Lost 40 pounds and now feeling unmotivated!

Options
Reinventi0n
Reinventi0n Posts: 71 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
As of right now I have lost 40 pounds through Weight Watchers and now calorie counting. I have at least 20-30 more pounds to lose before I am at my goal weight. However, the past few weeks I have lost most of my motivation to continue losing. I have been making more poor food choices and as a result I have not lost much weight the past couple weeks. I have pretty much been fluctuating up and down between the same two pounds. I have not gone completely off plan, which is a huge improvement for me, but my I am certainly not giving it my all.

Each day I start out trying to make better choices but by the time I get to the evening any of the little motivation I had is gone and I find myself eating whatever I am craving. The only reason I have not gained any weight back is because I have increased my activity and have been eating lighter during the day, so most of my calorie intake is in the evening.

Has anyone else lost weight and then found their motivation to finish losing dwindle? What can I do to remotivate myself?

Thanks!

Replies

  • PinkCoconut
    PinkCoconut Posts: 655 Member
    Options
    There may be something underneath that needs to be addressed. When you think of life at your goal weight, how do you feel?

    Feel free to friend me (I don't get notifications if people respond to my responses), maybe we can figure it out together! :)
  • MN_HGirl
    MN_HGirl Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    2 years ago I dropped 30lbs. It was great but then life got the best of me and I stopped caring as much about the calories. I went a year without thinking much of it until I had a doctors visit and found I had gained about 10lbs back. I got a bit of a lecture from the doctor since I am still overweight and I was doing really good for awhile. I am running regularly but I was eating terrible.
    My favorite jeans do not fit anymore either. So I am back on track again- not worrying about the scale at this point, but rather just focusing on eating better. 40 more to go!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Options
    There may be something underneath that needs to be addressed. When you think of life at your goal weight, how do you feel?

    I agree with this.

    What kept me motivated as I lost was the simple fact that I did not want to be fat ever again. My options were to A. Keep losing the weight or B. Stop caring and be fat again.
  • bkwpt2
    bkwpt2 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I started this journey July 2013. I did great and lost a total of 56 lbs. But then, like you, I fizzled. I honestly think I was just burnt out. So mid April of this year, I took a break from logging. I didn't really go back to my old ways of eating, as I think the changes I made kind of "took". However, I didn't look up calorie information religiously and I ate what I wanted (I just didn't want much of it anymore). I gained about 4lbs during this time off....but I think it was just glycogen leveling off.

    I am back now (as of this week) to lose the last 20 lbs. I'm feeling optimistic and motivated again. I'm not having to "force" myself to move or log.....and I'm starting to lose again (....just water weight right now).

    Bottom line, you might want to take a break. It worked for me. :)

    Good luck!
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Options
    You could change your goals completely to keep it fresh.

    Stop trying to lose weight, start trying to build muscle. Change from calorie deficit to maintenance or surplus and switch from cardio activities to heavy lifting.

    Having a totally new goal could re-motivate you and hold your interest. Then when your interest starts to wane again switch back to weight loss.
  • JJSABA
    JJSABA Posts: 4
    Options
    I am in the EXACT same boat! 40lbs lost with 20 more to go but the last 3 weeks I have not been as strict as I was with food choices and exercise. Strangely I have not gained weight, just fluctuated a pound or two here and there and mostly because, like you, I do very well during the day, but let it loos eat night. Also, I don't nearly eat as much as I used to before the 40lbs loss. I find that even when i'm not strict and eat pizza, I'm still under or at my maintaining amount of calories without even trying to be. Which is great and means my body has adjusted to a lower calorie diet to where my form of letting lose now isn't that bad.

    BUT I know if I continue on this path, I'll be able to eat more and more and start stretching my stomach again. I don't know where to find motivation either. Maybe I"m just happy at my current weight and body shape? Maybe that's ok? My end goal was based off of medical charts that told me what I should be at my height, maybe that was the wrong reason to set that goal?

    Still no excuse for not eating clean. This isn't a helpful post, but wanted to let you know that I'm in the exact same boat so don't feel bad. Let's get through this slump together without gaining any weight! Being active in fixing up my yard has definitely helped. One last thing, I force myself to log even on the "bad" days because it will hold me accountable and keep me in the habit. It may be easy to cheat when you're logging but it's much harder to binge.
  • JCLondonUK
    JCLondonUK Posts: 159
    Options
    You've made fantastic progress, and should be really pleased with what you've achieved so far. Well done! :smile:

    Maybe you just need to give yourself a few weeks of eating at maintenance, to have a break. Stay active, but relax a little? Perhaps set yourself a date when you will re-focus on that last push. You could reach your goal weight by, say, Christmas, even if you chill out a little now. Then plan your next chill-out for Christmas, when you can celebrate having reached your goal. That's not long, and you've already proved you can do it.
  • JackieRL55
    JackieRL55 Posts: 144 Member
    Options
    Hi OP I know EXACTLY how you feel but you're doing EXACTLY what you should be doing. You're reaching out for help and that's the glory of MFP. I've lost about 85 pounds so far (about 70 since I joined MFP again in October) and I have to tell you that this journey has had it's ups and downs....literally! Sometimes I'm motivated and sometimes I'm not. Sometimes I give it a 100% in the gym and sometimes I don't. I KNOW that consistency is key, I KNOW that I shouldn't give up but the mind is a tricky little thing and the bad part is, you just have to figure out how to motivate yourself. Everyone that's responded so far has given some great advice that has worked for them so here's some stuff that's worked for me also:

