Overmotivated?

You need to scale back a bit and focus on building habits, so even when you're not motivated you follow them. For me, planning my next day's meals is a habit, as is following my meal plan.

rankinsect wrote: »

For me, planning my next day's meals is a habit, as is following my meal plan.

+1 to this.
I plan a day ahead and rarely change my mind on the day and it keeps me going 95% of the time as when I'm not feeling it I already have the day of food planned out so don't have to use much brain power on it when I'm feeling a bit underwhelmed.

I have this problem too. I get really excited and then can burn myself out, then fall off the wagon. I've decided that the period where I'm overmotivated can be a real asset if I use it right. I'm using it to identify those habits that I want to be able to sustain for the future ongoing, and to build them up into things I can do easily. I have an app that helps me track whether I'm doing the habits I'm trying to build. I want to plan every meal I'm going to eat before I eat it (even if it's just sitting down at the restaurant and telling myself "I'm not going to eat any of the bread, but I am going to eat a veggie burger and half the fries") then stop when I reach the point I planned, and that's a big habit I'm trying to cultivate. I want to be active in some way, every day. I want to lift weights at least twice a week. I want to eat slowly and mindfully. I want to have an idea of my calorie level I'm trying to hit on any day and how many calories I have to spend. I want to eat mostly whole plant foods. I want to wake up every day and remind myself of my motivations for losing weight so I never forget. So I'm using my enthusiasm to build and track those habits so they become automatic when I eventually hit a period where I'm not motivated.

irishlad91 wrote: »

Remind yourself that it's a lifestyle and not a race, filter out things you feel you wouldn't sustain for the rest of your life.

+1

If you are in for the long haul, which is my guess since you are asking this question, you have to figure out what you can sustain forever even when you are feeling unmotivated and focus on building those particular habits.

I am exactely like you. Totally hyped up and its only the second day.... Couldnt sleep last night, posting as a lunatic on these boards.
So now I have my mantra: brake down, slow down, one at a time... it helps
I am recovering from a burn out, so last year I got all the time ill if I started sports or got on a diet.
This time is all different:
small steps, drinking lots of water
taking the dog for bigger rounds, not a huge distance in the morning (and then being floored for the rest of the day), but all the rounds during the day a little longer.
Taking the stairs to the fourth floor when coming back with the dog.
It seems like nothing, but Im tracking my steps and high intensity input with one of those cool bracelets (I bought one from Razer and its the second day Im wearing it) and I notice Im doing very well.
My allround shape is zero so I have to be very careful with the burnout.
I tell myself over and over again to be patient and thats I guess the biggest battle...
good luck

"then stop when I reach the point I planned, and that's a big habit I'm trying to cultivate."--Yes! This! I find to my amazement that I have an interior locus of control.