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MyFitnessPal Community

What motivates you to be better

Ashleynoass

I’d Like to know what motivates you What keeps you going. I literally Don’t have anything that motivates me.I want to have discipline I want dedication but I just can’t. I’m so lazy too. But anyways what keeps you On track.

Replies

callsitlikeiseeit

I motivate me.

Since 2015. Every pound I've lost has been for ME. all 189 of them. Not for my kids. Not for my ex. Not for my current husband. for ME.

Because THIS body, is the one I have to live in for the rest of my life.

MaltedTea

Being granted another day.

"Thank you, Lord, for this day that you have made. I will rejoice and be glad in it," are the first words out of my mouth.

Even if you're not a Christian or following a spiritual practice, gratitude goes a long way for, well, everything.

Then it's a matter of getting after the day like a beast 🙌🏿

fr3smyl

I want to be healthy. Not saying a larger person can’t be healthy, but I couldn’t be healthy at the weight I was. I have autoimmune issues, digestive issues, and usually need surgery every two years. I did not want to add heart disease and diabetes on top of that.

nooshi713

In the past it was just myself but since my son was born I want to be my healthiest self for him and me.

amusedmonkey

What motivates me to stay the course is my desire to keep my current lifestyle and freedom of movement/finding clothes/going places without considering seating and so on. I have experienced having high blood sugar and blood pressure, gasping for air on stairs, having to pay attention to the kinds of seats I sit in because I may not fit into the "wrong" kind...etc. and I don't want to go back to that. It's mostly about blood sugar for me, though. If I have blood sugar I will have to limit my food choice, I would hate that very much. I'm maintaining a slightly overweight weight, and I'm satisfied with my life right now, so nothing is motivating me to lose any more weight, but maintaining my current weight? Yes, I'm very motivated. If at some point my blood sugar starts creeping back up, I will for sure be motivated to lose even more weight.

If you're currently healthy and satisfied with your life, I don't think there is much you do to motivate yourself other than find alternative goals that may interest you, like running a race or achieving a certain fitness goal. If that doesn't interest you, yeah, there isn't much you can do.

springlering62

Our three story house has an elevator. We added it during construction for my expected future with joint pain and mobility issues, which were already rearing their ugly heads.

Following weight loss, the only thing that elevator is used for is as a mobile broom closet.

Every day I don’t have to mash a button is a win.

How’s that for first world motivation?

ChaoticMoira

I struggle with this too. I don't have any motivation, and *kitten* I am sooo lazy. I love laying about doing nothing. I really do. I like to read, and I paint, neither of which gets me any physical activity (and I have a desk job from home of all things). Add to that I love high fat food and I was doomed.. I am so envious of people who enjoy physical activity. And I am always baffled when people prefer the activity outdoors of all things, lol. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome, I just cannot fathom it. The breathing, the rising body heat, the possibility of sweat, the dust, the hot air, the blinding SUN

.... uuuuggghh..

Motivation is something I just don't have - even thinking of my family doesn't do it - again, I am always amazed when that motivates people, how awesome for them. I have been just trying to get through by brutishly forcing myself. When I shop and want things I can't have, I treat those thoughts like an annoying person I can't stand, and want to go away - because that is basically what they are; a version of me that needs to go the heck away. I shove it aside and move on. When I don't want to go to the gym, I tell myself *kitten* off, do it anyway. This is all I got.

Non of that is very positive, but I wanted to share that you are not alone. Sometimes it's nice to just know that.

Also, that all said, I do work to try and change it. I am trying to do a fake it till you make it thing. I do want to have an inner drive. For me, this means reminding myself I literally AM killing myself by not doing exercise and not losing weight. I don't have any diseases yet, but I am level 3 obese and I know they are gaining ground on me. I am hoping by reminding myself constantly that I don't want to have a heart attack, or diabetes, and that I don't like huffing up stairs that eventually "being healthy" will be a real motivation that I can feel, and that will truly fuel my actions.

