Can’t give up this time
teresa3086
Posts: 6 Member
I feel like I have been doing this for a while, my motivation is very short lived. Any good advise ?
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Replies
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For me - it is all about how much I want to lose weight and hit the goals I have set myself and the answer is "an awful lot".
I have no photos of me from the start but I do have one from a few months back where I have lost so much weight it is fantastic - so that is stuck up in the kitchen. This is together with a note reminding me that I do not want to have to do this ever again and that when I want to weaken I need to push through or I will get knocked back and have to do these weeks again.
I do have very occasional treat days and they do knock me back a little but I never let them knock me off the path because.... I really really do not have to EVER have do this again.
So, sit and think really hard why you want to lose weight and use that as your motivation.
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Aside from motivation in the sense of knowing what your goals are, I find discipline and consistency a lot more important than motivation. Am I motivated to log all my food? Not really, it's just become a habit. Am I motivated to exercise and be active? Well I know it's good for my health and I get a sense of accomplishment when my fitness increases, but there are times where I'm dragging my feet to my home gym too.
To steal a line I've read here: we're not motivated to brush our teeth, but we do it anyway, because it's necessary and because it's a habit.
So focus on building habits, and do it gradually, don't overhaul your life in one go.
On top of that, make your weight loss as 'painless' and easy as possible so that you don't need huge amounts of motivation:
- don't choose an excessively fast weight loss rate
- don't eliminate all the foods you love from your diet
- don't force yourself to eat foods you hate
- don't force yourself to do exercise that you hate
Etc.2 -
@teresa3086 not sure if you have tried setting short term goals? If not try that, you will be more likely to stay committed. That way you will inch closer to your long term goal. First we would like to know what work programs have you tried before and failed? Add me for support if you would like.2
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MarvinsFitLife wrote: »@teresa3086 not sure if you have tried setting short term goals? If not try that, you will be more likely to stay committed. That way you will inch closer to your long term goal. First we would like to know what work programs have you tried before and failed? Add me for support if you would like.
I agree about setting short term goals and that works well for me. I weigh myself in kilograms and make seeing the next one down on the scales my only goal at any time. I have a bigger goal of course, a BMI of 24.9 and then at least another 3 or 4 kilograms more, but I don't focus on that0 -
Using a picture of me at my smallest as my background. I want to see that person again in the mirror one day. I’ve never tracked calories and macros ever in my life, but 3rd day and I’m already down 7 lbs.2
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Thank u all for ur kind msg and advise , still learning hang of this app0
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Keep your goal in mind, visualize it or write it down if that works for you. Don't beat yourself up over it, but remember that it is something you want and work toward it.0
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Set small goals but keep the long term goal in mind. Or get an inportant outfit (birthday, christmas, etc) one size too small. Your goal will be that you need to lose weight or work out to fit into it by that date.0
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Look at your life, and find the one thing that you want to live for.
Mine is my daughter and grandkids.
You can never go wrong that way.0 -
It's taken a long time for me to recognize that sugar, fat and salt are as addictive as cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. It's hard to shift from high calorie foods that I love to finding pleasure in healthy foods. Be patient with yourself, you're worth it- and if you persist, change will happen...1
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Goals. Lots and lots of goals. The more goals I was able to reach, the more satisfying the process was.
Sure, I had a “big” goal, but I subdivided that into smaller ones, so I could enjoy more wins. Lost 5 pounds? I’m 10% of the way there!
Found an inexpensive dress I loved, hung it in the closet sideways, so it was the first thing I saw when I’d walk in, would talk to it, stroke it, tell it what fun we’d have when we finally got together.
Making a goal to treat myself to a fitness tracker once I’d lost twenty, and proved to myself I was serious,
Closing all the rings on my tracker every day. Upping that goal to close them twice a day, then three times a day.
Joining challenges. There’s several on MFP. My tracker has its own proprietary anonymous challenge system that’s very motivating for OCD folks like me.
Challenging myself via exercise: upping the dumbbells or other weights at the gym, walking further, taking up C25K (Couch to 5k) and then upping the ante to run 5k several times a week, making each mat class a little harder than the last, accomplishing a headstand (which terrified me- and still does. I still get a jolt of adrenaline every time I go “up”).
Reaching that big goal, and then moving it further out, further out, and further out again.
The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. My best way to weight loss was lots and lots of small, satisfying wins.0 -
I am not a huge motivationally driven person, because motivation moves my heart and not my feet, so I just have my mind set on.. "it has to happen if I want the results.. I just have to do it". That may not be helpful, but it's what makes me keep going. At the end of the day, even your motivation depends on how much you want it. Motivation is just a tool to get you feeling prepped/started ☺️ good luck!0
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Are you consistent? If you aren't then motivation isn't the issue. Behavioral change is needed and that takes consistency over time. Once your behavior is set, then motivation isn't really needed because you just do what you need to do to be consistent.teresa3086 wrote: »I feel like I have been doing this for a while, my motivation is very short lived. Any good advise ?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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You DON'T need cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. But you do NEED food, hence it's not "addictive". Sure it's pleasureable and hyper palatable for many, but you can STILL eat sugar, fat and salt and STILL lose weight. You just need to change your BEHAVIOR towards them. Totally cutting them out of your life is a recipe for diaster for many because it's basically impossible to avoid them. LEARN to have a behavior of moderation.It's taken a long time for me to recognize that sugar, fat and salt are as addictive as cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. It's hard to shift from high calorie foods that I love to finding pleasure in healthy foods. Be patient with yourself, you're worth it- and if you persist, change will happen...
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 1 -
You DON'T need cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. But you do NEED food, hence it's not "addictive". Sure it's pleasureable and hyper palatable for many, but you can STILL eat sugar, fat and salt and STILL lose weight. You just need to change your BEHAVIOR towards them. Totally cutting them out of your life is a recipe for diaster for many because it's basically impossible to avoid them. LEARN to have a behavior of moderation.It's taken a long time for me to recognize that sugar, fat and salt are as addictive as cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. It's hard to shift from high calorie foods that I love to finding pleasure in healthy foods. Be patient with yourself, you're worth it- and if you persist, change will happen...
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
WINNER!
There is one food I cannot moderate like, at all. That stuff comes into the house as single serving packages.
Everything else?
Fast food, candy, chips, cake? Yep. Every week and some weeks every DAY.
My weight loss is fine - I"m 2lbs from normal BMI and in august I was solidly obese.
2
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