How to get started with low mental motivation?

cknight30064
cknight30064 Posts: 10 Member
edited November 12 in Motivation and Support
So, I’ve been overweight all my life, and I’ve also hated it all my life. Shocking, right? I always come up with ways to fix it, and then I just don’t. I never seem to hate my weight enough to actually do anything about it after I come up with all my grand life changing plans. No matter how much I get psyched up for my next life changing plan, I never follow through with it for more than maybe a day… and that’s if I’m lucky.

Maybe it’s laziness? Apathy? Insecurity? I honestly have no clue; maybe it’s a combination of all of them or something totally different. I’ve struggled with minor depression on and off for a long time, but most of that is related to how I look and the fact that I’m not doing what I really want to do with my life. I would think that when I get in those slumps, that would make me even more motivated to go and do something about it, put a plan into action. But it never does.

I guess what I’m asking is, has anyone else ever experienced this kind of problem in their journey? How did you solve your problems? Or at least push them to the side long enough to start to turn yourself around? I’m asking this from a mostly mental standpoint... motivation and drive kind of thing. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated! :-)

Replies

  • becky10rp
    becky10rp Posts: 573 Member
    Have you ever talked to anyone - Doctor-wise - about the feelings you expressed here? I think you need to figure out - and face your demons before you can be serious about your weight loss journey. Personally - I've had issues with Anorexia - and until I figured out a lot of my personal 'stuff' - I was pretty much stuck in my own little rut. This is life-changing - eating and exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Figure out first what's going on in your head-space - then your weight loss - in my opinion- will follow.
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
    I had no motivation when I started. I started almost by accident.

    MyFitnessPal was a homework assignment. But in 3 weeks, I had lost 20 pounds: from 298 to 278 -- it was crazy, and I wasn't starving or even hitting the goal all of the time, I was just logging the food and that started me in getting motivated. I'd hit the goal one day, and try to hit it the next day.

    After 3 weeks, the class was over but I kept going... it's now day 110 of this 21 day homework assignment and I'm down 65 pounds!

    Motivation is not required to start MyFitnessPal and start logging your food. Get it on the web and on your smartphone and just log.

    You'll do a diary of your food, it looks like this: (mine)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/funchords

    Logging your food. This is the most important skill.
    • When you log what you're eating before you eat it, you have a second chance to make a better decision.
    • When you see what you're eating over time, you'll investigate alternatives and make changes
    • When you get into practice, it takes less than 5 minutes per day
    • When you log through your crises -- when you feel or are out of control, you're back in control as soon as your next meal and you don't feel so bad because you know where you are (the biggest part of fear is not knowing)

    Logging provides the info, the control, and the "didn't quit" that will make your effort successful. You'll even do it after you've lost the weight, to help train you to maintain. So get really good at it. It's worth it.

    Try it for 21 days, just like I did. The only strict rule is to log everything you eat. See how it starts to motivate you!
  • cknight30064
    cknight30064 Posts: 10 Member
    becky10rp wrote: »
    Have you ever talked to anyone - Doctor-wise - about the feelings you expressed here? I think you need to figure out - and face your demons before you can be serious about your weight loss journey. Personally - I've had issues with Anorexia - and until I figured out a lot of my personal 'stuff' - I was pretty much stuck in my own little rut. This is life-changing - eating and exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Figure out first what's going on in your head-space - then your weight loss - in my opinion- will follow.

    I have seen a doctor in the past regarding it. At the time we both decided it was more of a situational depression and I really didn't want to do meds or anything like that. As time has progressed I've begun to think that maybe it's something more than that? I currently don’t have a Primary Care Physician, so I haven’t really followed up with it. It’s definitely something I’ve been meaning to do, but time and money (and insurance lol) haven’t allowed for it as much as I’d like. Thank you making me think about it again, it's a good reminder to try and get it done.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    I am like this too. I have to strike while the iron is hot or I lose my steam then blank nothing and it is very ha r d to get to that mental space and motivation. However I was able to comeback after not being gone but a week or two and it really was a great feeling to pull myself out.. I am all or nothing! I go full hilt when im in it. Its the sticking with it for long periods I have not got to yet. But I have bipolar2 and probably borderline pd so I know why I am like that. Its the mental pushing thru thats the hard part.
  • cknight30064
    cknight30064 Posts: 10 Member
    Bumpity bump bump... just wondering if there were any other friends that might have some advice as well? The more the merrier! :smile:
  • sabel20
    sabel20 Posts: 7 Member
    Well.... Im new to this to. but set small goals to start out... i start strong....then faulter... so i set myself little goals... i will slip on "gym time" but i need to log my food at least....everyday.... and when i say i do go to the gym...i can reward myself with a little treat that is 1/3 at the most of what i burned (i only burn maybe 300-500 calories at the gym right now)
    You reward can be when you do (whatever) for so many days straight you can get (item that you love).

    For example. I'f i can continue to log my food and my work out days for 30 days straight, i can either buy myself a book or puzzle.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    start without it. you don't actually need it. it wont help you weigh less or be stronger.
  • Trollbear
    Trollbear Posts: 7 Member
    This is going to come out of the blue, but get your hormone levels checked. Sounds like you, like me, have a lifelong imbalance. Mine is severe, as I don't produce enough gnrh to have any sustainable testosterone levels. But you don't have to be as low as I am to feel the effects. Ask to see an endocrinologist.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    It's hard to get in the 'wanting it enough' mind set for sure. Took me 10 years. Now I'm looking for it again after gaining 20 lbs back.
  • ashxtasticness
    ashxtasticness Posts: 160 Member
    I have been like that off and on and also tend to get like that when I have a plateau in my weight loss. It's hard to do it and even harder to stick with it when you aren't there mentally. Get excited, read success stories, throw out the bad food, find an activity you enjoy doing, find someone to do it with you/talk to you about it throughout. I'm doing it with my best friend this time around and it's the best I've ever done. I'm absolutely committed to it and it feels so good! If you ever want someone to talk to, add me :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    OP hasn't been on MFP since 2015...
This discussion has been closed.

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