How to stay motivated when you have went so far backward

angelb1983
angelb1983 Posts: 160 Member
in Motivation and Support
This is more of a question wondering how to prevent discouragement through this. I was doing so well and had knee injury and gained loads of weight because I couldn't do the work outs that I enjoyed and unhealthy food options started coming back into my life in excess. Its no secret how to lose it, but the problem I now have is discouragement. If I go to a zumba class or kickboxing (which I used to love) I'm even less confident and feel so embarrassed because I know where I used to be and am so far from that and feel like everyone is watching me and thinking negative. I hate the extra weight and am so uncomfortable.

After being in the best shape of my life and gaining all this weight, I get frustrated in small progress. I look in the mirror after only a week or so exercising and counting calories and realize how much ground I have lost. It will take me forever to get that ground back and I get overwhelmed feeling I don't even know where to start anymore. I always want to start where I was before the injury. I want to start by being able to run 3 miles several times a week and doing insanity, but that isn't practical so I feel the little I can do now isn't worth it and I end up doing nothing. I don't know how to get out of this mentality.

Can someone please share a journey for me where small changes lead to big progress?

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    I focus on the process rather than how long it takes or doesn't take. I don't need fast or big progress. Time will pass anyway so I just focus on what I can do now so that I'll eventually get where I want to be.

    I like several forms of exercise but I keep getting injured so my focus is on calorie intake rather than planning on exercise calories. I've lost about 110 pounds in 20 months or so without exercise.

    Baby steps will get you there eventually. "isn't worth it and I end up doing nothing" won't.
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
    Doughboy193 wrote: »
    It took 14 years to buid Mt. Rushmore, chipping away slowly. Much like Mt. Rushmore, chipping away excess weight takes time but can turn into something awesome. Depending on your body type, it could take 5-10 pounds before people comment on weight loss, and it will take you even longer to notice it yourself. Just stay the course, focus on the energy your gaining by excercising more, dont focus on the scale or the mirror.

    This +
  • SarahSloth342634
    SarahSloth342634 Posts: 90 Member
    Hi angleb, i can relate to this a little. Recently I fell off a bike and injured my knee. It was painful for weeks. = stopped the cardio and rowing at the gym. I had to change my routine instead and went back to 1200 cals until my knee recovered. Small steps back to fitness too. Back at the gym now being careful, still cannot run though :(
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    I can relate to this too. But I hate monologue-ing.

    So in brief...be a bad *kitten* example of how one recovers.
  • LAMCDylan
    LAMCDylan Posts: 1,218 Member
    I am kinda in the same boat. I lost like 115 pounds in a little over a year. The following year (this year) I have not really lost anything, nor have I really gained. I just don't feel motivated to lose the last 30-40 pounds. I am having a lot of emotional and mental conflicts. Things like not wanting people to think I am too good. I have noticed I get way too much attention these days and it is solely on my appearance. This makes me uncomfortable. I also have had some memories come up about my past that involve abuse and I have been dealing with lots of strong emotions so I have been binge eating and drinking alcohol. I started up exercising again and doing a half-*kitten* attempt of getting my nutrition right.

    The thing is, you can't attach your self-esteem and worth to your body/weight. Because if you do your self -esteem/worth change when your weight changes. Also, you place too much on external validation. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with you or your body. Absent of judgement, your body and you are OK just as they are. If you really are overweight then focus this weight loss on getting healthy and don't focus on appearance. When it becomes about appearance you judge yourself and never think you are good enough. And you rely too much on external validation.
  • countdowntotarget
    countdowntotarget Posts: 108 Member
    it may be obvious but what is a 'kitten' ??? I'm assuming its not the fluffy kind ??

    Following this to get help myself.

    I lost over 6 stone about 3 years ago was in the best shape of my life, ran my first half marathon, and then not through injury but by my husbands depression I have put 5 of it back on, he was horrid, turned him into a stranger, he did stupid things when he was in the pit of it, and its chipped and chipped away at what confidence I had built up, and made me feel like I was worthless, and the stress of having to juggle work, house, 3 kids and a virtual stranger who looked like my husband but who certainly wasnt acting like my husband has been horrendous, he is on meds now only just starting to sort himself out, and I am glad that I stuck it out and my family has stayed together but the last 3 years has taken its toll on my mental strength my self esteem is at rock bottom, like the first poster I struggle with reconciling where I was (after a long battle to get there in the first place) to being back to square one, both weight wise and fitness wise.

    I think in my case I remember how hard it was to lose it and get to that place in the first place, and Ill be completely honest with you, there is a part of me that thinks,......I lost the weight... felt good...and it all went pear shaped I don't want to lose the weight and the same thing happen again, I know I haven't got the mental strength to go through the last 3 years again, I know that isn't how it is and that it was just co-incidence that it all went pear shaped at that same time, looking back he had been going downhill for a long time, (hindsight and all that !!) but when I get low I associate them both together

    (sorry for the ramble - but feels so good to blurt it out x x)
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Sometimes bad things happen or you have to take the focus off yourself for awhile for a loved one--this is hard. The truth is we should all be careful of our calorie intake "all the time". We have to make it second nature for the tough times that can and do arrive without warning. Sometimes it's easier to wallow in a "woe is me" mentality, but it won't get you anywhere and people listen and sympathize for a while but then get tired of it. So, you just have to decide for yourself, don't cry over spilt milk, today is a new day, fresh start and all that. It's better than staying where you are. So--go and get started today. Best of luck.
  • zcb94
    zcb94 Posts: 3,678 Member
    countdowntotarget wrote: »
    it may be obvious but what is a 'kitten' ??? I'm assuming its not the fluffy kind ??
    You are correct. MFP has adopted that word as a swear-stopper, a filter of sorts.
  • angelb1983
    angelb1983 Posts: 160 Member
    zcb94 wrote: »
    countdowntotarget wrote: »
    it may be obvious but what is a 'kitten' ??? I'm assuming its not the fluffy kind ??
    You are correct. MFP has adopted that word as a swear-stopper, a filter of sorts.

    This cracked me up lol

    Where do you start again? How do you know how much is too much after such a long time doing nothing?? I would love to go back to doing the same workouts but I know thats not practical. I just wish I could figure out what would work without causing injury.

    It is quite ironic how things worked out. Back in 2013 I would have implemented tough love on anyone who would have asked this same question. I would have told them how fitness was a mental game and that you won't go where your mind won't allow you. I would have said that you have to want it. I used to get frustrated at the people that always say they wanted it but did nothing to signify that they really did. I was an all or nothing person which makes it harder on me now because I am saying all these same things to myself but doing nothing.
    It is so weird how my mind thinks that what I do is never enough if it isn't what I used to do. I need to learn that C25K is a good start. That is how I started last time. It will work if you work it.
  • kristikitter
    kristikitter Posts: 602 Member
    The way I see it... if you start earlier... you reach your goal earlier :)

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