How to keep myself motivated for a long time ?

I used to put a pic of me at my heaviest as a screensaver on my phone, just take a glance at it when you doubt yourself

theunicornhoe wrote: »

Any tips please ?

Honestly just enjoy the lifestyle...

besaro wrote: »

my best advice about motivation is its unreliable, so stop relying on motivation to keep you going. somedays you will just have to do what needs to be done. as much as i hate quoting nike, they really did it get right, just do it.

This.

Sometimes you will feel like you don't want to do it because
a) it's raining
b) it's too hot
c) it's too cold
d) it's the TOM
e) XYZ is on TV
f) You've got a cold
g) You think you've pulled a muscle
h) Something you've eaten doesn't agree with you completely
i) It's too early
j) it's too late
k) You don't want people to see you
l) You see results and think you've got this without exercise
m) You don't get the results you're expecting so stop
n) You're GAINING weight (shock horror!) so you stop - even though it's probably lean mass!
o) You can't think of what to wear to work out
p) You are bored of running the same route
q) It's a family day
r) Your dog is ill
s) It's Sunday
t) You are lacking motivation and you don't know why - assume there's something seriously wrong with you
u) You are aching from DOMS
v) You're not aching from DOMS so want to enjoy it whilst it lasts
w) You've got a date
x) You've not got time because of X/Y/Z/etc
y) You can't afford to go to the gym
z) You woke up late so couldn't go workout early (a.k.a. You love sleep too much)

There are more excuses not to do something than there are to do something.

The reason excuses exist is to rationalize something that otherwise would be unacceptable.

You either want to, or you don't. No amount of motivating will make you do it when you really don't want to - that's something you have to find deep inside yourself. Everyone has it - that little thought in their head that cons them into believing "I'll just set off and do a short run" and end up doing miles once they get out the door...

...It's called determination. Find it, embrace it, cherish it, give it more to go after.

Whenever you think you can't do something for X Y Z reason, just ask yourself: "Is it can't? Or won't and i'm hiding behind can't?"

99/100 times can't is simply won't but you're trying to rationalize it.

Get it done, keep on keeping on.

Consistency will get you where you need to be. Be consistently determined. Every time you do something where you would otherwise have tried to not? It's a success.

*gets down off soapbox*

I have two different answers. I prefer #1.

1. Use the same motivation you use to get up and go to work.

2. Make it an enjoyable or at least doable lifestyle change.

If it's not something you think you can stick to, don't do it.

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." -Colin Powell

theunicornhoe wrote: »

Any tips please ?

Motivation, willpower and resolution are words we use to justify failure. They are weak and so many people fail that it justifies us falling short ourselves.

Instead, consider the word, commitment. When you make a commitment to someone you care about, you keep it. You don’t cheat. You show up when and where you say you’re going to show. Commitments are life long and real because they become a part of us and we announce them to the world (e.g., wedding ring, baptism, etc.).

If you really want this, then commit. You’ll be motivated. You’ll follow through.

@Shadowsan that was quite the list there, well done!

@theunicornhoe I'd sum up @Shadowsan 's list with my own quip:

Stop Buying Your Own BS.

So...

Shadowsan wrote: »

Get it done, keep on keeping on.

And...

DedRepublic wrote: »

Honestly just enjoy the lifestyle...

In summary:

1. No excuses, stop buying your own BS; get it done.
2. Enjoy the lifestyle; who wouldn't enjoy being healthy and in shape, able to leap tall buildings?

theunicornhoe wrote: »

Any tips please ?

Cycling (bicycle riding) is what I do.
It's what I've done regularly for 25 years ... celebrated 25 years on April 29.
I grew up in a cycling household and dabbled in it for a couple decades before that.

Only once in those 25 years did I struggle with motivation ... I was recovering from quite a serious case of DVT (deep vein thrombosis), and then my favourite bicycle was stolen. I was shattered. It took me months before I started to get back into it again. But I did and I'm still cycling.


So the tip is this: find an activity you really enjoy ... something you're reasonable good at ... something you feel comfortable doing ... something you look forward to doing.

This might take trying many different activities to see if there's one that clicks. Or maybe you'll just automatically move to the right one.

Direct your own life. Eat, drink and breathe your desire. Be it now. Stay focused.

Shadowsan wrote: »

besaro wrote: »

my best advice about motivation is its unreliable, so stop relying on motivation to keep you going. somedays you will just have to do what needs to be done. as much as i hate quoting nike, they really did it get right, just do it.

This.

Sometimes you will feel like you don't want to do it because
a) it's raining
b) it's too hot
c) it's too cold
d) it's the TOM
e) XYZ is on TV
f) You've got a cold
g) You think you've pulled a muscle
h) Something you've eaten doesn't agree with you completely
i) It's too early
j) it's too late
k) You don't want people to see you
l) You see results and think you've got this without exercise
m) You don't get the results you're expecting so stop
n) You're GAINING weight (shock horror!) so you stop - even though it's probably lean mass!
o) You can't think of what to wear to work out
p) You are bored of running the same route
q) It's a family day
r) Your dog is ill
s) It's Sunday
t) You are lacking motivation and you don't know why - assume there's something seriously wrong with you
u) You are aching from DOMS
v) You're not aching from DOMS so want to enjoy it whilst it lasts
w) You've got a date
x) You've not got time because of X/Y/Z/etc
y) You can't afford to go to the gym
z) You woke up late so couldn't go workout early (a.k.a. You love sleep too much)

Bolded are not excuses, you should listen to your body. Definitely stop if you think you pulled a muscle. Don't work out if you're sick or want to puke. (For DOMS do extremely cardio like easy swimming or walking.)

Success breeds success in my experience. It becomes a positive feedback loop.

take the emotion out of it. motivation is a fleeting emotion...it will come and go. do you do the dishes or mop the floor because you're highly motivated to do so? probably not right...you mop the floor and do the dishes because these things need doing, so you do them.

This is no different.

I would also add that you ultimately have to find exercise and activity that you like doing...if you don't like doing it, you're never going to stick to it. From there it's about habit. I love to ride, but I'm not necessarily motivated to ride all of the time...I rode yesterday and wasn't motivated at all as I had not had the greatest nights sleep Sunday...but I rode anyway because it was Monday, and I ride on Monday.

I suggest mini-goals a week or two weeks in length, with some time set aside for reflection and adjustment. What's working, what's not? Then change your plan a little to reflect what you've learned.

People are notoriously bad at planning long-term, say for retirement. Better to party today and pay later is how most of us work. So use your personality and set up goals that are achievable, with small rewards, for the short-term.

When you live a day in the way you want your new lifestyle to be (stayed within calorie limits, hit macros, worked out, whatever else) make it a point to notice how good it makes you feel. For me it's less headaches, better digestion, happiness from being outside smelling flowers hearing birds absorbing vitamin d from the sunshine, less tension in my neck from exercising, pride in accomplishing small goals, etc. If you make it a point to relish your new lifestyle, you can use it to get the immediate gratification others may be looking for when they "cheat." Yes there is a big picture, and eyes of the prize can be motivating, but living healthier even just one hour at a time can give you plenty of immediate pleasure as well.