Also, I found that whilst I do HATE cardio, I LOVE weight lifting. I never ever thought that would be a thing in my life. So every single workout I do is about 20 min cardio (low steady state), followed by weight training. This doesn't make me want to go to the gym per se, but when I leave, I always feel so good. Cardio makes me feel hot, bored, and then at the end, tired; but weight training makes my body actually feel good. So I would say finding an exercise you actually enjoy can help a little. If that is even a part of the motivation you are looking for that is. You didn't say if it was diet, exercise, or both that you are struggling with.

ChaoticMoira

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

I motivate me.

Since 2015. Every pound I've lost has been for ME. all 189 of them. Not for my kids. Not for my ex. Not for my current husband. for ME.

Because THIS body, is the one I have to live in for the rest of my life.

This is my goal. I want to feel this.

I find it hysterical that someone "disagreed" with what motivates you, lol. Someone was like, "for yoooouuu, pffft, I don't think so.." Hahahaha

callsitlikeiseeit

ChaoticMoira wrote: »

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

I motivate me.

Since 2015. Every pound I've lost has been for ME. all 189 of them. Not for my kids. Not for my ex. Not for my current husband. for ME.

Because THIS body, is the one I have to live in for the rest of my life.

This is my goal. I want to feel this.

I find it hysterical that someone "disagreed" with what motivates you, lol. Someone was like, "for yoooouuu, pffft, I don't think so.." Hahahaha

i decided a long time ago, some people disagree just to disagree. i dont pay it any mind LOL

springlering62

ChaoticMoira wrote: »

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

I motivate me.

Since 2015. Every pound I've lost has been for ME. all 189 of them. Not for my kids. Not for my ex. Not for my current husband. for ME.

Because THIS body, is the one I have to live in for the rest of my life.

This is my goal. I want to feel this.

I find it hysterical that someone "disagreed" with what motivates you, lol. Someone was like, "for yoooouuu, pffft, I don't think so.." Hahahaha

Moira, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dozed off reading the boards. The disagree button is right where you hold the phone. Lord knows how many I’ve inadvertently left.

Your description was me. I liked to read, needlework and eat. I was glued to my sofa.

Even I’m surprised how much I like being out and about these days.

Your perception of cardio and other exercise will probably change as the weight continues to drop. Mine sure did. Losing weight also gave me the ability to experiment with other types of exercise that were a PITA (literally) a hundred pounds ago.

My trainer constantly preaches that the best possible exercise is just walking. And this is a woman who has trained others for 40+ years and owns the competitive powerlifting gym I attend. But she’ll be the first to tell you straight up, “Walk!!!!”

LeeH31

I have found that while motivation and will-power may fade, or at best be hit-or-miss, good habits don't. It takes self-discipline to develop good habits. Perhaps you need to do some soul searching to find out why your own body, your own peace with yourself, isn't worth the effort for you to treat yourself better.

For me, it was negative feelings about myself. I had to actually have my husband, and a few close friends, write down what they thought my good and bad qualities were, compared it to my own pitiful list, and then my husband helped me by listening to me express my thoughts and helped me see where I was being way to hard on myself. He is one special guy.

That was 2 years ago. I had been on here 2-3 months when I had heart trouble crop up. But now I'm back, logging my meals every day, drinking the water, trying to move at least 20-30 minutes a day. Do I like it all the time? NO. But I AM WORTH THE EFFORT .

You are too, you just don't know it yet!

mom22dogs

I have a lot of self-motivation. I'm disabled, and walk on crutches, and want to continue to be able to, so I have to manage my weight and keep myself strong.

