've been where you are. My suggestion is to commit to logging EVERYTHING as honestly and accurately as possible. Even those late night eating sessions. Eventually, you won't want to see those eating sessions in your log, and you'll make different decisions. You CAN do this!
This is great advice. I know that logging is what keeps my eating under control. Every time I crave something, I'll go and log it before I've even touched it. If it fits into my day, awesome. I'll have it. If not, I won't. It's all about being smart about your calories, and when you log a treat and see that it fits, it's a great feeling
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OP, it's perfectly normal. Allow me to do some "garage psychology".
You are "afraid", not demotivated in the morning. Waking up means dealing again (and again and again and again) with whatever crap life is going to throw at us. A morning is a symbol of starting again.
This fear (we all have it, just with different angles) is there just because we overthink over changes. From a certain point of view we find more comfort in the usual crappy things than in good changes. We are creatures of habit.
My suggestion? Just do it. Wake up and do it, don't even think about it. Wake up and say aloud "fu-k it" and go do what you have to do. Motivation will come later, gradually.
If you want get "The power of habit" by Haigg from your library, truly an amazing book (I am not the author! It's a nyt best seller).
So, tomorrow morning just GO.0 -
I like the idea of starting with something small. Logging everything you eat, no matter what it is, no restrictions on what it is you eat, is a good one. I also like the idea of drinking a LOT of water per day. That's the one I did and it really worked. I started with requiring myself to just drink 16 oz before I ate something in the AM and 16 oz before I went to bed in the PM. I am now up to 3L per day. You can do it 0
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Oh - if you're a gamer/nerd like me you may enjoy HabitRPG - it is a way to game-ify your habits and goals. VERY motivating for me. It's free to play and use. I use it every day.0
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If you are motivated at night, workout at night. You don't have to wait until morning.
This^0
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