    -Take a break! (many have recommended it so I'm just reiterating it. Be careful though because breaks can sometimes turn into giving up so I recommend giving yourself an exact time frame just to be on the safe side)
    -Promise yourself a BIG reward. (like a vacation :)
    -If you're a visual person, write out something that will keep you motivated throughout the day and put it as a screen saver on your phone or put it on your computer screen or wherever you will see it constantly. I use, "You only fail when you stop trying"
    -Read the success stories board. I get some of my greatest motivation from people on there that have lost HUNDREDS of pounds and it reminds me EVERY day that if they can do it, so can I!

    Hope this helps. Add me if you like and I'll be happy to help keep you motivated!
  • GirlyxGirl
    GirlyxGirl Posts: 1
    Options
    I've lost 42 pounds through weight watchers also, and the past week I went like 20 points over my weekly points for the first time in forever. I was petrified I'd put some back on, BUT somehow I lost 2.5 still. I think sometimes you just get burnt out and bored. That's what made me sign up here tonight, lol. Although this app and calorie counting does look like it takes up a lot more time than the WW app.
  • BetterKimmer
    BetterKimmer Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    I agree with everyone here. To lose weight we put our bodies under extreme low level stress for long periods. Makes us tired and cranky = unmotivated. Take a break for a week or so and restart. I accidentally did that this last week and feel stronger and unexpectedly feel excited about my program again. Don't wait too long, but treat it like a mini vacation, then go back to work. :flowerforyou:
  • Rockmum75
    Rockmum75 Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    i was onlly 5kg off goal [lost 20 kg] then decides to relax n lose focus,,,, im now 15 kg off goal ugh,,, dont slip, get back on focus right now.......you have come so far, please dont get bad habits, u can do it xxxx
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    Options
    As of right now I have lost 40 pounds through Weight Watchers and now calorie counting. I have at least 20-30 more pounds to lose before I am at my goal weight. However, the past few weeks I have lost most of my motivation to continue losing. I have been making more poor food choices and as a result I have not lost much weight the past couple weeks. I have pretty much been fluctuating up and down between the same two pounds. I have not gone completely off plan, which is a huge improvement for me, but my I am certainly not giving it my all.

    Each day I start out trying to make better choices but by the time I get to the evening any of the little motivation I had is gone and I find myself eating whatever I am craving. The only reason I have not gained any weight back is because I have increased my activity and have been eating lighter during the day, so most of my calorie intake is in the evening.

    Has anyone else lost weight and then found their motivation to finish losing dwindle? What can I do to remotivate myself?

    Thanks!

    Hi, first- congratulations on your loss! I am only at 13 pounds this round which is pretty good for me, the most I've lost when tracking was 15lbs at one time(which at the time was to goal for me)

    Just something to consider- do you feel that you are depriving yourself of foods that you are not willing to not eat for the rest of your life? It sounds like you may be going a restrictive path which requires a lot of willpower! Willpower is like a muscle- even if it is really strong, it still needs to rest and recharge!

    Something to try- set your goal to maintenance for 1 week(or two if you feel that you need it) reach your protein goal, fiber goal, and micronutrients, but then give yourself permission to eat foods that you enjoy, and/or try to fit them in with your goals. For example me needing calcium is a good reason for me to have some ice cream... or yogurt, but ice cream mmm... cheese is good for calcium and a decent protein, etc. I like to add chips to my ramen, I still do it, but I add veggies and meat to it sometimes now too... (those are a few of my weaknesses- but I don't avoid them, I just watch it..)

