What is your inspiration?

Nataliea87 · July 2014

I know some days it can be really hard to figure this out. We know WHY we are doing this (To lose weight, to look better, to be more fit, etc etc etc) but what is it that gets you up out of bed every morning and makes you go:

"Today, I'm going to track my calories, make healthful choices, and re-dedicate myself to my weight loss plan."

For me, sometimes it's a struggle. I'm one of those perpetually busy people, no matter what level of responsibility I'm shouldering that particular day. So finding time to exercise and diet is always easy for me to justify as being impossible. But I have 2 sources of inspiration that help motivate me to prioritize my health much higher on my T"to-do list".

1. My mother. She's lost over 100 lbs, and is nearing her goal weight! She has about 15 more lbs to go. The other day, she climbed into a saddle and rode a horse. This is the first time in 25+ years that she has been able to do that! It's a passion we share, and while I missed seeing it, the look on her face as she recounted her experience nearly brought tears to my eyes. The pride she takes in her accomplishment, and the pure joy at being able to ride again as a result was amazing.

2. My horse! He's had a rough road through life. At age 12, he's finally receiving the one on one time and attention that he's really been lacking since he turned 6. When I pulled him off the trailer on June 1st, he was morbidly obese, his feet were so long that he could hardly move, and his lack of interaction for the last half of his life was quite apparent. I had a farrier trim up his feet right away, and for the last few months, I've been spending every available moment that I have with him. Today, he's lost a ton of weight (but still has 50+ lbs to go!) and I can finally get a surcingle around his heart girth. He's getting all kinds of exercise, eating a more balanced diet, and every day he puts a little more trust in me, and we bond a little more. It's beautiful. Just as he is changing his life, I'm wanting to change mine, so that we can develop together and become a great team!

So, those are my inspirations. I wake up in the morning, and I think to myself: "Today will be a good day. I'm going to follow my plan, because of my mother, and for my horse." And all of the sudden, weight loss doesn't seem like such a big challenge. It just seems like a stepping stone to something much greater

So how about you?

cookiealbright · July 2014

I get up and go to work everyday even if I don't feel like it because I want to move to Hatteras Island in 18 months. The weight part - I'm sick of being overweight and I want to look better when I pass by a mirror. Awesome job with your horse, you're lucky to have him. I love horses!

kbsangel86 · July 2014

A fellow horse lover here

not really inspiration, but it was kind of like "you know what? I deserve to be me. Im fine with the quirky happy girl i am, but i want to know who is hiding beneath this other person. What have i unknowingly held myself back from b/c of my weigh? Why cant i eventually go bungee jumping or help break a 2 yr old mare? What/who can i be in the future?"

Btw, beautiful horse. Saddlebred?

Edit: i hate my phone. It doesnt like spaces or the letter i or l

fitwithin · July 2014

Thanks for sharing. My motivation is my daughter. Last year for my birthday she told me she was going to stop drinking for a year and she has 2 months to go. She has decided not to start back drinking. Now she is working out 3-4 times a week doing kick boxing and looks wonderful. She told me the other day that she didn't want me just to diet for my cruise (9 weeks from now), but to eat healthy and be around to see my grandkids some day. It really hit home. If she can turn her life around as much as she has, then I can do the same thing. It has been 15 days and I've given up artificial sweetners, diet drinks, and lost 9-1/2 pounds by eating healthy. Plus, I went from having wine a few times a week socializing to limiting it to a few glasses on Saturday night.

I don't have a horse, but I have a very active border collie/lab mix. She has been happier since I get up early to walk her every morning and walk her again at night. We are bonding as well. She is just a puppy and I was getting in a bad habit of just letting her go out by herself. Now we are hiking and having a great time.

So my motivation is also family and pets. We can do this!

Nataliea87 · July 2014

EDIT: Oops! This was meant as a response to the question about the horse in my profile picture

Thank you! This is my mare Trinket, pictured at age 3. She is a Morgan--very close though! You don't have to go far back into her pedigree to find some Saddlebred blood, back when the registry for Morgans was open

I had some help, but broke her to saddle a few years back. Today, she's shown by 2 young girls that adore her

Nataliea87 · July 2014

Thanks for sharing. My motivation is my daughter. Last year for my birthday she told me she was going to stop drinking for a year and she has 2 months to go. She has decided not to start back drinking. Now she is working out 3-4 times a week doing kick boxing and looks wonderful. She told me the other day that she didn't want me just to diet for my cruise (9 weeks from now), but to eat healthy and be around to see my grandkids some day. It really hit home. If she can turn her life around as much as she has, then I can do the same thing. It has been 15 days and I've given up artificial sweetners, diet drinks, and lost 9-1/2 pounds by eating healthy. Plus, I went from having wine a few times a week socializing to limiting it to a few glasses on Saturday night.

I don't have a horse, but I have a very active border collie/lab mix. She has been happier since I get up early to walk her every morning and walk her again at night. We are bonding as well. She is just a puppy and I was getting in a bad habit of just letting her go out by herself. Now we are hiking and having a great time.

So my motivation is also family and pets. We can do this!

Thank you so much for sharing! Your daughter is an inspriration

I'm not sure if I'm there yet, but one day I hope to quit drinking all together as well, or at least limit it to very special occasions, having a glass of wine or something.

