Complete loss of motivation

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ghudson92
ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
in Motivation and Support
So, I want to know... how does everyone stay motivated? No matter how much I enjoy exercise and healthy eating I just can't seem to make it a habit. I'm getting really frustrated as I feel like I am ruled by negative habits. I know some you can effortlessly just do things but I genuinely find it hard to strike balance in life and laziness tends to win. Any tips?

Replies

  • Gerbsxyng412
    Gerbsxyng412 Posts: 86 Member
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    I am really struggling with it as well right now :neutral:
  • Presleykay22
    Presleykay22 Posts: 2,446 Member
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    I am back again because somewhere I love motivation somewhere
  • Amrik10
    Amrik10 Posts: 93 Member
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    I am the same. I say to myself this is my target and I maintain it for a few months and then once I have a injury that stops my progress then I just feel let down and get lazy while recovering and just eat whatever I fancy and all the healthy eating goes out the window
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
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    So pleased to know I'm not the only one
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    georgyporcupine wrote: »
    So, I want to know... how does everyone stay motivated? No matter how much I enjoy exercise and healthy eating I just can't seem to make it a habit. I'm getting really frustrated as I feel like I am ruled by negative habits. I know some you can effortlessly just do things but I genuinely find it hard to strike balance in life and laziness tends to win. Any tips?

    Making it a pattern, doing it at the same time in my day has made it a habit. Doing only what you enjoy makes all the difference. Not making yourself do something because you feel like you should or have to. If you like sports, or walking or running, or biking all those count. If you like swimming, playing tennis, ..do something fun and active that you enjoy. It doesn't have to even involve a gym or treadmill or elliptical.

    If all you can do for now is focus on eating well and staying at what MFP gave you as you calorie goal. That in itself is a Huge Success. Having a calorie deficit is really what it's all about. Yes, cardio is healthy for you body, yes weights make you strong and empowered. But getting one thing engrained at time is just fine that's how I did it and far easier now to go do my workouts.

    Worth giving it a shot. Or set your workouts to a couple a week, don't feel you have to do 6 a week or 5 a week now. Sometimes early on we set ourselves up to fail if we set our goals to high.

    Regarding food, recording exactly what we're eating now even if you don't feel you're making healthy choices or staying under your goal log it anyway. You can learn a lot about habits that way and in time you'll find yourself making small changes.

    Start small with ongoing habits, drink more water, eat more greens, etc.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Regarding Motivation.. I used to look to others for motivation and then realized I was the only that could give it to myself. Motivation comes from within. We have to draw it up from within ourselves.. continually.. we can set goals to help keep the motivation in us revved up. We can draw excitement from others, support from others but it's ourselves that have the most power over how far we move forward.

    We have that much strength within ourselves, others can give us strength, they can encourage, they can be workout buddies and that can really help with accountability. But in the end it's each of us on our own that makes this all happen. Because then we can say we did it, nobody else, we did it ourselves!!

    Check out the Success Section... you'll all be amazed, I'm continually amazed at all the Success Stories it's so motivating/encouraging/empowering to see many of them exactly where we are right now. They made it through and boy did they ever!