My mother is another motivating factor. She has been extremely lazy and sedentary her whole adult life, and now she is severely disabled from having several strokes due to high blood pressure and diabetes because she is obese. She also has congestive heart failure, COPD because she smoked for 40+ years, chronic kidney disease and AFIB. Because of the strokes, she has vascular dementia and can't get around well at all anymore. She is 74 years old. I DO NOT want to be like her in any way, shape or form. She has refused to exercise, even a little, refused to change her diet, and refused to lose even a little weight. So now she's significantly more disabled than I am. All because she chose to be lazy.

springlering62

mom22dogs wrote: »

I have a lot of self-motivation. I'm disabled, and walk on crutches, and want to continue to be able to, so I have to manage my weight and keep myself strong.

My mother is another motivating factor. She has been extremely lazy and sedentary her whole adult life, and now she is severely disabled from having several strokes due to high blood pressure and diabetes because she is obese. She also has congestive heart failure, COPD because she smoked for 40+ years, chronic kidney disease and AFIB. Because of the strokes, she has vascular dementia and can't get around well at all anymore. She is 74 years old. I DO NOT want to be like her in any way, shape or form. She has refused to exercise, even a little, refused to change her diet, and refused to lose even a little weight. So now she's significantly more disabled than I am. All because she chose to be lazy.

Same here. It was sobering. My mom had gotten so lazy, she enjoyed being bedridden and having others care for her. I think dementia got all tangled up with her frequent wish that “One day people will wait on me hand and foot”. She thought she was the Queen of the world from that bed.

I loved her, but ye gods, no way did I want to be her.

callsitlikeiseeit

mom22dogs wrote: »

I have a lot of self-motivation. I'm disabled, and walk on crutches, and want to continue to be able to, so I have to manage my weight and keep myself strong.

My mother is another motivating factor. She has been extremely lazy and sedentary her whole adult life, and now she is severely disabled from having several strokes due to high blood pressure and diabetes because she is obese. She also has congestive heart failure, COPD because she smoked for 40+ years, chronic kidney disease and AFIB. Because of the strokes, she has vascular dementia and can't get around well at all anymore. She is 74 years old. I DO NOT want to be like her in any way, shape or form. She has refused to exercise, even a little, refused to change her diet, and refused to lose even a little weight. So now she's significantly more disabled than I am. All because she chose to be lazy.

my mother (who i do not have much of a relationship with) is much the same in many ways and about the same age. while she is not overweight, she is one of the laziest people I know, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, alcoholic, probably has or on the way to having cirrhosis of the liver, breathing problems of some kind (lifelong smoker), and mostly eats high sodium microwave meals. She says because its easy and fast but honestly i think its because she LIKES them, as when she lived with us for about 6 months last year, and I cooked dinner every night ... she STILL almost always ate that garbage for dinner. But I nearly always make fairly healthy well balanced meals that tend to be heavy on the vegetable side and not mashed potatoes and fried chicken so...... whatever...

Shes one of my motivations as to why I dont DRINK on a regular basis (LOL) but not for why I lost weight

I'm also eternally grateful that she pawned me off on my grandparents to raise and didn't attempt to do it herself...But that is another story entirely ...

mom22dogs

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

mom22dogs wrote: »

I have a lot of self-motivation. I'm disabled, and walk on crutches, and want to continue to be able to, so I have to manage my weight and keep myself strong.

My mother is another motivating factor. She has been extremely lazy and sedentary her whole adult life, and now she is severely disabled from having several strokes due to high blood pressure and diabetes because she is obese. She also has congestive heart failure, COPD because she smoked for 40+ years, chronic kidney disease and AFIB. Because of the strokes, she has vascular dementia and can't get around well at all anymore. She is 74 years old. I DO NOT want to be like her in any way, shape or form. She has refused to exercise, even a little, refused to change her diet, and refused to lose even a little weight. So now she's significantly more disabled than I am. All because she chose to be lazy.

my mother (who i do not have much of a relationship with) is much the same in many ways and about the same age. while she is not overweight, she is one of the laziest people I know, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, alcoholic, probably has or on the way to having cirrhosis of the liver, breathing problems of some kind (lifelong smoker), and mostly eats high sodium microwave meals. She says because its easy and fast but honestly i think its because she LIKES them, as when she lived with us for about 6 months last year, and I cooked dinner every night ... she STILL almost always ate that garbage for dinner. But I nearly always make fairly healthy well balanced meals that tend to be heavy on the vegetable side and not mashed potatoes and fried chicken so...... whatever...