Eoghann · July 2014

For me things just clicked and it was time. I've "known" for a year or more that I was out of shape (even by my very modest standards) and putting on weight but it took a while for my mental image of myself to catch up with reality.

Now I'm getting back to how I like to be which means walking a lot and skinny.

I have no grand fitness goals. Not running 5K, don't care about gyms, weight lifting or abs. I just want to get back to being functionally fit. Which means being able to do whatever I might feel like doing without being dead for the rest of the day.

seltzermint555 · July 2014

I have no grand fitness goals. Not running 5K, don't care about gyms, weight lifting or abs. I just want to get back to being functionally fit. Which means being able to do whatever I might feel like doing without being dead for the rest of the day.

I agree with the above.

I've been inspired by my husband, who lost a lot of weight and has kept it off, and has shown me that moderation can really work...he eats a lot of healthy food but also appreciates and enjoys restaurant meals, ice cream, baked goods...he is a great person to model myself after when it comes to eating and cooking. He is also quite active.

I was also initially inspired by a longtime online friend who lost well over 100 lb using this site, she is the reason I came here to check it out and have now lost 130 lb total but 85 lb on this site, and I'm now the same size I was in grade 7, still overweight by a little bit yet 50 lb below what I believed to be my "lowest possible adult weight" :-)

Leah_62803 · July 2014

I don't think I really have any positive inspiration. Maybe that would be helpful..haha. All I have is negative stuff.

I don't want to end up like my dad's side of the family. They are all overweight. My dad is going to have gastric bypass surgery hopefully this month.

My mother in law and sister in law weigh a significant amount more than me but they both delight in reminding me and my husband how much weight I've gained. My mother in law usually just says stuff behind my back to my husband and my sister in law will says things like "wow how much weight have you gained?" whenever I see her... I really don't know what hurts worse. I want to lose all this weight and wear tiny clothes around them like "what now, b*tches??"

I do have two young children so I'd love to be healthier for them. Not just to set an example but more because I know I'll feel better which will (hopefully) make me a better mother to them. We go outside a lot but sometimes I'm too tired to run around with them. Or they want to go swimming but I'm too embarrassed to go.

Nataliea87 · July 2014

I don't think I really have any positive inspiration. Maybe that would be helpful..haha. All I have is negative stuff.

I don't want to end up like my dad's side of the family. They are all overweight. My dad is going to have gastric bypass surgery hopefully this month.
My mother in law and sister in law weigh a significant amount more than me but they both delight in reminding me and my husband how much weight I've gained. My mother in law usually just says stuff behind my back to my husband and my sister in law will says things like "wow how much weight have you gained?" whenever I see her... I really don't know what hurts worse. I want to lose all this weight and wear tiny clothes around them like "what now, b*tches??"

I do have two young children so I'd love to be healthier for them. Not just to set an example but more because I know I'll feel better which will (hopefully) make me a better mother to them. We go outside a lot but sometimes I'm too tired to run around with them. Or they want to go swimming but I'm too embarrassed to go.

First, that is horrible that you are dealing with that sort of negativity from the very people who should be lifting you up. Know that their comments are probably made out of jealousy, as you said they themselves are bigger than you. They're most likely miserable and stuck in a rut, and instead of doing something about helping themselves, they would prefer to bring other people down to their level. The old adage "Misery loves company" comes to mind.

Second, a positive inspiration is always helpful

I think positivity in general is helpful, which I know can be hard. But there is so much we don't know about the brain and how it functions. I'm a firm believer that you are a reciepient of the energy and vibes you put out into the universe to begin with. So what I would say to you is: haters gonna hate, do you and be happy ;-) You can use your wish to end their negativity towards you as an excellent motivator, but this is your journey, your life, your happiness, so you should really make it about you! I think MFP has a lot of great support and inspiration here, so stick with it, keep posting on the message boards, and if you're ever having a bad day, just drop me a comment or something

greetingsliv · July 2014

Mine is feeling good with high energy!:flowerforyou:

Liv ox

navygrrl · July 2014

All of the women here who lift heavy - they inspire me.

All of you who post here on the forums with your successes, you inspire me. :flowerforyou:

My family history on my dad's side is full of pitfalls. After my dad died last year, I came to realize that I was on the same road, and I didn't want to have my own children experience the pain of losing a parent too early to causes that were preventable.

Leah_62803 · July 2014

First, that is horrible that you are dealing with that sort of negativity from the very people who should be lifting you up. Know that their comments are probably made out of jealousy, as you said they themselves are bigger than you. They're most likely miserable and stuck in a rut, and instead of doing something about helping themselves, they would prefer to bring other people down to their level. The old adage "Misery loves company" comes to mind.

Second, a positive inspiration is always helpful I think positivity in general is helpful, which I know can be hard. But there is so much we don't know about the brain and how it functions. I'm a firm believer that you are a reciepient of the energy and vibes you put out into the universe to begin with. So what I would say to you is: haters gonna hate, do you and be happy ;-) You can use your wish to end their negativity towards you as an excellent motivator, but this is your journey, your life, your happiness, so you should really make it about you! I think MFP has a lot of great support and inspiration here, so stick with it, keep posting on the message boards, and if you're ever having a bad day, just drop me a comment or something

Thank you! Really. That's one of the reasons I came back to this site. I know that I need better inspiration and it helps to have "friends" here to tell me I can do it. Thanks again!

What is your inspiration?

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