Lost my motivation

I've recently lost my motivation to continue to make good food choices & consistently work out. And I need help. I know no one can make me want it but myself, but I am hoping SOMEONE out there may be going through or have gone through this as well.

Over the last year (& some change) I've lost 60lbs through lifestyle changes and working out. I started because of my 10 year reunion was coming up, but along the way it changed and I did it for ME.

Currently I am working 2 days a week with a trainer (lifting) and I have challenged myself to run 50 miles in the month of October. I have 44.5 to go. I plan on starting PIYO in November with a group of girls on facebook. I own T25, Insanity, 30 Day Shred and P90X. I've done all of them but P90X. I find I am more motivated to work on when I am following along to a DVD.

My diet has also taken a nosedive. I used to be so diligent with calories. I would not snack and I would make good choices. I've stopped all that and am very disappointed in myself.

So LONG story short (I'm sorry), if you've lost your motivation, like me, because say you lost all the weight or hit your long term goal, HOW do you get it back?

Replies

  • ellie0213
    ellie0213 Posts: 516 Member
    I belong to a Fitness Support group on Facebook. Best thing I ever did!
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    You get back for YOU. I'm struggling a bit right now too. I had a streak of over 400 days and am back to 30 but still not doing as well as I was before. I have been trying to get into some new exercises and trying new foods to get me back on track. We can do this.
  • Sweetvirgo63
    Sweetvirgo63 Posts: 119 Member
    First, congratulate yourself on what you have accomplished in the last year. Losing 60 lbs. isn't something to ignore. Looking at the commitments you signed up for, I'd say you took on quite a lot of them. Maybe just concentrate on the running commitment and leave out the rest until you've accomplished that one? Also, sometimes you do need to readjust your nutrition. Try out new recipes, swap meat for vegetarian meals on and off [I'm not vegetarian but I mix it up during the week]. All I know is that if I don't keep track of my intake, there's a good chance I'll undereat. I'll think that I've met my goal of 1,400 after dinner only to find out that I'm just over 1,000 which is too low. Hang in there.
  • pinkakira1
    pinkakira1 Posts: 235 Member
    I feel the same way. I lost 22lbs and steadily gaining it all back. I started to not work out as much started to make bad food choices and keep teeter totting back and forth. I want to stay on the horse this time. I feel like this is my first step. Get a new group and just plug away at it. We got this! Go US :p
  • haircuttergirl
    haircuttergirl Posts: 33 Member
    Sweetalot wrote: »
    First, congratulate yourself on what youve accomplished in the last year. Losing 60 lbs. isn't something to ignore. Looking at the commitments you signed up for, I'd say you took on quite a lot of them. Maybe just concentrate on the running commitment and leave out the rest until you've accomplished that one? Also, sometimes you do need to readjust your nutrition. Try out new recipes, swap meat for vegetarian meals on and off [I'm not vegetarian but I mix it up during the week]. All I know is that if I don't keep track of my intake, there's a good chance I'll undereat. I'll think that I've met my goal of 1,400 after dinner only to find out that I'm just over 1,000 which is too low. Hang in there.
    I do this! A lot of people say that if you aren't losing you are probably eating more than you think... but mine is the opposite. I am eating very little. Even less if I'm trying to push to lose weight. I like your ideas... and after posting about not being able to lose, I've had a bunch of people tell me to weigh my food and up my caloric intake.

    Op, don't give up. You aren't the only one stuck in a rut. You will come out of it :) Congrats on the 60 lost! I am at 55.4 down with a 60 lb goal.

  • CassieR6
    CassieR6 Posts: 280 Member
    I am right there with you! I started out strong 4 months ago and lost 6lbs. Now I gained it back then some. I have not worked out in about 4 months and I am trying to eat good but failing. I too need to find it within myself to get my butt in gear! So I feel you! We will get there one day I am sure! :)
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    I lost 40lbs over the course of this year and the past two months with the start of this new work schedule it changed everything and I gained 35lbs back ughhh. I know how you feel. And I know exactly what I need to do to fix it but I just cant get motivated to do it. No clue what do do either. I want to go to my offices Christmas party this year maybe that will give me motivation to get back on track. Here is hoping for all of us!
  • LeannJeffers
    LeannJeffers Posts: 486 Member
    Your post sounds EXACTLY like me, it's almost like you took the words right out of my head.
    I tried for years to lose weight and then all of a sudden something clicked and I lost 45 pounds in 2012. I've kept the weight off but I still have my stomach that i want to get rid of. When i originally lost all that weight I was very strict with myself and didn't allow the sweets, only once in a while, however now that I've been staying at the same weight I've begun to fall back into my old habits. I think "oh i'm working out, i can have that candy bar after lunch" but i can tell in my waist that I'm not the same. I'm not strict with my diet, I eat out more and yet the scale stays within 6 lbs of what i originally lost. The scale may be the same but my shape is different.
    I remember how i felt great when I lost all the weight and everyone was saying how i looked so good and they admired my dedication to my workouts and sticking with my food plans. I felt on top of the world.
    NOW i feel like it's just another thing i do, like a job. I don't have the sense of accomplishment. I look at myself in the mirror and question the point of busting my butt at the gym...
    If you want to add me as a friend perhaps we can motivate each other?
  • haircuttergirl
    haircuttergirl Posts: 33 Member
    Your post sounds EXACTLY like me, it's almost like you took the words right out of my head.
    I tried for years to lose weight and then all of a sudden something clicked and I lost 45 pounds in 2012. I've kept the weight off but I still have my stomach that i want to get rid of. When i originally lost all that weight I was very strict with myself and didn't allow the sweets, only once in a while, however now that I've been staying at the same weight I've begun to fall back into my old habits. I think "oh i'm working out, i can have that candy bar after lunch" but i can tell in my waist that I'm not the same. I'm not strict with my diet, I eat out more and yet the scale stays within 6 lbs of what i originally lost. The scale may be the same but my shape is different.
    I remember how i felt great when I lost all the weight and everyone was saying how i looked so good and they admired my dedication to my workouts and sticking with my food plans. I felt on top of the world.
    NOW i feel like it's just another thing i do, like a job. I don't have the sense of accomplishment. I look at myself in the mirror and question the point of busting my butt at the gym...
    If you want to add me as a friend perhaps we can motivate each other?
    +1 I am right where you guys are and could use some motivational help.

  • BeingKevin2
    BeingKevin2 Posts: 13 Member
    It is hard to recapture the magic of motivation once it is gone. After losing lots of weight I have found myself struggling at times to keep moving forward. One thing that helped me was to put pictures of my old self on the refrigerator and pantry to remind myself of where I once was every time I was about to make a food choice. I also put pictures of my old self in my gym bag so I had a reminder of why I was there.

    Even with these photos it is hard at times to not "take a break" from my new lifestyle. At these times I go back to my original promises I made for myself every morning, "that I will do everything I can to live my new lifestyle for just one day," and at the end of the day when you have upheld that promise you can go to bed knowing tomorrow you will make that same promise. Good luck.
  • I like what Katie says in this post. Many times, motivation isn't enough. What are you determined to do?
    http://www.runsforcookies.com/2012/01/difference-between-motivation-and.html