Motivation I'm stuck

I have a friend that was in a VERY similar situation just a couple months ago. While the above advice is great if you really can make time to get food in, I also understand that it's not always realistic (even if it is illegal to not provide breaks). Anyhow, my friend 'fixed this' by ensuring she had something to eat in the car on the way home. She found when she first left work, she was still 'moving.' However, it was the drive home where she lost all motivation. By the time she got home, she would sit on the couch and eat everything in sight because she was so hungry. While planning the whole day and making time for it would be ideal, this is what helped her to continue the motivation during the drive and when she got home. I think at this point she has settled on a banana because it gives her the added sugar and she doesn't need to keep it cold or anything.

If you "crash & burn" when you get home and end up "eating everything thing in sight". Maybe meal planning in advance, meal prep and pre logging may help. If once a week, maybe on a day off, you can prepare meals in advance, the you won't have to think and then prepare a meal, when you get home, feeling exhausted. It will be ready and waiting, there are many examples online, if you need ideas.

One reason I gained weight, was due to becoming disabled. Long story short, I gained weight, not just because of decreased activity, but poor food choices as well. Not necessarily too much food, but high calorie foods choices, with poor nutritional value, which was making matters worse. I've managed to break this habit and replace it with a healthy one. By making sure I have plenty of healthy, nutritional snack type foods available, that don't need additional preparation when I'm unable to "cook", for what ever reason. For example, cooked chicken, cold meats, precooked hard boiled eggs, tuna, individual cheeses, prepared salads, fruits, yoghurts etc. Then the food I reach for, is still good for me (gives me quality & quantity) but also limits calories, in comparison to my previous poor choices. Not have to many poor choices available (for me 2 biscuits, could lead to half the pack)

One example to show difference, hope it helps (check values but approx. 300 calories in either example)

1) 2 slices of thick white toasted bread, with a little margarine or butter.

2) Lettuce base, topped with a few baby plum tomatoes, diced cucumber and diced beetroot. Topped with a small slice of deli ham and 2 small boiled eggs (diced or sliced). A small Baby Bel light and a packet of velvet crunch bites (healthier alternative to crisps). I personally don't add salad dressing-which would increase calories.

Both have similar calories and preparation time/effort. But I find the 2nd choice is more filling and more nutritious. Healthier choices have also stopped me from giving in, then not logging. Which (I found) then led to more bad choices, as I felt that I'd failed and would write the day off. Planning on restarting tomorrow, which usually meant as I stopped counting I'd end up eating more.

*kitten* motivation. This is all about habits.

Meal plan, set yourself up for success. There are tons of great tips in the posts above mine. Motivation is fleeting, and the people who are successful are so because they put in the work.

I took up Stoicism as a new year's resolution (and didn't realize how much I would need it)... One of the basic ideas is that you create an independent, rational observer in your mind to oversee all your decisions. This impartial observer is always present and available, and not subject to the same stressors as the conscious "you"--it's purely rational. Whenever I'm tempted to go off the rails, I filter it through my independent observer.

Stoics also believe in planning ahead. Whatever the trouble, you'll find us "ready, waiting, and at home," as the saying is--comfortable with how we think and the choices we make.

Good luck, OP.