It may sound silly but it helps me..

tracefan
tracefan Posts: 382 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
2 years ago I was in the best shape ever. I had worked out.. started running 3-4 miles a day and ate right.. so needless to say I was toned and in the dress size I wanted etc. well it lasted for a bit but then had a stressful setback which led to less gym time and unhealthy eating which of course caught up with me. Well this may sound silly but i carry around a photo of myself from 2 years ago and this is what gets me motivated. I did it once, I'll do it again. Goal for me. I have a photo taped in my closet too. reminding me of what I can achieve. and i will

Replies

  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
    I was actually thinking of digging up some photos of me from when I weighed less and putting them on the fridge for motivation.
  • RiaMarieAli
    RiaMarieAli Posts: 18 Member
    Thats actually smart and Im sure it motivates! You can def do it again, dont give up!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    It doesn't sounds silly at all to me. I hung an old pair of jeans on my bedroom wall until I could fit into them again.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    Anything that works for you may be helpful. As for as working out I have decided only to do what I expect to be able to do at age 75-80. Some claim running over 15 miles a week will damage the heart due to raising one's level of inflammation too high for long life. If this is true then it stands to reason it may increase cancer risks as well. Being much older my goal is more on living longer than how I look. :)
  • tracefan
    tracefan Posts: 382 Member
    Gale it's all about health yes. I personally feel better when I'm fit. I'm not obsessive, but 2 years ago I felt better than I had in a while and was always in a good mood and loved exercising more. running is not always an option I get that. it's all about what is healthy for sure
  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
    My desktop has a series of 3-4 photos of myself at my lowest weight ever and I often leave one open before the computer sleeps. I also see it as a reminder that I can and have done it before and I will get there. Its a good idea.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    If it works for you then it's the right thing!
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 602 Member
    What great inspiration - your own self! Good luck!
  • Bowsergirl
    Bowsergirl Posts: 89 Member
    I think that's great. I had my Halloween costume hanging in my room for motivation for about a month, now it fits (mostly it's a little short), I need to find something new to hang. I've never been thin though, so I've got no pictures.
  • tracefan
    tracefan Posts: 382 Member
    Good for you bowsergirl!!!
  • MsJulesRenee
    MsJulesRenee Posts: 1,180 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    It doesn't sounds silly at all to me. I hung an old pair of jeans on my bedroom wall until I could fit into them again.

    I keep my old jeans in my closet, too, mixed in with the jeans I can fit into right now. Makes me almost mad that I can't wear them so it motivates me every morning to eat right.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I kept a favourite dress hanging on the bedroom wall until I could fit into it again.
    I still keep it there 6 years later, just to remind me not to out grow it again.

    I think the picture is a great idea. My hairdresser keeps one of her at her goal weight on her phone.

    Cheers, h.
  • mom2my4boys
    mom2my4boys Posts: 148 Member
    Not silly at all! My background on my phone is a family Christmas photo taken 2 years ago when i was 105lbs heavier. When i'm at the gym and i think i can't possibly work out for 5 more minutes, a swipe of my finger can motivate me :) Whetever works!
  • Bowsergirl
    Bowsergirl Posts: 89 Member
    tracefan wrote: »
    Good for you bowsergirl!!!

    Thanks, it was a little snug, but it felt good to have a non scale victory. I think I'm going to go searching through some boxes for a vintage dress I bought that never fit and hang that up now.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    This doesn't sound silly - this is actually quite a brave thing to do. Many of us (me included) failed to admit that we had gained weight. I would personally totally ignore all my 'thin' pictures - I wouldn't even look at them. I was in complete denial. If I had faced up to the gain sooner - as you clearly have - by confronting the old, happier me, I would have entered into this a long time ago. Good for you.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    @PinkPixiexox I didn't realise I had put on weight until I saw a pic of me. Scared the socks of me, and inspired me to lose weight and get fit like nothing else could.

    Cheers, h
  • beverlyjlarson
    beverlyjlarson Posts: 104 Member
    I would even avoid looking at my body in the mirror. Would not step on the scale. Wore jeans that were obviously not the right size. My wakeup call was the pictures of myself with my Grandchildren on vacation. Ouch. I couldn't believe how horrible I looked. Whenever I'm feeling weak I look at the pictures on my phone.
  • Soopatt
    Soopatt Posts: 563 Member
    This sort of thing actually works. I do something similar, except my motivation comes from the other side. I use a picture where I look my absolute worst and fattest - a passport picture from April this year - to motivate me. It reminds me of how far I have come (12kg down since then) and what a difference it makes to how I look and feel. I look ten years older and very haggard in that picture. It makes me determined - it is like a dare.

    I will post the picture when I get to goal against my new pics, in the success thread. Something else to look forward too :)
  • Erfw7471
    Erfw7471 Posts: 242 Member
    Soopatt wrote: »
    This sort of thing actually works. I do something similar, except my motivation comes from the other side. I use a picture where I look my absolute worst and fattest - a passport picture from April this year - to motivate me. It reminds me of how far I have come (12kg down since then) and what a difference it makes to how I look and feel. I look ten years older and very haggard in that picture. It makes me determined - it is like a dare.

    I was just about to post this exact thing. Now that I've lost the weight my before pics are 1 tool of motivation to keep it off.
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
    Not silly at all. I have a photograph of myself at 70kg on my computer desktop - not as a background, but I have the file just there...
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited October 2015
    This content has been removed.
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
    This is not silly. It's very motivating. It makes me think like this - "If I could do it then, I can do it now"
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    Anything that works for you may be helpful. As for as working out I have decided only to do what I expect to be able to do at age 75-80. Some claim running over 15 miles a week will damage the heart due to raising one's level of inflammation too high for long life. If this is true then it stands to reason it may increase cancer risks as well. Being much older my goal is more on living longer than how I look. :)

    Sounds like my father! You keep going!
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    When I gained to my highest, I saw pictures posted on Facebook and thought that there was no way I could possibly look that bad. Every picture was just "a bad angle" or "a weird pose" or whatever. It couldn't possibly be that I really looked that way.

    When I finally took the blinders off is when I was able to start losing. The first step in making progress is recognizing that you have a problem, as cliche as that sounds.

    I don't think its a bad idea to use pictures to motivate yourself, whether its pictures of your goal or pictures of you at your heaviest.
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