How do I get and stay motivated?

mrsjones0704
mrsjones0704 Posts: 10 Member
edited December 1 in Motivation and Support
Hello! 3 years ago I started gaining weight. I needed to lose about 30 lbs then... And now I need to lose 100. I'm 37. I'm married and have 3 kids. I have no motivation. I want to go to the gym. I say I'm going to go. But when the time comes, I say maybe tomorrow. Well it's May and I've been saying tomorrow since January. I hate the way I look, I hate the way I feel. At the end of last year I decided to join the gym. I did really good for about 2 months and lost 18lbs. Then with holidays and all the food... Well I just never went back and I stopped logging my food. I think my main issues are:
#1 I hate going to the gym because I feel self conscious. I know we are all there for the same thing, but... Working out next to someone who is 110lbs isn't motivating, it's depressing.
#2 drinking enough water is hard for me
#3 if I stray AT ALL in my diet, it's over. I'm back to eating whatever
#4 my lack of motivation
How do I get and stay motivated? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I can't keep doing this to myself.

Today I WILL go to the gym and I WILL start logging my food again.

Replies

  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    edited May 2016
    "How do I get and stay motivated?" Set your goal. Want your goal. Do what is needed to achieve your goal.

    What "motivates" you to getup and dressed each morning? What "motivates" you to see that your children are well reared? What "motivates" you to do all the things that need to be done during the day? Add watching your caloric intake and exercise onto that list and you have your "motivation".
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    Don't go to the gym if it makes you feel inadequate.

    Get some really decent walking shoes, some music that you love and start walking. You will be amazed how wonderful the feeling is, along with losing weight (provided you are in a deficit), it helps to relax and sleep.

    I walk every day (sometimes 10 miles on Saturdays - I also make sure that I have my deficit) I get real miserable if I have to miss a day. Once you reach a stage where you are more comfortable, then join the gym or hire a trainer for a couple sections to show you what to do and make you that you are doing it correctly.
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member

    Exercise is great for fitness, but not necessary for weight loss. If you don't enjoy the gym, don't force yourself to go. If you want to improve your fitness, find something you do enjoy! (I use 'walk at home' videos to get a bit of gentle exercise, it's easy and fun. If you don't like to walk, consider cycling, tennis, golf, anything.)

    Set small goals. Weigh your food. Log everything. Lose weight. Rejoice. :)


    Read these:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • SunnyStef
    SunnyStef Posts: 22 Member
    This is me as well. Too self-conscious. Love sugar and fat. Tired. Family stress. Work stress. I am very slowly getting it though. I found a challenge group on Facebook that helped me a ton to get started. Everyday for a month, I did the arm exercises suggested by the group. I started feeling better. They only took about 5 minutes a day and I began adding onto that because it felt good. May is my 3rd month in the group and I'm far from perfect and have made few physical changes, but I feel like things are coming easier to me now. I'd rather find something healthy to eat than eat junk. Learning to cook a little better. Increasing my water intake. Just small things to start with.
  • rerez2015
    rerez2015 Posts: 72 Member
    DETERMINATION!
  • mrsjones0704
    mrsjones0704 Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks everyone. This is the heaviest I've ever been. I want to lose the weight and be healthy. Most days I just feel tired and a bit depressed due to how I look and feel. The majority of my recent weight gain came after I quit working to be a stay at home mom. Going from being on your feet all day to not having to do much other than housework took its toll. Every time I start back to the gym, weighing and logging my food, I do good... For a short time. I have problems staying committed.
    I've decided that I should treat my trip to the gym like my job. I will go every day at the same time. I never missed work, so why I should I miss my trip to the gym?
    So today I went to the gym. I went when I knew the least amount of people would be there. I've logged my food. I've drank my water.
    And I will try not to get discouraged...
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    mrsjones0704 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone. This is the heaviest I've ever been. I want to lose the weight and be healthy. Most days I just feel tired and a bit depressed due to how I look and feel. The majority of my recent weight gain came after I quit working to be a stay at home mom. Going from being on your feet all day to not having to do much other than housework took its toll. Every time I start back to the gym, weighing and logging my food, I do good... For a short time. I have problems staying committed.
    I've decided that I should treat my trip to the gym like my job. I will go every day at the same time. I never missed work, so why I should I miss my trip to the gym?
    So today I went to the gym. I went when I knew the least amount of people would be there. I've logged my food. I've drank my water.
    And I will try not to get discouraged...

    So nice to hear. Go get 'em!

  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    I think the real trick is not being motivated, but doing it anyway. For that, I'd say building habits are the key. Motivation will keep you going until you've cemented habits, and then you can kind of cruise along on autopilot.

    Part of that is picking reasonable goals. Giving up every food you like forever is probably not reasonable. Four hours a day of exercise is probably not reasonable.

    For me, my real habits are:
    1. I prelog my meals, essentially planning my meals for the following day. Takes me less than 2 minutes most days.
    2. I only eat what I prelogged. If I need to change the plan, I change the log first.
    3. I exercise 50 minutes a session, 3 times per week. I figure that is a level I can commit to for a lifetime.

    I'm not super motivated to keep doing it, but I'm not super motivated to brush my teeth or do the laundry, yet I consistently do both.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    rankinsect wrote: »
    I think the real trick is not being motivated, but doing it anyway. For that, I'd say building habits are the key. Motivation will keep you going until you've cemented habits, and then you can kind of cruise along on autopilot.

    Part of that is picking reasonable goals. Giving up every food you like forever is probably not reasonable. Four hours a day of exercise is probably not reasonable.

    For me, my real habits are:
    1. I prelog my meals, essentially planning my meals for the following day. Takes me less than 2 minutes most days.
    2. I only eat what I prelogged. If I need to change the plan, I change the log first.
    3. I exercise 50 minutes a session, 3 times per week. I figure that is a level I can commit to for a lifetime.

    I'm not super motivated to keep doing it, but I'm not super motivated to brush my teeth or do the laundry, yet I consistently do both.

    This post is awesome. No one is super motivated all the time. We make the decision to do it anyway. Forming good habits makes "doing it anyway" routine.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    edited May 2016
    Stop trying to be motivated and start being obligated.
This discussion has been closed.

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