Newbie wants advice on finding motivation.

Deb1getfit
Deb1getfit Posts: 3 Member
edited October 2016 in Introduce Yourself
Hi there, I am Deb. Just joined this morning. Any helpful advice on where to find motivation would be appreciated. Have a great day today! : )

Replies

  • ricecake40
    ricecake40 Posts: 7 Member
    I have found the best solution to this question would be to have a "just do it" attitude when it comes to getting in fitness. Motivation will definitely come and go- Sometimes it will be on strong- and other times it will be nil....

    You have to just keep plugging away- pick yourself up and dust yourself off- when you slip and get back headed towards your goals....

    You cannot rely on "feeling" motivated. Because somedays you won't be very motivated and Weight Loss is a combination of persistence and consistency. I hope this helps....
  • Deb1getfit
    Deb1getfit Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks for your thoughts. They are helpful.
  • huango
    huango Posts: 1,007 Member
    I schedule in things, such as work-outs or shopping for healthy food.
    Schedule like a doctor's appointment that you wouldn't miss.
    Then the work-outs can become a routine, like you wouldn't go to bed without brushing your teeth.


    I pre-plan my meals 2 ways:
    1. I use a spreadsheet to plan out different meals, so that I don't eat the same things every day.
    Example: my family loves roasted chicken, but would soon tire of it if we eat it every day.
    So I'd roast chicken today, and then put it on the spreadsheet to roast chicken again in ~9 days from now.

    2. Once I kinda have ideas of what I'll eat that day, I log it into MFP.
    This way, if my protein is too low, maybe I'll add a Greek yogurt for snack,
    or if my carbs are too high, I re-evaluate. Can I move the beets to tomorrow and add more peppers to my salad today?


    Eating well/sticking to the diet:
    I try to take it one day at a time. Just focusing on sticking to my plan, not worrying about tomorrow.


    I usually have interim goals, such as to look great in this dress for this fundraiser next month.

    Good luck.
    Amanda
  • Donutking2006
    Donutking2006 Posts: 4 Member
    No one has mentioned yet I highly recommend finding a mentor, some one in fitness you really like and aspire too. Watch YouTube motivational videos of them. Set small goals rather then the overall goal, don't go to crazy at the start or you will burn out, small steps is better eventually the big steps will come. A quote I really like "always remember pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever" Good luck and be sure to keep us updated :)
  • Christian_Anthony
    Christian_Anthony Posts: 13 Member
    Find something you love. For me it's fighting my dream is to be the best, and I want it more than anyone, that has to be your mentality, you need to want it more than your competitors.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Intrinsic motivation is all yours and you can't borrow someone else's. What will keep you going is achieving something that you really want.

    I knew my progress would take years, so I used every strategy in the book to keep me moving forward. This included weekly goal setting (never weight related), re-evaluation of my strategy weekly or after a slump, and adjusting if something wasn't working. I bore easily, so at the first sign of boredom, I change something.

    For instance, three years ago I was going to the gym and working with a personal trainer. I added Zumba and Yoga because they looked fun. Later I got interested in joining charity walks. When those got too easy, I switched to running. I now train and exercise so I can keep running and walking at events. I find it helps a lot having an event scheduled to train for. My long term exercise goal is to complete a leg of the Grande Cache Death Race.

    What DOES NOT work for me is to buy ill-fitting clothes in the hopes I'll fit them some day, or setting weight goals. My weight goes up and down all the time and seems uncontrollable. However, I am in complete control of what I pull out of the fridge, and how much activity I do.

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