Maintenance Motivation

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DontThinkJustRun
DontThinkJustRun Posts: 248 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'll try to make this short and sweet. So last July I hit my first goal and all was awesome. So awesome I continued on and lost another 10 lbs. I maintained that for about 6 months and then my focus was lost, the scale wasn't there to motivate me anymore and I slipped back into a few bad habits and put in about 10-15 lbs.

I've recently snapped out of it and am on my way back down, but I've noticed I'm getting my motivation from the scale again. So I need to figure out a way to get myself in check so that I don't go down the same road. The only thing I can really think of is a set of maintenance rules that are independant of motivation. Although I did try this before, and I got to a point where I got resentful. You know, I'm in maintenance now! I can afford that cookie on a Wednesday or whatever. I'd tell myself no and then find myself getting pissed off that I couldn't eat whatever I wanted. So I'm a little hesitant about that, however I do have a couple of ideas. I think that I've identified where I went wrong the first time around and I think I know how I want to do it differently this time. I want to get a plan together because I'm already back to my original goal and on my way back down to my previous lowest so the clock is ticking. I know that this journey is endless and I'm ready this time, I can never ever go back to where I was, but I think it can also be enjoyable, balance and peaceful and I am determined to find that.

So anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts or tips on this.

Replies

  • rileymama
    rileymama Posts: 196 Member
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    Well, scale and clothes can still be your goal..to keep them where they are!!!!! And sticking with calories and exercise...i'm hoping this works for me when i get there...10 more pounds!!!!!
  • UneJolieFemme
    UneJolieFemme Posts: 86 Member
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    Well that's strange because I just got back on MFP this afternoon after a break of 4 months and I could have written exactly what you said. I also put back on 10 pounds so here I am wanting to loose them... again. Story of my life.

    I can totally relate with the scale being the main motivator. Again, same here.

    What I found :

    - When I eat healthy and work out, I have more energy. Now that I have a full time job and that I am a mom, I need ALL the energy I can have. So I might as well take care of me.

    - I was so proud of myself before where now I feel like I've failed at this again. I def. prefer feeling proud of myself. I feel proud when I choose veggies over cookies, I feel proud resisting the temptations and I feel proud when I weight myself and rech my goals. NOT when I blow it.

    - I have this goal to run my first half marathon. Since I went back to work I find it so hard to find the time to train... I have my job, my daughter, my husband, my parents, etc. etc. the list is endless... But I have now decided I WILL take at least 30 minutes to work out and do something for MYSELF.
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    For me, I know that if I eat that extra cookie, etc, I won't get to say I'm in maintenance. I guess I might live in a little bit of healthy fear, which scares me away from over indulging.
  • erin6026
    erin6026 Posts: 117 Member
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    I hear ya! I lost my goal of 15 pounds for my wedding this June, and since then I have put some weight back on :( I'm scared of gaining it all back and ruining all that hard work!

    Right now I've realized a wedding is probably the biggest motivator I'll ever have (or one of). So I'm looking for new inspiration!

    One thing that is helpful is to study yourself over the course of the day/week. When is it easiest to make healthy choices? When is it hardest? Why? When you reach for bad food or skip a workout is is just for the food or is there another reason?

    When I did this I learned a lot! I realized it's very easy for me to make healthy food choices until about 3:30, and that's when I crash. I'm just naturally more hungry at that time, and it's also the point where I'm starting to feel all the stress of the day.

    So instead of tackling an entire day, I realize I just have to focus my willpower/energy on the time from 3:30 to about 5:30. The rest is cake.

    Just identify your weak times and influences, and you'll realize the list of temptations is actually pretty manageable.
  • DontThinkJustRun
    DontThinkJustRun Posts: 248 Member
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    bump
  • Strive2BLean
    Strive2BLean Posts: 300 Member
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    I have always been interested in nutrition and I read a lot of books on different diets or self help books. My latest reads are "Suicide by Sugar" and "Eat to Live". As you read the way the body handles foods and how the foods we choose to eat affect our bodies and weight loss, it definitely makes you think twice about what you put in your body. That's what's helping me keep motivated and eat healthy. I have pledged to myself to only eat food that is full of nutrition. Cookies, cakes, sweets, all junk and don't do a body any good.

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