Useful Motivation Tip!

CatClark
CatClark Posts: 74 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone -

I'm brand new here: going to Vegas in just under a month and I'm determined to shift some pounds before then! Have around 2.5 stone to lose before I'm my ideal weight (not imagining that I'll lose that in the month though, don't worry!) :)

Just wanted to share a quick tip - something I started doing that's helping me with my motivation...

We all know about the benefits of keeping a food diary: but consider doing the reverse as well. It sounds mad, but keep a list of all the times you DIDN'T eat something that you wanted to / would have done if you weren't counting the cals! Each office biscuit, every full fat coke, every nibble of cheese... Write down every successfully avoided temptation - then tot up the calories you resisted during the day and give yourself a pat on the back!

I'm always so surprised by what I manage to say no to, and it's a brilliant motivator to quantify what you've managed to cut back by - otherwise all that resolve goes largely unnoticed. Keeping a 'negative food diary' also helps me to see where I could easily slip up, and keep an eye out for this in the future.

Hope someone else finds it helpful :)

Replies

  • 2nyce
    2nyce Posts: 37
    That sounds like an pretty motivating idea.
  • 2nyce
    2nyce Posts: 37
    I'll give it a shot today let you know how it turns out
  • patklotz
    patklotz Posts: 3
    Hi Cat Clark

    Thank you for sharing that very helpful tip. I think it's a very brilliant idea because it proves we do have the willpower and we can say NO more often than we think.

    Good Luck between now and Vegas ! (and good luck in Vegas too)


    Pat K :happy:
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I just did that and so fat today I have saved about 3,000 calories :-)
  • CatClark
    CatClark Posts: 74 Member
    So glad you all think it might help!

    All too often we focus on what we DID eat, rather than what we DIDNT - and I really do think they're equally important :)

    Keep up the great work everyone - and I'd love to hear how this goes for you!
  • KateCon912
    KateCon912 Posts: 200 Member
    Wow that's a great idea :)
  • katieb63
    katieb63 Posts: 26 Member
    I think that is a really good idea, I will give that a go.
  • 2nyce
    2nyce Posts: 37
    hey this was helpful, saving the calories was like saving money I felt good about skipping out on some wine and an applesauce and peanut butter sandwich around 500 calories together not to mention that 240 nestle crunch bar. Nice looking out
  • CatClark
    CatClark Posts: 74 Member
    Fantastic 2nyce, so pleased to hear that!

    I resisted a left over poppadom (and I love them!) a small bowl of cereal (my bike got a flat tyre so I was late home and ravenous...) and a smoothie I didn't really need at work - so all in all, probably close to 500 as well - little things I wouldn't have thought twice about before, but having taken note of them, I can really see how being strong-willed adds up over the day :)
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    What a positive way of looking at things, I might do the same!

    It could be a great motivator when I am trying to lose the last bit and I'm only losing fat at 1/2 lb a week.

    After a month, I can say "I've lost 2lb" which will be sort of okay, but it will be a lot of fun to also be able to say "I've refused 14,000 calories, so if I wasn't being sensible I'd have put ON 2lb."

    Might be fun to create another profile on here, where I log calories NOT eaten!!! :bigsmile:
  • apeydawn
    apeydawn Posts: 52
    Excellent Idea!
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