How you stay motivated LONG TERM?

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  • ashcky
    ashcky Posts: 393 Member
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    I make small goals, not even always related to the scale. When I accomplish these I feel more encouraged and proud of myself. That the journey may be long but I can do this. This is just my life now. I'm not going back to who I was, that's not an option. I like the me I'm becoming even if it will take me a long time to finally get to a healthy weight.
  • Red_Pill
    Red_Pill Posts: 300 Member
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    Motivation is fleeting. It comes and goes. It's not something that's grounded enough to sustain the course of a goal, for most people anyway. You have to have a Why. Your why has to pull you towards your goal rather than you chasing the goal. That's how powerful a why can be if it's compelling enough.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,930 Member
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    vanmep wrote: »
    I once heard an interview with a woman who made the comment that she had decided to go to law school because the next ten years of her life were going to pass by regardless of what she did with the time. She just decided that ten years from that time she could either have a law degree or not have a law degree. That idea totally resonated with me and I used it to motivate myself to attend university part-time for 11 years. I use that thought to also keep me going with weight loss. That, and the idea that this is just who I am and what I do now. There isn't really a choice about it. I hated that life of being fat and slow and sluggish and bloated and gross. It is beyond me why it even crosses my mind to think I would want to return to that.

    And that is the way I approached it. I was going to stick with it for 16 weeks because 16 weeks were going to pass anyway and if I only lost a few kg, that would be better than nothing.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I have goals set. When I'm losing weight I have mini loss goals, but I need fitness and body composition goals as well. Sometimes it's a cut, bulk, power lifting meet prep, programming to be able to do a pull-up, PRs, booty gains, etc. Right now there aren't any powerlifting meets available near me, so I scheduled a mock meet in December. Looking forward to testing my maxes! I'm also working toward being able to do a pull up.
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
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    my dominatrix/personal trainer, Mistress Trixi
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    I've got 5 years in maintenance so far. Not sure I have an explanation for it. I guess it's just a habit now. Plus, I like my status quo, so I just keep it up. If you aren't happy with the way things are, make changes. But if you like how things are going, just keep doing what you're doing! :) It's also nice to have other goals beyond weight loss (as others have mentioned.) I've always got some sort of fitness or health goal I'm working on. I guess if I didn't I might lose track - not sure...
  • ugofatcat
    ugofatcat Posts: 385 Member
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    I am sorry, I am not trying to be mean, but unless you do some serious soul searching I am worried you are going to give up.
    gabbyo23 wrote: »
    So I have lost 1 stone 6lb so far but still have another 3 stone to lose. I'm at that point where I can see a small difference in my appearance but others haven't noticed yet.

    I know the only way to do this is slowly. But I find myself thinking "God this is taking forever..." and feeling like giving up.

    Just out of curiosity, how long did it take to gain the weight?

    What will happen if you give up?


  • ugofatcat
    ugofatcat Posts: 385 Member
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    I saw this quote from Sparkpeople:
    Losing weight is hard
    Maintain weight loss if hard
    Being overweight is hard
    Choose your hard.

    Counting calories, exercise, having small portions of favorite treats instead of eating until you feel physically ill, making healthy well balanced portion controlled meals at home, this is forever. Or for as long you want to be healthy and a good weight. Do or do not, there is no try.
  • whatevany
    whatevany Posts: 109 Member
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    It took me 6 years to lose this weight. What keeps me motivated is never getting back to where I started. You can do this! :smiley:

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