Cant maintain motivation.
saz_fairy
Posts: 10 Member
How do you guys keep it up?
I am not naturally very motivated with food, hence why I got to a position that I want to lose weight. I was doing well for about 7 weeks with consistent weight loss. I lost enough weight to stop feeling overly fat and to feel more active. Still aiming for more though.
But by week 8, I got really stressed with uni and life. I decided for a week that I would just not stress about my diet and eat what I wanted as long as I fessed up to it. But that week is over and I just cant seem to get back on board - no will power at all.
I am responsible for all the cooking/meal planning/shopping in my family for me and my parents. Mostly because my parents are quite old but they have bad food habits themselves. For example today they insisted I bring home from the supermarket three kinds of ice cream and soda. I also seem to be in a social group which mostly involves going out for coffee/dinner/drinks which puts a lot of temptations in front of me.
In a lot of posts, I have seen "stop whining" comments (some which I feel are valid) so if that is your response here I am more than willing to take it. But I am more looking for tips and personal experience based suggestions.
Thanks.
PS, I work out by myself and with a trainer, and that is still going well.
I am not naturally very motivated with food, hence why I got to a position that I want to lose weight. I was doing well for about 7 weeks with consistent weight loss. I lost enough weight to stop feeling overly fat and to feel more active. Still aiming for more though.
But by week 8, I got really stressed with uni and life. I decided for a week that I would just not stress about my diet and eat what I wanted as long as I fessed up to it. But that week is over and I just cant seem to get back on board - no will power at all.
I am responsible for all the cooking/meal planning/shopping in my family for me and my parents. Mostly because my parents are quite old but they have bad food habits themselves. For example today they insisted I bring home from the supermarket three kinds of ice cream and soda. I also seem to be in a social group which mostly involves going out for coffee/dinner/drinks which puts a lot of temptations in front of me.
In a lot of posts, I have seen "stop whining" comments (some which I feel are valid) so if that is your response here I am more than willing to take it. But I am more looking for tips and personal experience based suggestions.
Thanks.
PS, I work out by myself and with a trainer, and that is still going well.
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Replies
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I find it helpful to ask myself:
Where will I be in 6 months - 5 years time if I keep eating/doing as I am now? Is that ok with me?
Why do I want to lose weight/get fit in the first place?
Finding out what I value, is key to me.
Looking at thin females in magazines etc, doesn't keep me motivated for long because I don't truly value aesthetics. Once I realised that being healthy and a future healthy mum setting a great example for my kids, was much more important to me, there was hardly a need to 'look' for motivation.
What do you value in your life? Why are you doing this?0 -
Its hard and sometimes i want to stop especially since i had a vain reason for losing weight in the first place (last years holiday). But now for me motivation come from the results I see in the mirror. Also i think if i stop now will I have to go back to the charity shop and retrieve all my clothes I gave away.
You have days when you dont want to do it, but you just keep plugging away. Its really worth it in the end. Good luck.0 -
Work out really intense. Lift heavy. Burn more calories and then you can manage to eat more food and still be in a deficit. So basically, eat better regardless of your circumstances and/or excuses but if you burn more calories you will have more wiggle room.
Another tip, if your lifting weights they way it makes you feel should be motivation enough.0 -
We all feel this way sometimes. The difference is, the successful people stay on track more often than not. Remind yourself everyday that you want to be thinner and healthier and eat that way. You can do it.0
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Motivation will come and go. You need to work on setting up good habits and routines
I log my food because it's part of my routine just like showering or brushing my teeth. I know that not every day will be perfect, but it will be the best I can do on that given day. In the beginning when it wasn't part of my routine, I set reminders and scheduled appointment time in my daily calender just like I would for meetings. I scheduled my exercise time, set time in my morning to pre log my food.0 -
Motivation is never constant - it come and goes for everybody. Build habits around eating and training. Keep getting up every day and doing it. After a while - it will just be your life and you won't have to work so hard at it.
