What do you do when you just have no motivation left?

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Gargwin82
Gargwin82 Posts: 152 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has gotten into one of these slumps, my biggest problem is getting out of them. Once I tumble down hill I normally spend far too long wallowing in the mess at the bottom before climbing back up.

2 weeks ago I was really sick, didn't want to eat anything. On top of that I was doing classroom/on road training for a school bus. I lost 2lbs. This week the on road training has continued, nothing but sitting and driving most of the day. Leave before the sun is up, home to my Son. I don't want to cook, not necessarily because the cooking is hard but I have a brain crammed full of test info and spend so much time reviewing at night I never take anything out for the next day. It really doesn't help my Husband doesn't cook, and if I cook it's a miracle if he cleans.

We only have 1 car so I have to pick my Husband up at 10p when my Son and technically I should be asleep. He's getting grouchy, I'm getting ........ what's the word.....blank minded.....you know....honestly I can't think of how to describe it right now. Today I drove cat food out to my Mother and had to fight tooth and nail to stay awake on the drive home. It was pretty scary and at one point I pulled into a parking lot to try and snap out of it.

OH that 2lb loss was quickly eaten up. While training on the school bus the trainer and I ate out a lot, then I binged out on junk when I got home, so I've gained back the entire 4lbs I've lost since I've joined MFP> not happy.

I'm doing my best to come on here each day and try to get motivated again, I'm reading how great all my friends are doing. I am so fried recording what I eat (and it's not good) makes my head hurt. I've tried to record my exercise the very few times I've managed to do anything but drive, eat, hold down the couch, or sleep.

Tommorow is another early day 7:30a have to be on the opposite side of the city for my evaluation drive, then 9:30pm I have my class 2 test drive. If I pass that I have to go all the way downtown to get my intermitent license, then cram in whatever special needs training I couldn't cram in on Saturday before going on the run I'll be doing at 2pmish till ??? Tuesday morning I have to be to my first pick up by 7:10am.....

YES the situation is overwhelming, I know binging out isn't going to make me feel better but is just so easy. ANY suggestions on how to get out of this funk would be apprciated.

Replies

  • Missevanston
    Missevanston Posts: 361 Member
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    You must decide that you are worth it! Get up earlier and plan what you will eat/make for the day. Steal an hour to exercise while everyone else is still asleep. You will feel better once you get control, and that will help alleviate the stress. Good Luck!!
  • momogogo
    momogogo Posts: 159 Member
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    Sounds cruel, but when I get like that I make myself "pay for it". I get back to a good workout and feel much better
  • ladysvs
    ladysvs Posts: 61
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    I KNOW how hard it is, even if it's the hardest thing to do, for yourself, you need to do this! Our stupid lack of sunlight days don't help us here in mid-to-northern Canada either! Starting tomorrow, bring water with you & lots of it! Grab carrots, sugar snap peas or whatever you like to munch on (healthy food I mean) I munch when you get a minute! You CAN get back on track!
  • sunflower0022
    sunflower0022 Posts: 129 Member
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    well.. when I feel that way now.. I go look at swim suits.. makes me feel gross BUT I also get some motivation from that as well!
  • kstegall
    kstegall Posts: 3
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    I always think about Bob Greene's book Make the Connection. (Bob's the guy who was Oprah's trainer.) Bob had a client with a wild schedule (sorta like yours), and she told him, "To find time to run I'd have to get up at 4 in the morning." To which he replied, "And . . .?" (or something like that) His bottom line was that we make time for what we want to make time for.

    That said, I wish you well!
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    It's such a bummer when something like that throws you off course! I've been struggling the past week myself. It was really hard to make myself come on here and log what I ate knowing full well I'd blown my calories away but I did it (even if it was after the fact). I've spent a few days over my limit but slowly my motivation has crept back and hopefully I'll be back on the downswing on the scale soon.

    If you know you have a crazy week coming up try to plan ahead. I do this even if I'm not worrying about calories because 1. It saves me money and 2. I eat better (and when I eat better, I feel better! Essential if it's a crazy week!)

    You can have a bunch of eggs boiled in advance for quick breakfasts or snacks. You can bake chicken breast or meat of your choice and have it ready to toss into prepped vegetables for a quick salad. You can take the salad and a side of dressing with you. If you have to buy a snack go for a fruit or veggies or a good Greek yogurt.

