How does a person keep themselves motivated

I struggle with that as well. Sometimes you have to look at it as discipline rather than motivation. Motivation comes and goes, but if you think about it as a commitment, like brushing your teeth or going to work, it's just something we have to do..eventually it becomes a habit.

I've listened to a number of motivational books. I've also read books on the topics of willpower, habit, psychology of change, etc.
I recommend you to read the book "Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard"
Understanding that two sides of the mind are constantly struggling to override the other could help you come up with a plan that is motivating to you specifically.
You see... the person at night that sets the alarm clock for 4:30am cause you think you wanna go to the gym is not the same person that snoozes and sleeps in.
You can add fuel to the fire that makes you go but you need to come up with your own reasons to get going.
Be it your health, your looks, performance, etc. the only way to unlock a heart is from the inside.
Once you figure out your why, you can read books and watch youtube videos and listen to motivational speeches they just add fuel to the fire but you have to figure out your own reasons.

I had minimal motivation at the beginning. I wanted to feel better, but wasn't very happy about what was going to be required to do it! But after I had committed to making (mostly) better choices and getting some exercise, and then later as lbs began to come off, the motivation built itself! The weight loss is great, but its mostly been about the fitness for me. When I started, I could hardly move around and now I can work out for an hour (except this past month- have had a bout of walking pneumonia). I've cut my triglycerides in half, lowered my cholesterol, and am now in a low-risk cardio risk category. I feel about a gazillion times better, and I don't want to lose that... ever! But I had to build the motivation over time. You can too

You have to find your motivation. Take a good, honest look at why YOU want to lose weight. Not what others have said or what you think it should be. For more people than you think, "getting healthy" was not their motivation. Wasn't mine. Mine was the fact that I'm fat in my wedding pictures. That really, really bothered me, and that gave me incentive to actually stick with losing weight. I also wanted to be able to look in the mirror and recognize myself again.

It was hard, and I screwed up a lot! But then again, everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has off days, celebrations (unexpected or planned), holidays, days they just don't care. Accept that it does happen, and one bad day isn't going to sabotage you or make you a failure. It makes you human. Log it, learn from it, and move on. Log it, because you need to keep being accountable, if only to yourself. Learn from it, figure out why you went over that day and make adjustments. Move on, because what's done is done, your energy is better spent looking forward.

Only you can provide the motivation you need. External motivation is nice, and helpful, but not consistent.

LazSommer wrote: »

Mirror.

Good one!

I just remind myself of how far I've come and how I don't want to go back to how I looked and felt.

I'm not a big fan of 'motivation'... It's romantic & dreamy & pie in the sky. We all need it from time to time but it's like pixie dust, just a little will do. I personally am held in place by a kind of sloppy framework of band aid like rythms and routines that dictate for me 'if this, then this' or 'first this, followed by that.' These are things so basic & boneheaded I can't flub them up for myself. I work seven days a week. That's right. Seven. And when I started this process my husband was living 3000 miles away on a job. And we own a business together in yet another state. I took care of everything while he was gone. So I shop on Saturdays with a long list for 7 healthy breakfasts and lunches and 6 healthy dinners. I prep everything Sat & Sun nights. Once a week on Friday I either buy expensive fresh fish or eat out. Big splurge woot woot! I walk 100k steps a week relentlessly. I'm always thinking about my next 5000 steps. Once or twice a week I take Zumba. Once or twice a week I do yoga. Twice a week I free lift. If I miss one opportunity I just calmly pencil that missed commitment in the next opening in my schedule. No crying or beating myself up. *kitten* happens. I don't have time for a bunch of worthless self absorbed drama. I log everything as carefully as I can. Some days are better than others. Sometimes I go over my calorie limit. I just move on. Perfection, motivation, nirvana have very little to do with my daily process. Consistency, adaptability and resilience are my buzz words.

Motivation is only temporary. Relying it on it almost always results in failure. Build a routine and stick to it.

You aren't motivated to go to work every day right? Or brush your teeth, or shower, or eat meals, etc.. It's mainly just routine that gets all these monotonous things done. Build a diet and exercise routine and set yourself up for life.

My biggest enemy is boredom. I try to find new routes to walk/run or new workouts or new music. I also go online and find some new recipes or go to the farmers market and pick up a new fruit or vegetable and learn what to do with it. There is always more to learn and experience so keep it fresh.

Hi
There are several things You can try to see what works for You.
Mirror with a before picture pasted to it.
Waistline measurements
Before pictures on the Cupboard and Refrigerator door.
And last but not necessarily least I keep a written weight log where I record my weight.

Good Luck
Roger