    No one's perfect... Don't be so hard on yourself, you have made some excellent progress.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
    Options
    Sounds like you need a new goal. Use a picture of yourself at a smaller weight or of someone you can truly see yourself looking like eventually. Use a jean size. Plan a tattoo or vacation or a pair of shoes. Whatever it takes. GIve yourself a break from a number goal and make yourself a fitness goal to achieve. Plan out small ways to get there like upping your steps by a couple thousand each week, ten lb increments on the weights, etc. Whatever you want really. Just make some goals and have a blast achieveing them. I think I relapsed and gained all my weight lost in the past when I stopped making small goals for myself. So this time I am planning to keep making them no matter what they may be. Even when I hit my goal weight. I want to make more muscles. ANd eventually run faster or get myself a bike and ditch the car when I run local errands. I have lost motivation many times but I keep going until I find a new one. Just keep at it.
  • thecarbmonster
    thecarbmonster Posts: 411 Member
    Options
    Congrats :) If you're feeling unmotivated, maybe focus on maintenance? Find a way of eating and activity level (sounds like you've already found it!) that you're happy with. Maintenance is often overlooked, but it's definitely a skill worth working on, too! Try resources like Half Size Me podcast/group. She is a big advocate for providing sources for maintainers, as well as motivation for weight loss!
  • oystercatcher3944
    oystercatcher3944 Posts: 17
    Options
    I also lost 40lb on weight watchers several years ago, and I too lost "motivation" a little over halfway to my goal. I have been overweight my entire life from early childhood, and I honestly think the reason I stopped was that, at a 40 lb loss, I did not hate my body for the first time in a looooong time. I actually thought I looked (and felt) pretty good. I knew I wasn't out of the "overweight" category yet, and i wasn't skinny by any stretch of the imagination, but I was healthy and active and felt a lot of self respect based on my achievement. I've kept most of that loss off for six years, which in itself was a great learning experience - how to maintain while also living a normal life. I think that first round of weight loss was entirely motivated by shame and self-hate, and when that evaporated, I no longer felt the need to go through the trouble of all that counting and weighing and turning down social invitations and so forth.

    Fast forward to today. I'm about six lb over where I was at my lowest weight then, and I'm finally feeling ready to get to "goal" using a different kind of motivation - a curiosity about what my body can do if fed right and cared for, a desire to care for myself for an entire lifetime, and the joy of being active and healthy. So maybe a break is in order. You certainly don't need to take a six-year break! But a week or two where you reset, reload, and feel out what kind of motivation got you to the amazing place of having lost 40 lb and whether that motivation will be enough to propel you the rest of the way - or if you need to switch gears and come up with some new reasons to keep doing what you're doing.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Options
    First, congratulations! You have done great. A few thoughts . . .

    Every couple of months I would feel like I'd done well and love motivation. I just had to push through it.

    If you're craving something, why don't you eat a LITTLE of it? I have ice cream (1/4 cup) most nights. I have a square of dark hazenlnut chocolate. I bake a lot and taste everything. I'll eat EXACTLY one counted out serving of chips. If you choose well, you'll have those calories at the end of the day. Use them.

    Second, if you've really had it maybe you should take a maintenance break for a month. You've lost 40 pounds. Set yourself to maintenance and stick to that religiously. Then at the end of the month (mark it on your calendar), go back into a deficit. The important thing is not to GAIN what you've done back. You can always move forward again.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Options
    I've lost 42 pounds through weight watchers also, and the past week I went like 20 points over my weekly points for the first time in forever. I was petrified I'd put some back on, BUT somehow I lost 2.5 still. I think sometimes you just get burnt out and bored. That's what made me sign up here tonight, lol. Although this app and calorie counting does look like it takes up a lot more time than the WW app.

    It takes a lot of time the first week until you get lots of favorites and saved meals. Then it gets easier and takes less and less time.
  • APLAWING
    APLAWING Posts: 36
    Options
    As of right now I have lost 40 pounds through Weight Watchers and now calorie counting. I have at least 20-30 more pounds to lose before I am at my goal weight. However, the past few weeks I have lost most of my motivation to continue losing. I have been making more poor food choices and as a result I have not lost much weight the past couple weeks. I have pretty much been fluctuating up and down between the same two pounds. I have not gone completely off plan, which is a huge improvement for me, but my I am certainly not giving it my all.

    Each day I start out trying to make better choices but by the time I get to the evening any of the little motivation I had is gone and I find myself eating whatever I am craving. The only reason I have not gained any weight back is because I have increased my activity and have been eating lighter during the day, so most of my calorie intake is in the evening.

    Has anyone else lost weight and then found their motivation to finish losing dwindle? What can I do to remotivate myself?

    Thanks!

    Take it from someone who gave up after losing 50 lbs and gained it ALL BACK... DON"T GIVE UP!!!! KEEP PUSHING!! YOU HAVE MADE IT TOO FAR TO TURN BACK NOW! You WILL regret it if you give up. 20lbs is nothing, you've got this! You can get that off in a matter of a couple months... what's a couple months to be where you want to be? Think of why you started. Think of the feeling you get when your old "fat" clothes that were once too tight are too big on you... think of being able to go to a store and find your size with no problem. Don't make the mistake I did and give up when you are so close!

    Experiment with some new healthy receipes. If it's in your budget, go buy yourself a new workout outfit or a new pair of tennis shoes, new water bottle (something to get you motivated to work out). It may sound weird but it works for me XD.

    GOOD LUCK:)
  • pleasurelittletreasure
    pleasurelittletreasure Posts: 236 Member
    Options
    Think of it as you would a hike. No one thinks badly of you if you take it a bit slower at some points or even rest for a bit, right? Losing weight can be the same. You are trudging along, doing really well, and all of a sudden you hit a bit of a wall. Take a rest. Don't go back down the trail, though. Hold your ground! And then push on. It's so great to read all the stories from the MFP-ers who have reached their goals. They made it and are like little guides along the way, helping us get to the top, too. And we have all these companions hiking along with us. You are not alone.

Categories