Most importantly, until getting healthy is a real priority for you - you'll spin your wheels. When you're ready to put in the work - you'll do it.
Good luck.0 -
I find it by reminding myself why I started this journey. Then I try to remember all the work I've put in and that pretty much does it for me.0
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It doesn't help that I am reasonably okay with my body, even though I am larger. I want to lose weight so I can be more fit. My boyfriend is a marathon runner but the most I can struggle is 5km. I want to be more fit to go on adventures with him. Its bad cause he is really struggling to gain the last 5kgs to get to 60kgs whilst I am the opposite trying to lose weight. Also I cant do chin ups and I feel that's cause my bum is too heavy lol. I do work out three times a week, twice with free weights plus light cardio and once running.
Its a bit funny that Therealobi1 mentioned the charity shop as I donated some of my too big clothes and when I go there I see them for sale. I am reminded a little of my progress but mostly that I dont need more clothes / its not a good time to buy clothes.
Sometimes I feel what will it really matter if I eat this muffin now, sure I wont lose weight today or tomorrow, but Ill do better later.. But later never comes. My trainer told me that its so easy for the 80/20 concept to slip into 70/30.
edit: I would work out more but I have uni three days a week and I work.... also I am naturally lazy..0 -
I look at my side-by-side pic (in my profile) and do not want to go back to the old fat me. I also remember sweating profusely, B.O., heartburn (yes - strangely - that went away with the weight loss - probably due to an improved diet), etc.
^^^This^^^ keeps me going.
I tried to quit logging once I hit goal, but found that I stayed at weight if I stayed with logging. Logging for life lol ;-)0 -
I have to agree with replying members. It is hard to eat healthy when everyone around you is:flowerforyou: eating whatever they want. I cook for two grown men who want meat and potatoes for every supper. Lots of cookies and ice cream in our home too. Best thing I can do for myself is to shop with my own list of foods that I like and are good for me. Second best thing for me is to tell my family and friends that I am eating healthy and all help is welcome. If you fall off track one day, forgive yourself and start over the next day. Looks to me that you are doing fine. Working out with a trainer is awesome. . You go girl!!0
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They need a like button on this site, all the posts have been wonderful.
I suppose its not that I don't know what I am meant to do, its just hard to care all the time.
Even chatting like this, whilst pretty simple is making me feel better about tomorrow. ^_^0 -
Also as a side laugh, my friends right now on chat are pressuring me to go a chocolate festival in the city tomorrow. Obviously my friends are very supportive :grumble:0
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Everyone has good and bad days! I find that keeping certain encouragement things around me helps-- in my room, in front of my TV, I keep two jars. One jar has rocks in it with all the pounds I want to lose. The other has all the rocks in it with pounds I have already lost.
Also, it's super important to get a few friends on your side. For me, one of my best friends who is around a lot knows to ask about what I've been eating. If she sees me eating junk, she gently confronts me about it. She's not really even a health nut herself, but she is willing to do ask me because she knows I'm trying to do this.
Hope this helps! You can do it!0 -
Also as a side laugh, my friends right now on chat are pressuring me to go a chocolate festival in the city tomorrow. Obviously my friends are very supportive :grumble:
Go. Seriously, please don't fall into the habit of blowing off any fun time because there will be food there. Do you really want to do that for the rest of your life? I hope not.
The biggest wow of this whole 2.5 years I've been on MFP was when I learned to just not overeat. I feel so good about myself every time I am in a situation like this and I actually choose not to overeat. The more you practice moderation - the easier it will be. I was a big binger and now - I just don't anymore.
Please don't put you life on hold - every day is one you will never get back. Learn to live in healthy ways. :flowerforyou:0 -
Motivation is really all about the level of priority you place on the end result. If you REALLY want to be fit and do things with the bf; if that is a top priority, you will be motivated to make it happen. If that's just a "yeah, it would be nice if..." goal, it's not a priority and probably not gonna happen. (And that's ok too.)
