No motivation 😞

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Ayesha0624
Ayesha0624 Posts: 95 Member
in Motivation and Support
Back in March I committed myself and went hard for about a good three months. The weight started to come off then slowly, after a series of events (wedding, bday, family visiting from out of town) all back to back..I found it hard to get back on track. Now here it is September and I gained what I loss back plus a few...I wouldn't dare look at the scale. I just can't seem to find the motivation!! Would love to rejoin crossfit but can't afford it. I also have a few pieces of equipment at home that just sit right in the corner growing dust (kettlebell, medicine ball, dumbbells, barbell). Anyone else been in this drought before? What brought you back to reality to get back on track? I'm just not feeling up for it right now.

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  • Keep_on_cardio
    Keep_on_cardio Posts: 4,166 Member
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    I can relate to series of events, that ends up taking you backwards. I disappeared on here for quite some time, due to personal events. The whole mind set thing, making time for yourself again and making small changes in better choice making. I found, once I began to slowly get back into eating healthier that I’d have more energy to do exercise.

    I have my elliptical that i use, a yoga ball. I don’t believe takes much equipment to make things happen. Before I had the elliptical, I ran the park by my house and used park benches for tricep dips, step ups and used a home workout video, with small weights.

    I found logging what I’m doing on here again, seeing others motivated about exercise has helped encourage me to step it up, again.

    You can always message me, I’d be happy to help with ideas if you need some extra support 😊
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,591 Member
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    I SO second @dlynne1024 's comments! When I was getting started, I changed one thing at a time, and the settling-into-new-habits period was 3-4 weeks for each change. So look to see if there is one thing you want to change. Are willing to do the work? Get very clear on that one thing (like walking every day? good moderate exercise) and why you want to build that new habit. Look for a place to take some baby steps and build one new habit at a time, so it's not so overwhelming.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Of course you dread going back hard, only to risk regaining again. Have you tried a more moderate approach? Log and eat the amount of calories MFP suggested, exercise moderately, and well, that's all :)

    This.

    Crash dieting and gung-ho Crossfit sessions are awful. No wonder you aren't motivated to do that. Good on you.

    Try walking, some strength exercises, logging food accurately, and aim for a 0.5 lb weekly weight loss goal.

    The best diet and exercise routine is one you like and can stick to for as long as it takes, and having calories in balance is a life-long project.

  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    Set a fitness goal. My first one was to run a 5K. That got me into running. An injury got me into swimming. I decided to learn to swim laps. My last goal, met 3 weeks ago, was to climb a local volcano with my sisters to celebrate turning 50. All of these things kept me going. As my fitness improved (slowly, and over the years) I was able to set bigger goals. Maybe your goal is to just get back into logging your food. I know the feeling of zero motivation. When you've been in a drought, it sometimes just takes one thing to nudge your forward. Then you continue based on small successes. My challenge lately is to not get into the drought.

    If nothing else, you'll get fed up enough to take action. When you do, always make two plans: one plan that you are going to do, and then another for when that doesn't work ;). Good luck!
  • sarahjanes25
    sarahjanes25 Posts: 8 Member
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    I know exactly how you are feeling.
    In the past I’ve gone at it hard- set myself a goal ( eg lose weight for a holiday) I’ve lost a fair amount but then as soon as the holiday is over I’ve put it all back on.

    This time round it was different. I haven’t got an end goal because I don’t think there will ever be an end. This is a lifestyle change. I incorporate everything I want, when I want it. I have something sweet every day. If I want a ‘blow out’ meal- I exercise for it.
    So far I’ve lost 42lb. Got a fair way to go- but I really feel like I’m succeeding this time and it’s because my mentality has shifted.
    What’s working for me is-

    I started out by changing something small. Just one thing. So at first I said to myself I’m going to drink more water. I did this for a few weeks until it became a habit.
    Then I cut down on my sugar in my tea. Until after a while I couldn’t bare it with sugar!
    Then I found an exercise I enjoyed. This was dance. I loved it, it was fun and it didn’t feel like a chore.
    Then I slowly changed my diet. Just made healthier choices. More home made meals. It was all little by little until all these things became habit, just my lifestyle.

    The other thing was whenever I don’t feel motivated I imagine what I feel like in 6 months time if I slip back into my old ways. How will I feel when I’ve gained back 20lb and my clothes are tight. I’ve had that gutted feeling SO many times in my life - it usually helps!

    In the past I’ve started a diet on a Monday, gone at it hard, restricted myself from everything I love, worked out in the gym for 7 days straight. But then I’ve failed. Because it’s not sustainable.

    Remember- it’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when that effort is implemented every day, big changes will happen :smile:

    You can do it!
  • Ayesha0624
    Ayesha0624 Posts: 95 Member
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    Thank you all so much!
  • sugom2
    sugom2 Posts: 93 Member
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    Everyone always talks about "starting a diet". Don't start a diet, start a life change. Focus with doable goals such as walking at least 3 days a week for at least 30 minutes a day. Reduce your calories to a safe deficit, no less than 1200 per day, try eating healthy well balanced meals and you should start to see the weight come back off.
  • brightresolve
    brightresolve Posts: 1,024 Member
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    peggym4640 wrote: »
    Hi Ayesha. Have you read the thread below. It's interesting and might give you a different take on the lack of motivation you feel.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818701/the-myth-of-motivation-and-what-you-need-instead/p22

    Thanks @peggym4640 - this is a GREAT post I had never encountered before and challenges me to continue to make that decision, every day.

    @Ayesha0624 I wish you the very best with your decision to move ahead and second ALL the great posts above that encourage you to make your changes in a sustainable way. It's helped me to remember that weight loss (or maintenance) is mostly about how much I eat, the calories-in part, not about going hard in the gym. Most of us can't work out hard enough or long enough to make up for the kind of excessive food intake we gained on. So we win by logging, weighing foods, adjusting recipes, etc. It can be daunting at first, but it's a better guarantee of weight loss than that dusty kettlebell :)

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