    Set a goal of a certain number of workouts this week and think about when you can squeeze them in. It could even be just a certain number of minutes exercised then you can keep track of your minutes. This way if you can fit in a quick 10 minute walk, it counts! A couple of minutes running in place, a few lunges or sit ups, anything that you can fit in. The point is to set a goal and accomplish it. This will set you back on the right track, put you back in control and help you get fully back into the swing. It doesn't have to be all or nothing if you've been derailed. You don't have to give up!

    "Fall down seven times, get back up eight! " (It's a proverb that I've seen attributed to both the Chinese and Japanese. Whoever said it, I like it and it's true!)
  • RedHotRunner
    RedHotRunner Posts: 850 Member
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    I have to ask, why are you driving cat food out to your mother? We all love our family, but it seems like you need to set yourself as a priority! As I tell my daughter, when I work out, it makes me feel better and gives me more energy and that makes me a better mother.
  • puddle140
    puddle140 Posts: 13
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    I've been in your shoes and I'm pretty positive that I'll be in your shoes again. I hope that it doesn't happen, but life happens. We can't avoid life's whirlwind. We just have to hold on, grin, and bare it.
    However, it does sound like you need some help with in your home. I'm not sure the age of your son but maybe it's time to call a family meeting and have he and your husband help you out. Make a chore list for cooking and cleaning. The burden of food preparation shouldn't fall on just one person in the household.
    As for the eating out and binging. There are a lot of healthy options to choose from in mostly anywhere now. Even if you can't exercise in a day you can still keep a check on your eating. However, if you do find time to exercise you'll feel a lot better and will be able to maintain your crazy schedule a lot better. I hope this helps you and good luck.
  • LisaLN
    LisaLN Posts: 54
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    I'm not sure how much this will help...but I'll go ahead and say it. You know that commercial for Nutri Grain bars that has "One good choice leads to another"? Well, it's true. Just like one bad choice leads to another. Sometimes it's just easier to eat the doughnut and say screw it and yet again put yourself last amongst all of your responsibilities as a working mom. I've been one of them for over 18 years. It's an ongoing battle. But something to honestly think about is that you really do need to take care of YOU first. It's not selfish. Because how is the rest of the family going to function if Mom's not 100%? Look at taking care of yourself as an investment. You will reap so much more later...so will your family.

    What you can try to put more effort toward is when you eat out at fast food or junk food places instead of the burger, try the salad (with light dressing). You really will feel better about it. McDonalds even came out with oatmeal with fruit in it...and it's wonderful. Or their yogurt parfait is great instead of an apple pie. Actually, if you want something as a treat, their ice cream cones are only 150 calories. You can have a cheeseburger AND an ice cream for about 450 calories. That's probably one of the best secrets I learned from EDiets. Try to keep each meal to about 400 calories. Then you can have 2 treats for 100 calories each and only consume 1400 calories a day. You'd be amazed at how much food you can have for that amount of calories.

    Anyway...what I'm getting at is try to take babysteps toward your ultimate goal. You will find that it really will get easier and easier as you go. :) Mom needs to come first because you are the roots to this family tree!
  • Gargwin82
    Gargwin82 Posts: 152 Member
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    I have to ask, why are you driving cat food out to your mother? We all love our family, but it seems like you need to set yourself as a priority! As I tell my daughter, when I work out, it makes me feel better and gives me more energy and that makes me a better mother.

    My Mother lives just over an hour away. She works full time evening security so never gets a chance to come into the city. It was my cat until my Son was born with allergies to her and I developed severe allergies after my pregnancy. Tuesday my Mother is flying out to Vegas for 5 days and the cat sitter needed food.

    SO that's why I made a flying cat food run today. HOWEVER I have called my Husband and asked him to get a ride or take the bus home because I don't feel safe driving tonight. If I'm up late I won't feel safe driving tommorow and that's not a good thing on a road exam.
  • Gargwin82
    Gargwin82 Posts: 152 Member
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    Puddle 140, My son is only 2 1/2 so he's a big attention needer. He's spent more time at a babysitter this past week than ever in his entire life and he's SUPER clingy and Mom demanding as a result. As for my Husband I knew what he was when I married him, some days I regret it. Fighting with him over chores doesn't help the situation at times like these :(

    LisaLN I did try and do Wok Box for lunch and stick with the lunch sized portions of pad thai w/ tofu or kung pow unbreaded chicken with lots of vegetables. The killer was when my trainer got tired of it and we went to KFC. The only thing on that menu I've ever really liked is the Big Crunch (BAD). Also I'm in Canada and we don't have the oatmeal, but we just got butter biscut breakfast sandwhiches (grrrr)

    Lady SVS YES this snow SUCKS! We've had warm days this week but the wind is miserable and draining.

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