The secret to finding your motivation is...

SisterSueGetsFit
SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
edited December 19 in Motivation and Support
The secret is, there is no secret. Motivation lies deep inside each of us and can sometimes be very difficult to find and very easy to lose. I started off the year very strong and dropped about 40 pounds in the first 175 days. Then... I fell off track and lost my motivation. I stuck with it half-@$$, but was not fully committed. This was for a number of reasons. Broke up with 2 different guys, found out my company had been sold and I'd likely lose my job and I had a tenant renting my house destroy it, costing me about $10,000.

I just lost motivation. I tried to get it back, I knew what I needed to do, but I just couldn't do it. If I'm being very honest with myself, I have a drinking problem; a fairly significant one. I don't miss work or anything like that, but I drink WAY too much. Most of my initial success came when I quit drinking for 3 months at the beginning of the year. I abandoned that and slowly started drinking again. Then I REALLY started drinking. Long story short, I managed to lose another 10 pounds within the next few months and then stagnated for the last 2.

Last Monday, my "motivation" reappeared. I don't know why and I can't tell you how, but it did. I woke up and decided I would NOT drink until New Years. So far I haven't. I've also started tracking food again. I have made amazing progress, dropping 50 pounds since the start of the year, but I didn't come this far, just to come this far.

If you've lost your motivation, please don't give up hope. It will either find you, or you will find it.


9zqy41ui47gk.png

Replies

  • Southernb3lle
    Southernb3lle Posts: 862 Member
    You are absolutely right...there is no secret. I'm trying to find my motivation again and hope it sticks.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    Southernb3lle wrote: »
    You are absolutely right...there is no secret. I'm trying to find my motivation again and hope it sticks.

    You'll do it. Sometimes it just magically appears, sometimes you really gotta dig for it. One choice and one pound at a time. You got this!

  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
    I agree with you! I just replied to a post where I said I was puzzled by my lack of motivation. But I can't fabricate it - the drive just isn't as strong as it once was, and while I know there are external factors at play, they can't be blamed. Which is exactly why I'm being so inconsistent right now. And I KNOW how to do this. MFP WORKS - if you use it with consistency.

    I wish you well - sounds like you are turning it around!
  • tabarrett0261
    tabarrett0261 Posts: 77 Member
    rchlthompson, you are inspiring! I too have lost 40 lbs and now I feel like it is slowly creeping back on. I totally lost my motivation for eating healthy and exercising. It's like I sabotage myself and get over confident and now if I don't stop this nonsense I will be back up in weight. So...my goal this week is to show up at my gym 2 times this week and just put one foot in front of the other. I will build on my baby steps! Tonight I'm going to go home and plan my meals for the week. I need to keep coming back to MFP and reading about motivation to get me motivated! Thanks!
  • melodydee66
    melodydee66 Posts: 115 Member
    My motivation has lost it's steam in October. I was sick and found multiple excuses not to get back on the train until this morning. I'm going to start by ensuring I get my 10,000 steps today (I'd been slacking off on this after doing it constantly every day before October)! I've gained 2 lbs back of my 60 lbs loss and scared myself on the scale this morning! Back to work!
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    brynnsmom wrote: »
    I agree with you! I just replied to a post where I said I was puzzled by my lack of motivation. But I can't fabricate it - the drive just isn't as strong as it once was, and while I know there are external factors at play, they can't be blamed. Which is exactly why I'm being so inconsistent right now. And I KNOW how to do this. MFP WORKS - if you use it with consistency.

    I wish you well - sounds like you are turning it around!

    You nailed it when you said "you can't fabricate it." This is SO true. You're also on point when you say MFP works. It does! My sincerest wishes for your future success.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    tabarrett0261 wrote: »
    rchlthompson, you are inspiring! I too have lost 40 lbs and now I feel like it is slowly creeping back on. I totally lost my motivation for eating healthy and exercising. It's like I sabotage myself and get over confident and now if I don't stop this nonsense I will be back up in weight. So...my goal this week is to show up at my gym 2 times this week and just put one foot in front of the other. I will build on my baby steps! Tonight I'm going to go home and plan my meals for the week. I need to keep coming back to MFP and reading about motivation to get me motivated! Thanks!

    Reading success stories and other threads help motivate me as well. Way to go on planning your meals! You've got this.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    melodydee66 wrote: »
    My motivation has lost it's steam in October. I was sick and found multiple excuses not to get back on the train until this morning. I'm going to start by ensuring I get my 10,000 steps today (I'd been slacking off on this after doing it constantly every day before October)! I've gained 2 lbs back of my 60 lbs loss and scared myself on the scale this morning! Back to work!

    Excuses are so easy, aren't they? I have 1 million of them. Congrats on getting your steps in and I'm happy you are back on track too.

  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    Whitezombiegirl wrote: »
    For me its 'robot mode '. There was a great post about doing things when you dont have motivation. The answer was robot mode- just do it basically. Works most if the time for me.

    "Robot mode," I like that!!!
  • mjt85h
    mjt85h Posts: 1 Member
    Wow so encouraging to know I am not alone with this battle. thanks to all
  • BIMNJdad
    BIMNJdad Posts: 12 Member
    I like robot mode... if I can make it to the gym... I work as hard as I can,, or at least as much as I can take

    But sometimes those tennis shoes weigh 500 lbs and that gym seems to be 1000 miles away
  • MyFreakingNameIsScott
    MyFreakingNameIsScott Posts: 199 Member
    It's likely an oversimplification in general but for me Discipline = Motivation. Find discipline and motivation follows naturally.
  • BaileyP3
    BaileyP3 Posts: 151 Member
    Very inspiring to see all you peeps getting back on track. I've always found that setting a specific start date (first of a week, month, year) worked for me in getting my discipline back. I have to admit I'm very frustrated with myself right now. They made significant changes to the layout of my local gym about 6 months ago and I've been flailing ever since. Usually I get up and head to the gym at 5 am each morning but these days I keep talking myself out of going. Any advice would be appreciated.
  • lessismoreohio
    lessismoreohio Posts: 910 Member
    MyFreakingNameIsScott wrote: »
    It's likely an oversimplification in general but for me Discipline = Motivation. Find discipline and motivation follows naturally.

    This applies to me as well. For me, I have to be like the Nike ad and................ "Just Do It."
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    I can’t believe this post is 3 years old. I’ve lost and found my motivation several times. I most recently found it again after my dad had a stroke. He’s fine, but it was a wake up call. I’m back and ready to get this done.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories