Motivation Issues

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kew1952
kew1952 Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When you have lost your motivation, how do you get it back? Since December 20, 2017, I have lost 25 pounds. I have about another 10 to go. Tracked everything, walked regularly, as well as Pilates 3 times a week. In the last month or so, I can't get motivated to stay on this journey. I find that I am not tracking everything I eat and I don't walk regularly like I used to do. What are things that have helped keep you motivated?

Replies

  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
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    Maybe switch to some other type of exercise? That might shake things up and increase your motivation.



  • Steph_135
    Steph_135 Posts: 3,280 Member
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    Just a few ideas... I've got the same issue.

    - Remember WHY you started, or come up with the most compelling reason why you will continue making progress.
    - Create small, achievable, and extremely detailed "SMART" Goals for yourself. Like, things you can get done/reach in a day or a couple weeks. Small successes = gained motivation and momentum.
    - My friend says just do it, and if you aren't, it's simply cause you don't want it enough.

    These are the things I learned today. I hope it helps you too. :)
  • Its_Haleeyyy
    Its_Haleeyyy Posts: 39 Member
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    Maybe buy some smaller clothes for motivation? I have so many clothes in my closet that are too small and I wanna fit into them again
  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
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    Think as well..what is the alternative? Gaining the weight back? ..I am in the same boat. I lost 25 lbs this year and am close to goal and the fear of gaining the weight back scares me. I was at goal back in 2012 and gained back the weight plus....never again!
  • lin_be
    lin_be Posts: 393 Member
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    I get unmotivated when I think "I have only xx amount of weight to lose to hit my goal" because that number can seem daunting (even though I've lost 60lbs). So instead, I focus on smaller goals such as "3 weeks from today I want to weigh 1.5lbs less than I do today."

    1.5lbs seems so much more doable than 10lbs.
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
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    I think about how much it will suck to start over again.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Running2Fit wrote: »
    I think about how much it will suck to start over again.

    ^ Truth. I have progress photos going pretty much back to the beginning of my weight loss, and looking at the 'before' pictures is plenty enough motivation for me if I feel like I need a kick in the hindquarters.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    kew1952 wrote: »
    When you have lost your motivation, how do you get it back? Since December 20, 2017, I have lost 25 pounds. I have about another 10 to go. Tracked everything, walked regularly, as well as Pilates 3 times a week. In the last month or so, I can't get motivated to stay on this journey. I find that I am not tracking everything I eat and I don't walk regularly like I used to do. What are things that have helped keep you motivated?

    Don't wait around for motivation. Just do it.

    The "journey" doesn't end when you reach goal weight. I hit that 2 and a half years ago, and it never gets "easier".

    But it's not hard!

    You just keep going. If you want to avoid the litany of obesity-related health issues, you just keep going.

    Motivation isn't a blinding flash of light that solves everything. There will still be tired days, busy days, emotions that sway you.

    Don't wait around for motivation. Exercise and moderate eating are a necessity in life. Accept it as a fact of life. But the rewards are incredible.

    The 10 lbs will take a long time. If you haven't already, you need to read this:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1

    Don't be worried you've had a month off. The science now recommends diet breaks. Take another week and really savour it without guilt.

    Plan to have maybe Xmas, Hannukah, or a couple of other high calorie days, and enjoy them too.

    Then keep going.
  • angierobertson1954
    angierobertson1954 Posts: 3 Member
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    I allow myself to have a real over calorie treat on one day a week. I look forward to it, so that is my goal. A long future date with no treats can stop the motivation easily. So my advice is only plan for a week, have a treat, then start again for the next week. For me it works and is achievable.
  • Lolinloggen
    Lolinloggen Posts: 466 Member
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    Been there done that.
    Personally I allowed myself some maintenance time on my journey. Usually this was during a holiday. A fe weeks just getting used to maintenance and then back to weight loss modus. I still logged but less precise and ensured I was not gaining. I saw it as a way of learning slowly what maintenance was about.
    For me it saved my sanity to do it this way.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/818701/the-myth-of-motivation-and-what-you-need-instead
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    kew1952 wrote: »
    When you have lost your motivation, how do you get it back? Since December 20, 2017, I have lost 25 pounds. I have about another 10 to go. Tracked everything, walked regularly, as well as Pilates 3 times a week. In the last month or so, I can't get motivated to stay on this journey. I find that I am not tracking everything I eat and I don't walk regularly like I used to do. What are things that have helped keep you motivated?

    A diet break over Christmas might help?
  • Bobble11
    Bobble11 Posts: 49 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    A diet break over Christmas might help?

    I second this. You've been working hard for a long time to get to where you are. You might need to give yourself permission to take a break. Eat at maintenance. Still exercise but you don't have to go hard at it if you don't want to. Just get a few walks in to keep fitness up.

    I'm not a fan of the "Just do it" advice. It's like telling someone with depression "be happy!". When people ask for help with motivation what they may be saying is that they're a bit fed up with the process right now or a bit despondent as they're working so hard but might not be getting the results as fast as they want.

    Loss of motivation is a phase or a mood. Hang in there at around maintenance and your motivation will come back ready to lose the next bit.
  • tataydecano
    tataydecano Posts: 3 Member
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    when i feel unmotivated, i still ride my bike and as i feel the sense of freedom, of breaking free from the desk/computer, i realize i'm pedaling more and more.
    also, i look at my chubby cute picture and realize i don't want to be cute. i want to be healthy :smiley:
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    Though I had the motivation of a health issue, I read once that this whole thing was really about the importance of habit.

    That stuck with me because it made so much sense. I realized, as a veteran of 40 years of failed attempts at dieting, that I had never embraced any change as habit. So nothing ever lasted. And if nothing else, I am a creature of habit. I love the deeply familiar.

    So one by one, in baby steps, I built a new life based on new habits that supported a weight that I wanted to be. Sure there are days where I feel less like doing what I usually do than others, but since it's a habit, I just get it done anyway. Because to not do it would just feel wrong.
  • Lolinloggen
    Lolinloggen Posts: 466 Member
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    I so second this post.
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    Though I had the motivation of a health issue, I read once that this whole thing was really about the importance of habit.

    That stuck with me because it made so much sense. I realized, as a veteran of 40 years of failed attempts at dieting, that I had never embraced any change as habit. So nothing ever lasted. And if nothing else, I am a creature of habit. I love the deeply familiar.

    So one by one, in baby steps, I built a new life based on new habits that supported a weight that I wanted to be. Sure there are days where I feel less like doing what I usually do than others, but since it's a habit, I just get it done anyway. Because to not do it would just feel wrong.

    Babysteps make habits and habits hold

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