If it's a priority, you will make it happen; If not, you will make excuses.0 -
...I want to lose weight so I can be more fit. My boyfriend is a marathon runner but the most I can struggle is 5km. I want to be more fit to go on adventures with him. Its bad cause he is really struggling to gain the last 5kgs to get to 60kgs whilst I am the opposite trying to lose weight. Also I cant do chin ups and I feel that's cause my bum is too heavy lol. I do work out three times a week, twice with free weights plus light cardio and once running.
Have you considered maybe trying to run a 5k race? It would give you something to work towards, and in the end you'd be fitter, too!0 -
Also as a side laugh, my friends right now on chat are pressuring me to go a chocolate festival in the city tomorrow. Obviously my friends are very supportive :grumble:
A chocolate festival? I want to move to where you live
I'm motivated by vanity mainly..I want to look good and I don't want to be the fat mum at the school gates. I also want to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes.
I'm lucky that I enjoy exercise and I have a couple of friends who I exercise with, so we motivate each other. I also don't really like junk food. The only 'bad' things I like are chocolate and homemade cake, so I just allow myself something like that once a week so I don't feel deprived. I find that 'treat day' once a week keeps me going.
Take photos so you can measure your progress and also make sure you check if you've lost inches, because sometimes the scale doesn't reflect weight loss as much as the tape measure does.
I sometimes feel like I've had enough, mainly when my baby has been up 5 times in the night, or when my 3 year old is having a tantrum, or when my husband is on late shift and I'm on my own all evening with 3 kids who are refusing to go to bed! But when I look at my weight loss photos from after my 2nd baby, it reminds me where I need to get to.0 -
Also as a side laugh, my friends right now on chat are pressuring me to go a chocolate festival in the city tomorrow. Obviously my friends are very supportive :grumble:
Go. Seriously, please don't fall into the habit of blowing off any fun time because there will be food there. Do you really want to do that for the rest of your life? I hope not.
The biggest wow of this whole 2.5 years I've been on MFP was when I learned to just not overeat. I feel so good about myself every time I am in a situation like this and I actually choose not to overeat. The more you practice moderation - the easier it will be. I was a big binger and now - I just don't anymore.
Please don't put you life on hold - every day is one you will never get back. Learn to live in healthy ways. :flowerforyou:
This! Definitely this!
This weekend I'm supposed to be going to a big food truck festival at a winery, and I can't wait. Great music, food, wine, and fun. I can go enjoy myself, usually I share with my husband so we can try out lots of stuff.
Go you don't have to over due it, but you can and should go and have fun0 -
We are ALL naturally lazy and naturally unmotivated. But those are not good excuses. Stop telling yourself that, and start thinking and saying that you feel so good when you eat healthfully and exercise, and that it's a priority for you to do it.
Also, don't ever have a day or a week where you just don't worry about what you eat. It's the QUICKEST way to falling off the wagon permanently. Absolutely have treats once in awhile, because those keep you going and not feeling deprived. But once you have developed a good habit, protect it like you would a treasure, because that's what it is.
Finally, try to adjust your thinking about your lifestyle. It isn't something that you're going to do for a certain amount of time, but rather it is a new way of living. When you stopped worrying about what you ate, you switched ways of living from healthy to unhealthy, and you will pay the price by feeling bad, mentally and physically. You may never just automatically choose good food and exercise as second nature. It may be something you have to consciously and willfully do for the rest of your life. But you have to make it WHAT YOU DO. Like someone else said, it's like brushing your teeth or showering. OF COURSE you eat healthy and exercise. You'd never say "I'm really stressed this week, so I'm not gonna worry about brushing my hair, or washing my face."
