Starting to give up! Where do you get your motivation?

Options
2»

Replies

  • myjding70
    myjding70 Posts: 22
    Options
    It's the seemingly endless day in and day out that wears on us, isn't it? The weight loss road stretches out into infinity at times. While I am hugely motivated today, I know that my spirit might be lagging next month as the realization sets in that this lifestyle change stuff needs to be permanent. :)

    I think being accountable to someone(s) is helpful. If we go through this alone, who has to know when we've had a bad day or feel like we've blown our chance at being healthy? I also think being surrounded with like-minded people, who fully support and understand the journey, make it harder for us to be so unkind to ourselves. When your motivation is on empty, reach out and let someone else's motivation carry you for a bit.

    And here is a rather silly thing I use, that has helped tremendously (I have no idea why!): if I really want something that isn't particularly good for me (say M&Ms), I think to myself that of course I can have M&Ms, I'm 44 years old! But, I also think to myself that M&Ms have been around since 1941, and are likely to be around for a good long time in the future. So, maybe I could eat something that isn't so potentially destructive to my forward progress, and save the M&Ms for a time when I am more confident in my ability to eat sensibly.

    You will figure this out. :)
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
    Options
    I know a lot of people say "don't give the scale power, it's only a number" and so on...but for me the NUMBER actually is a motivator! I felt really good at 270 lb, I wasn't achy or tired or miserable in my own skin. I feel better at 173 lb but not drastically enough for avoiding fatness to have motivated me. Whether right or wrong, I assigned the number of 180 to myself as a "reasonable weight" for myself as a 5'8" 30-something female...and I plan to stay under it for the rest of my life now that I have reached it. I know that is probably overly simplistic and a pretty 'easy' goal compared to what many people strive to attain...but it is something I worked toward, reached, and now am working to increase a buffer so I'll stay well beneath that number. What number I see on the scale is what motivates me. Other things are just bonuses, like non-plus sized shopping and fitting much more easily into everything around me (booths, bath tubs, theater seats, etc).
  • Dennish68
    Dennish68 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    all i can say is, i finally learned that motivation comes from within. Even when you don't want to log or go to the gym just do it. the motivation follows. The point is do SOMETHING. Even walking into the gym is a huge step or having a whole day of logging in and being under your calorie goal. it is all those baby steps that lead you to have that motivation to keep going. Hope that helped
  • melindafritz1976
    melindafritz1976 Posts: 329 Member
    Options
    Tv-
    biggest loser, extreme weight loss

    an di wanna fit smaller clothes
    and donate the big ones
  • Timmmy40
    Timmmy40 Posts: 152 Member
    Options
    Sign up for a race.
  • christinablow2014
    christinablow2014 Posts: 11
    Options
    my motivation comes partly from fear and partly because i'm NOT the woman i WANT to be. i have four fairly young children, i want to PLAY with them! this time is so fleeting. i want to live to see my grandkids. diabetes is rampant in my family, with strokes and heart disease thrown in. when i look at the food at our family reunions and the size of my family (extended included, with rare exception) i realize it's not heredity, it's how we eat.

    i spent a good month and a half with just a toe in. now i've gone the same amount of time all in and have lost a total of 11 pounds (i'd lost three when i found this site). i'm blabbing to everyone about trying hard, mostly to have cheerleaders and to be kept accountable. i'm joining every challenge i can find to keep myself motivated. i figure if i work hard NOW i'll be able to enjoy years and years. don't get me wrong, my eating will have to change forever. i can't live on baked goods and bread slathered with butter.

    now when i eat i think "i had to work out for x amount of time to burn that off, is it worth it?" the answer is usually NO, it's NOT. occasionally it's "yup, sure is" and i splurge.

    my motivation has been lagging for the past week, so i told my husband, my trainer, some friends, and they pointed out how far i've come quickly, that helps.
  • Stripeness
    Stripeness Posts: 511 Member
    Options
    No motivation involved. It's really pretty simple. I'm a healthy active person, so I need to fuel that for the years to come.
    --Instead of putting me last and burning the candle at 3 ends
    --Feeding my body what it needs, instead of what's left or what's easiest b/c I'm exhausted (see candle-burning)
    --No more tearing myself down. Period. If all I did was walk the dog today, hey, I did SOMETHING towards relearning healthy habits.

    Thing is, when you find yourself going around the mulberry bush again and again...it's not about the food. It's about what you think you deserve. After lots of work on the issues *behind* some unhealthy habits I'd developed, I now wholeheartedly believe that I deserve to a healthy, happy life. There is no battle.

    What do you deserve?

    :drinker:
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,952 Member
    Options
    For me, I get my motivation from my streak I guess. Not technically a number but I often tell myself "If I'm going to blow it today then why did I bother with all those other days of effort!?" And then my self control comes back. It doesn't feel like motivation though, since I'm still not happy I can't blow my day on tasty treats.
  • Jeanne130LBS
    Jeanne130LBS Posts: 50 Member
    Options
    Like you I had lost my weight about 7 years ago and then slowly put it back on. As soon as I started this journey again, I put a "skinny" picture of myself on my refrig and looking at it reminds me of how awesome I felt then and how much I enjoyed the compliments I received. Whenever I feel discouraged, I look at that picture and then find something healthy and filling to munch on. I hope this helps and I wish you the best in your journey. :flowerforyou:
  • lmlarson78
    lmlarson78 Posts: 2
    Options
    Wow everyone what an absolutely amazing group of people! I can't thank you enough for all the responses! Congratulations to all of you on your successes!
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
    Options
    Like you I had lost my weight about 7 years ago and then slowly put it back on. As soon as I started this journey again, I put a "skinny" picture of myself on my refrig and looking at it reminds me of how awesome I felt then and how much I enjoyed the compliments I received. Whenever I feel discouraged, I look at that picture and then find something healthy and filling to munch on. I hope this helps and I wish you the best in your journey. :flowerforyou:

    These threads are amazing and eye-opening to me. When I got to my heaviest, I really thought a motivational photo of myself at my thinnest adult weight (previously 227, and I was 300 at that time) would help me work back toward a better weight. I got it out for a week or so and it made me super angry and upset -- it really had the opposite effect on me. It's weird though because it really does work for some people.

    Above all, I think that the key is figuring out what works for you. Definitely :-)

Categories