No motivation where do you find it?

megansev
megansev Posts: 1
edited November 8 in Motivation and Support
Can't get motivated to stay in shape any suggestions?

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    I keep it in my pocket!

    It isn't motivation you need, it is dedication. Motivation waxes and wanes, dedication is doing what needs done, no matter how you feel about it.

    When motivation strikes, write it down: make a list that you can refer back to in order to remind you why you are dedicated to this.
  • zilannoj
    zilannoj Posts: 138 Member
    It's not really about motivation. It's about creating habits you want to keep. If you feel your motivation stopping, you're probably overdoing it (well, that's from my experience). This isn't just about the end goal. It's also about how you reach it. So if you're having problems, don't look for motivation. Change how you reach your goals.
  • Winterlover123
    Winterlover123 Posts: 352 Member
    ^^ this. Perfectly said.
  • fearlessleader104
    fearlessleader104 Posts: 723 Member
    Eat less and/or move more you lose weight. Simple, what do you need motivation for?
  • kristinhowell
    kristinhowell Posts: 139 Member
    Pinterest helps. Friends on MFP help.

    The motivation that will keep you going has to come from your own self though.
    Figure out why you want to be in shape, and decide you will do what it takes to achieve that, and commit to it.

    "You are confined only by the walls you build yourself."

    ☺
  • pattyjoshockley
    pattyjoshockley Posts: 53 Member
    I've got a list of reasons why I want to be healthy and fit. I read it frequently to remind myself why there is no other option but to make the healthy choice. Some days I don't have any motivation and need to read my list. Other days I have the motivation and it's easier. I am thinking about making a list of the consequences and results of being obese and out of shape. Thinking about those things often helps me to just step away from the sweets.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    All of the above and just start tracking your food. It only takes a few minutes a day and then it becomes a habit. You will have success. Most of all have fun!!
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  • ginsmar
    ginsmar Posts: 12 Member
    My motivation has been and continues to be how I feel and what I have accomplished so far over past almost 3 years. I have the support of 3,friends on the fitness pal APP and I think we always challenged one another with compliments. My other motivation is the fact I am doing things now that I did not do for a number of years and that was not fair to my family, I will continue the journey, it is fun, hardwork but fun. Will hit my goal by end of 2015, that is my goal
  • ntnunk
    ntnunk Posts: 936 Member
    My motivation started with finding an activity that was healthy and that I really enjoyed. For me it was riding my bikes but it could be anything. Once I started riding and started losing weight and feeling better everything else just kind of snowballed. Now I can't imagine going back to the flat, lifeless, always-tired person I feel like I was then.
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  • Milenac93
    Milenac93 Posts: 47 Member
    zachbonner wrote: »
    little white pills
    what are you referring to?
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  • hannahrichins
    hannahrichins Posts: 26
    Motivation is such a tricky thing. It's what gets you going, but like what everyone else has said eventually it will all become a habit and you won't really need the motivation anymore. I like to surround myself with people who have similar goals, which is why this MFP community is awesome. It's also really good to dig deep and figure out why you really want to change. Because ultimately, motivation has to come from you :) Good luck!!!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    - get sick or hurt (get scared)
    - get sick of yourself
    - break up with someone and decide you need to get your goods in shape for the market

    Those are the most common, imo
  • acquilla30
    acquilla30 Posts: 147 Member
    edited December 2014
    I look in the mirror and ask myself do i like what i see. The answer hasnt been ues yet so i put my exercise clothes on and go workout. I also ask myself how much do I like living. Do i want to hopefully make it to 50 or do I want to try to make it to 100. In the end you have to dig deep and find whats going to drive you to a better you.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    kristinhowell wrote: »
    Pinterest helps. Friends on MFP help.

    The motivation that will keep you going has to come from your own self though.
    Figure out why you want to be in shape, and decide you will do what it takes to achieve that, and commit to it.

    "You are confined only by the walls you build yourself."

    ☺

    +1

    It has to come from you and then you need to commit. I dopnt know why many posters think they need friends for other people to give them motivation. It must come from within i.e you must know why you want to lose weight and then you have to commit to doing what is needed. Disagree with the view that you don need motivation, its just if you develop habits and get your diet into a routine then it becomes easier to implement.