Shes one of my motivations as to why I dont DRINK on a regular basis (LOL) but not for why I lost weight

I'm also eternally grateful that she pawned me off on my grandparents to raise and didn't attempt to do it herself...But that is another story entirely ...

Your post reminded me, my mom had been an alcoholic also. She would never admit it, but when you have 5 triple/quadruple strength Vodka 7's between 5 pm and 9 pm and pass out, you have a problem. Thankfully, she doesn't drink anymore.

callsitlikeiseeit

mom22dogs wrote: »

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

mom22dogs wrote: »

I have a lot of self-motivation. I'm disabled, and walk on crutches, and want to continue to be able to, so I have to manage my weight and keep myself strong.

My mother is another motivating factor. She has been extremely lazy and sedentary her whole adult life, and now she is severely disabled from having several strokes due to high blood pressure and diabetes because she is obese. She also has congestive heart failure, COPD because she smoked for 40+ years, chronic kidney disease and AFIB. Because of the strokes, she has vascular dementia and can't get around well at all anymore. She is 74 years old. I DO NOT want to be like her in any way, shape or form. She has refused to exercise, even a little, refused to change her diet, and refused to lose even a little weight. So now she's significantly more disabled than I am. All because she chose to be lazy.

my mother (who i do not have much of a relationship with) is much the same in many ways and about the same age. while she is not overweight, she is one of the laziest people I know, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, alcoholic, probably has or on the way to having cirrhosis of the liver, breathing problems of some kind (lifelong smoker), and mostly eats high sodium microwave meals. She says because its easy and fast but honestly i think its because she LIKES them, as when she lived with us for about 6 months last year, and I cooked dinner every night ... she STILL almost always ate that garbage for dinner. But I nearly always make fairly healthy well balanced meals that tend to be heavy on the vegetable side and not mashed potatoes and fried chicken so...... whatever...

Shes one of my motivations as to why I dont DRINK on a regular basis (LOL) but not for why I lost weight

I'm also eternally grateful that she pawned me off on my grandparents to raise and didn't attempt to do it herself...But that is another story entirely ...

Your post reminded me, my mom had been an alcoholic also. She would never admit it, but when you have 5 triple/quadruple strength Vodka 7's between 5 pm and 9 pm and pass out, you have a problem. Thankfully, she doesn't drink anymore.

oh no, my mother would never admit to being an alcoholic. the thought of her admitting that is hilarious! even though she starts and 9am and doesn't stop till shes asleep at night. or passed out. whichever...

AnnPT77

I'm a full-bore aging hippie hedonist. I like pleasurable things very much, such as eating and drinking yummy stuff, or having fun in various ways.

At some point, it finally sunk in to me that being inactive and overweight (class 1 obese) was not maximizing my total life pleasure, and it was only going to get worse. I was already middle-aged, and people my age or a bit older who were further along on that same lifestyle track were not able to enjoy life nearly as much as healthy-weight active people of similar age, on average.

They couldn't eat and drink what they wanted (because of chronic diseases their lifestyle had brought on, or because of contraindications from the medications they took for those diseases). They couldn't do fun things like art fairs or music festivals or stadium events, because they couldn't do the walking/stairs involved in those. As compared with otherwise similar healthy-weight active people, they were sick more often, stayed sick longer, needed more surgeries, recovered more slowly from surgeries they did have. They had less discretionary income for fun stuff even at the same income level, because they had to pay so many medical co-pays, and pay people to do required chores they could no longer manage to do themselves (some kinds of yard work, seasonal cleaning, that sort of thing). They also tended to die younger, but after extended periods of pain, disability, unpleasant drug side-effect interactions, etc.