You know what to do and how to do it, so do it! You've got this!!0 -
http://www.smoothfestivalofchocolate.com.au/ I live in Sydney so we get a lot of nice touristy things. Nice for them and us. I think I will go. I get a lot of fun out of taking pictures and doing things with friends so its not all ad.
Ill try to get some photos. I do have some but they are quite old and not really in my diet motivation now. They are from last year before I gained weight again.
I have done some 5k races. Took me almost an hour which isn't the best time but I am still very happy that I gave it a go.
Oh my gosh, I
food trucks. Just the concept is awesome. We hardly ever get them here but it just seems so whimsical and ephemeral. My favorite one here makes jaffles with different fillings each time. If i ask them not to put butter on it, I can usually fit it into my calories - with cut backs elsewhere.
I think in so many ways melraelee is right here. I wish I had tried harder to keep the habit cause it was going really well. I thought entering my food would be enough but it just made me lax. This might be my biggest take away concept from this thread.0 -
http://www.smoothfestivalofchocolate.com.au/ I live in Sydney so we get a lot of nice touristy things. Nice for them and us. I think I will go. I get a lot of fun out of taking pictures and doing things with friends so its not all ad.
Ill try to get some photos. I do have some but they are quite old and not really in my diet motivation now. They are from last year before I gained weight again.
I have done some 5k races. Took me almost an hour which isn't the best time but I am still very happy that I gave it a go.
Oh my gosh, I food trucks. Just the concept is awesome. We hardly ever get them here but it just seems so whimsical and ephemeral. My favorite one here makes jaffles with different fillings each time. If i ask them not to put butter on it, I can usually fit it into my calories - with cut backs elsewhere.
I think in so many ways melraelee is right here. I wish I had tried harder to keep the habit cause it was going really well. I thought entering my food would be enough but it just made me lax. This might be my biggest take away concept from this thread.
I look forward to the pictures. You can get back in the routine, in the beginning it takes a little more work and focus, but the more you repeat it, it becomes just part of what you do. Now I'm off to check out that website 0 -
I feel kind of mean saying this buy I'm pretty motivated by my roommate. Not because he supports me or , but because he eats like garbage. Whenever we both make a meal together seeing somebody else eat half a box of pasta and 4 slices of Texas toast kind of makes me reevaluate everything.
It also amuses me to no end that he hates when I buy more healthy stuff that he doesn't want to eat and that he thinks it's ridiculous that I pull out my phone to check the nutrients of a thing before I tell him how much to make me.
I think it'd be a bigger motivating factor if he'd join me in the weight loss thing, because he could stand to lose the weight, too, but for now just being at odds with him is fun and has kept me on track.0 -
I'm not motivated to go to the gym today. I'm going anyway. I'm committed to maintain my new healthy habits the same way I was committed to success in graduate school. Can't afford to wait for motivation, inspiration, "likes" or "rah rah's". I simply have business to attend to. Then I go have fun.0
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Motivation will come and go. You need to work on setting up good habits and routines
I log my food because it's part of my routine just like showering or brushing my teeth. I know that not every day will be perfect, but it will be the best I can do on that given day. In the beginning when it wasn't part of my routine, I set reminders and scheduled appointment time in my daily calender just like I would for meetings. I scheduled my exercise time, set time in my morning to pre log my food.
Bam! Habit wins over motivation every time.0 -
One of the things I do is stay connected with my why. Why I started this, what will this bring me, and how will my life change if I complete this? Setbacks, plateaus, and confusion will come but your why has to be bigger than those to push forward. When you have an established why within you, it's better to connect with others who share the same passions. This way you all push each other to do greater every time. I own my journey well, but when I know there's a put up or shut up deal with my accountability partners, it holds my feet to the fire even moreso. HTH :0) \o/0
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You should find out what really motivates you. Easier said than done - I still have no idea what motivates/inspires me.0
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I try to remember to slow down and ask myself "does this choice fit in my plan for the day?". If it does I eat it. If not, I will choose something else.
It gets easier every day!0
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