How do you stay motivated?!

I plan my meals a day in advance (and stick with it!). I also keep a jacket and a pair of jeans that I want to get into again hanging in my bedroom where I can see them when I go to bed/get up every day. I keep an unflattering picture that I hate of myself on my fridge. It's working for me. When I go to the store, I can pass by all the fattening, unhealthy crap that I used to buy. The store I go to has the heart healthy nuts I get by the Little Debbie snack cakes. I don't know what cruel, sadistic *kitten* came up with that placement.

Just keep your end goal in your mind and have mini-goals along the way to stay focused.

Life has a habit of making it hard, but nothing worth doing came easy so get the hubby to look after the kids for an hour at the weekend while you workout, maybe find a workout you can do at home in the week?

amandaelizabeth81 wrote: »

4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »

I have found mini goals helped me alot when sticking to my calorie goal. When I started I needed to lose 80-100 lbs, thats alot and feels quite overwhelming. When you think of your total goal that is in the more distant future its really easy to throw away today thinking you can figure it out tomorrow. Setting monthly mini goals keeps me on track and gives me more instant gratification.

I think the "big picture" is what's getting in my way - like seeing the total weight I need to lose is intimidating. And the whole "this is a lifestyle change" is so true. So that's overwhelming me a little.
But thanks - mini goals will be much easier to focus on!

Go little by little. You don't have to make all the changes at one. Leave some for when you're further along.

First, determine your healthy deficit... and hit it. Eyeballing portions... then eventually start weighing and measuring (when eyeballing stops working). Then... add workouts. There's a whole world there, haha. Then... get to know more recipes and nutritious dishes/snacks. Try to sleep better, try to stay hydrated. Little by little. Read up, educate yourself. The stickies in these forums are great.

Don't do it all at once... but do it. Start right away with something (if starting with "all the things!" is too overwhelming). Progress will be your best motivation.

I really wish you the best!

You have to start where you are. My advice is to not focus on the huge task ahead of you. Instead, focus on making small improvements. Commit to making one small improvement in your situation every day.

For example, focus on getting a few more steps in every day. If you don't have one already, go buy yourself an inexpensive pedometer ($20 or less at a sporting goods store, or online, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HJ-321-Tri-Axis-Pedometer-Black/dp/B007ZWIJR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1429113772&sr=1-1&keywords=pedometer). Then start keeping track of your steps on a daily basis and then calculate a weekly average and every day try to beat last week's average. You will be making small incremental changes, but small changes add up quickly.

As you build up a track record improving one thing, then turn your focus to other things. Calculate your average calorie intake for the previous week, and try to beat last week's average.

Or if you do calisthenics, try to beat your push up record by 1, or 5, etc.

The point is, you don't have to be perfect. You just have to be better. Remember the joke about the bear? If a bear is chasing you and your buddy, you don't have to outrun the bear, you just have to outrun your buddy. Think of your quest for improvement as trying to outrun your previous self. Perfection isn't required, but improvement is.

If you strive to make small improvements every day, then before you know it you will have accomplished an impressive transformation.

Good luck!