    Ask yourself if you want to lose weight and why. Oys either importnat enough to you or it is not.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
    I find it within myself! I know that's probably not what you want to hear… but that's where I find it. I think about what I want… why I started this. I think about how far I've come. I think about the people who claim that I'm inspirational to them.

    If you are thinking that I wake up everyday going "YES! I get to go the gym today!" It doesn't happen like that. I do have some days like that. But some days I'm really stinkin' tired. Or I don't feel well. Or I know that today is "leg day" and I HATE leg days! But I still go. Because I know what I want. There are days when all-you-can-eat Chinese food sounds really good. Followed by a whole cheesecake. Followed by a pint of Ben & Jerry's. All while I sit in front of the TV. And I may still have a piece of cheesecake. Or a serving of ice cream... But I don't eat like that on a regular basis anymore. Because I know what I want.

    There are days when I think about how far I have to go… and it just makes me tired. Times when I look at my body and wonder when it will EVER change. But I stay the course… because I remember that while I still have over 90 pounds to go… I've lost over 100 already. And that's a big freakin' deal! I've made it this far… why quit now?

    There are times when I'm so exhausted that about halfway through my workout… I want to just say "that's good enough" and quit. Times when I'm sick of counting calories and eating at a deficit and I just want to "maintain" (that's what I tell myself) for awhile (although deep down I know it won't happen like that)… but I keep going. I finish my workout. I live to log another day. Because there are people who look at me and are somehow inspired by me (which I haven't figured out why yet!) and I want to be that person that they believe I am.

    Motivation fades… it does. It's a fact of life. That's when you discover what you're made of and find out what is really important to you.
  • court_alacarte
    court_alacarte Posts: 219 Member
    my motivation comes from different things; mainly, i don't want a relationship with food anymore. this is quite a recent thing that started a few years ago. i'm the sort of person that "oohs" and "aahs" at food and needs a bite of everything, etc. and instead of keeping it to special occasions, it became an almost everyday thing. before then, it was basically "does this taste good? okay, good" and i only really ate for satisfaction and not really for pleasure and thus it was mindless to maintain my weight. so i'm hoping that motivation will turn into dedication and ultimately habit (again). i really don't want to be counting calories for the rest of my life.

    also living in a city where most of the women are in shape and made up all the time, it kind of sets me up to reflect and think: i can look like that too, i can have pride in how i dress and look, etc. i'm not saying that looks are important or that i need to be skinny to be happy, but being in shape contributes to confidence; and being surrounded by people who care about their appearance and health, it kind of gives you that kick in the rump to get in gear and say: "i can do that too!"
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
    jocoblossoming wrote: »
    It's not really about motivation. It's about creating habits you want to keep. If you feel your motivation stopping, you're probably overdoing it (well, that's from my experience). This isn't just about the end goal. It's also about how you reach it. So if you're having problems, don't look for motivation. Change how you reach your goals.

    This for sure. I do have a picture of myself when I first started my journey. I created a little picture that has that one along with pictures I took of myself along the way. That is all the motivation that I need. Good luck! I can be hard for sure!
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    For me, it's wanting to feel good about how I look. I'm not shooting for 'fashionably' skinny or anything like that. Not even going for a magic number on the scale, just a range. But I want to feel comfortable enough about my body that I don't mind wearing a swimsuit or shorter skirt anymore. (Not that I wear skirts that often, but having my grandmother's knees makes it bad enough, don't need to add extra weight to that! XD ) And there are plenty of times I've been very 'meh' about the whole process. I've essentially stalled for almost a year, though I've only put on about 5 pounds of the 40 I lost, so that's a good sign that my eating habits have defiantly changed! But as long as I can look in the mirror and feel good about what I see, that's what I'm going for.

    Motivation changes as you go along. Hell, one of the best motivators I had at the beginning was I wanted ankles again! I have them back now, so does that mean I should lose all my motivation? No, I just found something else that takes another step.
  • katherine_startrek_fan
    katherine_startrek_fan Posts: 425 Member
    My motivation is two fold:

    1. I want to get healthy so that I can have and raise a healthy family
    2. Every step I take forward is something I am doing for me. I'm not forced to work out; I do it because it makes me feel good. I don't eat healthy because I need to lose weight, but because I am fueling my body.
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