I could see that I was on that track. I'd already had a cancer that's more common in people who are obese (quite advanced stage cancer, too). Surgery/chemo/radiation/post-cancer drugs was not enjoyable, to say the least. I was lucky to have lived past age 50, frankly, though.

After cancer treatment, I found fun ways to be active, and that was good. I felt better, had more fun, had some health improvements. I tried to convince myself that it was OK to be obese, if reasonably fit . . . and I *was* pretty much the near-mythical kinda fit fat person, by then. But it wasn't true that fitness was enough. More negative health things happened. I decided to lose weight.

Much to my surprise, it was less difficult than I'd ever imagined. It wasn't fun every single second, or always easy, but it was so simple. It didn't require punitive, arbitrary eating restrictions (no treat foods, eat only superfoods kind of things). I just needed to eat foods I like in portions/proportions/frequencies that added up to the proper number of calories to lose weight while staying generally full and happy. I could kick myself for not doing it decades earlier!

I'm now 65, slim, active - have been both for over 5 years now, after just under a year of weight loss several years back. Life is great. Calorie counting lets me eat every delicious calorie I can now, while still laying the foundation for future Ann to be happy and healthy, too . . . and maybe live longer and with more of those years active/healthy besides.

The hedonist in me likes this *a lot*. Current and future happiness balance!

Recently, I did one of those health quizzes that predict lifespan. I answered the questions twice, once for 45-year-old me's lifestyle, once for 65-year-old me's lifestyle. It said former-me would live to be 67. It said current-me would live to be 102. While I don't believe either one of those estimates specifically, I like what that suggests: Hedonism win!

ChaoticMoira

I have a friend who is like some of the moms mentioned above. She is so lazy she actually started making her children do everything. She wouldn't even get up to grab a drink, but would call one of them from another room to ask them to get it. And she was NOT disabled, just heading there. Seeing her literally choosing to walk a path towards being a reliant cripple is one of the things I tell myself constantly, I never want to become. Though I am a lazy person, I have never liked people doing things for me, it makes me uncomfortable. I am glad some of you mentioned it, because I had forgotten about that.

Interestingly, my mother is also an abusive alcoholic who won't acknowledge her addiction. She isn't obese, and eats healthy though.

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

I'm also eternally grateful that she pawned me off on my grandparents to raise and didn't attempt to do it herself...But that is another story entirely ...

I totally feel this.. I wish mine had let my father raise me, but she didn't. I am glad for you that yours made a better choice.

springlering62 wrote: »

Moira, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dozed off reading the boards. The disagree button is right where you hold the phone. Lord knows how many I’ve inadvertently left.

Your description was me. I liked to read, needlework and eat. I was glued to my sofa.

Even I’m surprised how much I like being out and about these days.

Your perception of cardio and other exercise will probably change as the weight continues to drop. Mine sure did. Losing weight also gave me the ability to experiment with other types of exercise that were a PITA (literally) a hundred pounds ago.

My trainer constantly preaches that the best possible exercise is just walking. And this is a woman who has trained others for 40+ years and owns the competitive powerlifting gym I attend. But she’ll be the first to tell you straight up, “Walk!!!!”

That is interesting about the button. I don't use my phone for the boards. I am on my pc, so that wouldn't have occurred to me.

I don't think I will ever learn to love cardio. I was a fit child, teen, and into my late 20s, very active, and involved in sports, and even then I hated the outdoors, and cardio (mainly walking and running). I made myself do it because I loved competition and games - so it was worth it basically. But I get what you are saying in general, and I think I will hate them a little less as I feel fitter and the physical strain is easier to bear. When I can do something that is hard now, that I won't even notice later, I know that will help change a lot.

I am committed to doing cardio (currently walking) because I want to be as healthy as possible as I get old.

suzleigh1

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I'm a full-bore aging hippie hedonist. I like pleasurable things very much, such as eating and drinking yummy stuff, or having fun in various ways.