    This is a recent thread and one I continually draw excitement from: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10410040/mfp-thank-you-100lbs-gone-forever-pic-and-feels-heavy/p1
  • mizhawk85
    mizhawk85 Posts: 12 Member
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    Never go three days off the path is my rule that keeps me going
  • dac097
    dac097 Posts: 7 Member
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    For me, it is in realizing that no one can STAY CONSTANTLY in a perfect state of motivation. Just like the rest of life I have good days and bad days with a few amazing days and terrible days along the way. I am learning to stop expecting perfection from myself and to realize that making mistakes or not doing it perfectly all the time is not an excuse to give up. I started (for the millionth time) losing weight at the start of the year and lost 20 pounds in the first twelve weeks of the year. Then life got busy and hectic and I "lost" my motivation and I was very frustrated with myself but decided that even standing in one place is better than moving backwards. So for weeks I made no more progress but didn't completely throw in the towel and then I started to become more energized and diligent again and lost 5 more pounds. Now for the past couple of weeks I'm finding my motivation waning again and I'm not being diligent about tracking my food and the scale has even started to creep back up a couple of pounds! I'm upset with myself because I had hoped to be farther along my weight loss journey at this point in time. But I'm choosing to focus more on the ways I have succeeded instead of on the ways I have failed. I am down 23 pounds (not as good as 30 but it sure beats being where I was) and I managed to get my A1c down to the normal range and I have managed to make a noticeable improvement in my energy, strength and flexibility. So basically I'm trying to "talk" to myself the way I would to a friend if they were sharing their struggle with weight loss. I would be kind and encouraging and supportive. I certainly wouldn't try to make them feel worse for messing up! I am trying to remind myself that it is impossible to always feel 100 percent motivated and that it is part of being human and should even be expected. I keep looking forward and trust that I WILL eventually make it to my goal, even if it's not as quickly as I would like and that is okay. The only thing that really matters is that I am making it there ...... eventually!
  • maryannamber
    maryannamber Posts: 22 Member
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    I 100% get what you are going through. What is working for me at the moment is writing in a journal when I dont feel motivated or just plain lazy. I let all my negative thoughts and frustration out (be it about the journey or about myself). I usually will read it again by the end of the day or the next morning and realise that ultimately I really do want to see results and that was the lazy/angry me talking. I usually pick myself back up from there (stronger and more motivated sometimes)
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    I'm motivated by wanting my arthritis to hurt less and my blood sugar to be more controllable. Quality of life issues, basically. In what ways will your life quality improve by losing the weight? Make a list.
  • emmaprocopiou
    emmaprocopiou Posts: 246 Member
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    Only you can motivate yourself.
    You will have relapses, days off, cheat days , times when life gets in the way- whatever you want to call it.
    If this is to be for life not just a quick fix diet it has to be sustainable.
    Eat foods that are big on nutrition and big on taste. Eat what you like in appropriate portions.
    Don't let it stop you enjoying social situations , just log it the best you can and move on.
    Everyday is a new set of cals and a new chance. Set small achievable goals and work up from there.
    Remember any loss is good don't dwell on the big number far away focus on what you have achieved and your next mini goal
    Good luck op
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
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    Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and support, there's lots of things here to consider. At the weekend I picked up my journal and wrote in it for the first time in ages and mainly about food. I think comfort eating and staying indoors are all part of a long set comfort zone I need to work my way out of. I have actually deactivated instagram as that tends to make me feel like I should be doing things a certain way. Sorry for the over-share. Thanks again everyone. I'm going to try setting little goals and smaller workouts.
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
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    dac097 wrote: »
    For me, it is in realizing that no one can STAY CONSTANTLY in a perfect state of motivation. Just like the rest of life I have good days and bad days with a few amazing days and terrible days along the way. I am learning to stop expecting perfection from myself and to realize that making mistakes or not doing it perfectly all the time is not an excuse to give up. I started (for the millionth time) losing weight at the start of the year and lost 20 pounds in the first twelve weeks of the year. Then life got busy and hectic and I "lost" my motivation and I was very frustrated with myself but decided that even standing in one place is better than moving backwards. So for weeks I made no more progress but didn't completely throw in the towel and then I started to become more energized and diligent again and lost 5 more pounds. Now for the past couple of weeks I'm finding my motivation waning again and I'm not being diligent about tracking my food and the scale has even started to creep back up a couple of pounds! I'm upset with myself because I had hoped to be farther along my weight loss journey at this point in time. But I'm choosing to focus more on the ways I have succeeded instead of on the ways I have failed. I am down 23 pounds (not as good as 30 but it sure beats being where I was) and I managed to get my A1c down to the normal range and I have managed to make a noticeable improvement in my energy, strength and flexibility. So basically I'm trying to "talk" to myself the way I would to a friend if they were sharing their struggle with weight loss. I would be kind and encouraging and supportive. I certainly wouldn't try to make them feel worse for messing up! I am trying to remind myself that it is impossible to always feel 100 percent motivated and that it is part of being human and should even be expected. I keep looking forward and trust that I WILL eventually make it to my goal, even if it's not as quickly as I would like and that is okay. The only thing that really matters is that I am making it there ...... eventually!

    This x1000!!!
  • mrsgoss
    mrsgoss Posts: 57 Member
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    Struggling to make it a way of life and not a "job"! So glad I am not the only one! Always looking for support and friends with the same struggles :)

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