At some point, it finally sunk in to me that being inactive and overweight (class 1 obese) was not maximizing my total life pleasure, and it was only going to get worse. I was already middle-aged, and people my age or a bit older who were further along on that same lifestyle track were not able to enjoy life nearly as much as healthy-weight active people of similar age, on average.

They couldn't eat and drink what they wanted (because of chronic diseases their lifestyle had brought on, or because of contraindications from the medications they took for those diseases). They couldn't do fun things like art fairs or music festivals or stadium events, because they couldn't do the walking/stairs involved in those. As compared with otherwise similar healthy-weight active people, they were sick more often, stayed sick longer, needed more surgeries, recovered more slowly from surgeries they did have. They had less discretionary income for fun stuff even at the same income level, because they had to pay so many medical co-pays, and pay people to do required chores they could no longer manage to do themselves (some kinds of yard work, seasonal cleaning, that sort of thing). They also tended to die younger, but after extended periods of pain, disability, unpleasant drug side-effect interactions, etc.

I could see that I was on that track. I'd already had a cancer that's more common in people who are obese (quite advanced stage cancer, too). Surgery/chemo/radiation/post-cancer drugs was not enjoyable, to say the least. I was lucky to have lived past age 50, frankly, though.

After cancer treatment, I found fun ways to be active, and that was good. I felt better, had more fun, had some health improvements. I tried to convince myself that it was OK to be obese, if reasonably fit . . . and I *was* pretty much the near-mythical kinda fit fat person, by then. But it wasn't true that fitness was enough. More negative health things happened. I decided to lose weight.

Much to my surprise, it was less difficult than I'd ever imagined. It wasn't fun every single second, or always easy, but it was so simple. It didn't require punitive, arbitrary eating restrictions (no treat foods, eat only superfoods kind of things). I just needed to eat foods I like in portions/proportions/frequencies that added up to the proper number of calories to lose weight while staying generally full and happy. I could kick myself for not doing it decades earlier!

I'm now 65, slim, active - have been both for over 5 years now, after just under a year of weight loss several years back. Life is great. Calorie counting lets me eat every delicious calorie I can now, while still laying the foundation for future Ann to be happy and healthy, too . . . and maybe live longer and with more of those years active/healthy besides.

The hedonist in me likes this *a lot*. Current and future happiness balance!

Recently, I did one of those health quizzes that predict lifespan. I answered the questions twice, once for 45-year-old me's lifestyle, once for 65-year-old me's lifestyle. It said former-me would live to be 67. It said current-me would live to be 102. While I don't believe either one of those estimates specifically, I like what that suggests: Hedonism win!

You are amazing! I’ve followed some of your other posts and you always seem to have the answers and opinions that I want and need to hear. I had a somewhat similar experience… being on a trip in Europe and watching women 10+ years older and heavier (or just as heavy) scurrying up a mountain, leaving me on the trail panting. It was embarrassing and demoralizing. I wanted to be so much better than that. It’s only taken me 5 years to act on it. I am in training to climb Maryland Heights with my son this fall and feel I am better prepared to take on the side trips offered during our cruise next year (fingers crossed it will happen).

Thanks Ann for being the hedonist that you are! You are an inspiration.

springlering62

@AnnPT77

TheInspirationalHedonist.

You still got a name change available on your profile?

callsitlikeiseeit

ChaoticMoira wrote: »

I have a friend who is like some of the moms mentioned above. She is so lazy she actually started making her children do everything. She wouldn't even get up to grab a drink, but would call one of them from another room to ask them to get it.

OMG she tried to get my son (his room was across from hers when she was here) to get her laundry for her from the dryer and drinks and stuff. When I figured out what was going on I nipped that in the bud REAL quick!

AnnPT77

springlering62 wrote: »

@AnnPT77

TheInspirationalHedonist.

You still got a name change available on your profile?

🤣🤣🤣 Technically, yes . . . but *no*. 🤣

You and @suzleigh1 are very sweet to say such kind things, though. (blush)