Getting motivated?

JLG1986 · June 17

What is everyone’s top way to get motivated and stay motivated long term for weight loss/fitness?

I’ve lost weight before, and I think I understand the mechanics of the process just fine. But I’m really struggling with motivation to get on a routine this time. Somehow I can’t stop self-sabotaging almost immediately. 🤯😢

Lietchi · June 17

Motivation isn't what made me lose 70+ lbs, motivation (in the sense of 'feeling like it' or raring to go) is a finite resource and unreliable.

If I only did things I 'felt like' doing, my life would be in a sorry state 🙂 I would have rotten teeth (I don't particularly 'feel like' brushing my teeth), no one would want to be near me (washing myself or my clothes isn't the most fun thing either), my kitchen would be full of dirty dishes, my house would stink of cat poo/pee, my possessions would have been repossessed (for not paying my bills) etc.

It's okay if life sometimes gets away from us, but I try to consider exercise or minding what I eat as a task like the ones mentioned above. It's okay to skip them occasionally, or perhaps put in a minimal effort instead of a good one from time to time.
Some examples:
- you could say that if its a hard day, you allow yourself the option of stopping your exercise after 15 minuten instead of the full session
- you could allow yourself a maximum number of days (for example 2) in a row to skip exercise

You could also plan for hard days:
- have some easy meals in the freezer/ fridge as a backup option when cooking seems like a giant effort or there isn't enough time
- do food prep in the weekend if you are regularly too busy on week days
- exercise in the morning if it's too hard to fit it in in the evening (or vice versa: do it in the evening if its tricky to fit in in the morning)
- always have your workout clothes ready if you think having to collect them is an extra barrier in starting a workout.
- aim for maintenance calories instead of your weight loss calorie goal on very hard days

It also helps if you keep your routine more or less enjoyable: exercise you enjoy doing, at a reasonable frequency (don't aim for 1 hour of exercise each and every day if you are just starting, for example); foods you enjoy, in a reasonable amount (not banning all the foods you like or having a very low calorie goal).

Traquette · June 17

I struggle sometimes with motivation too.

A person very dear to me used to say "don't think: do"

I try to remember this as often as possible.

When I come home from work, I don't think about what needs to be done in the appartement, or if I feel like exercising, or whatever. I change into my running clothes and I step out. Same thing in the morning on the weekend.
Sometimes I do great, sometimes I don't. But I'm out and ready and I move.

It works so far, as far as jogging goes. Not there yet with healthy cooking but I'm working on it !

AnnPT77 · June 18

I think I'm on the same wavelength as others above: I think motivation is a fickle thing, an unreliable partner.

Some people will talk about discipline as an alternative, but - speaking as an hedonistic aging hippie flake - I'm not great at discipline, either. But I got active, and lost weight, anyway.

For me, what helped was a mindset of seeking ideally enjoyable - but at least relatively easy, tolerable, practical - new habits that would take me gradually to reasonable fitness and a healthy weight, and be sustainable enough to keep me there long term.

In other words, my advice would be: Don't think about how to make weight loss or fitness fast, think about how to make it easier for YOU, in a personalized way. Gradual progress is progress. Daily perfection isn't necessary: Pretty good, on average, will work OK.

Other people here, articles in the blogosphere, etc., can give us ideas to try. But each of us has a individual preferences, strengths, challenges in lifestyles. Our tactics need to fit within that framework, or they won't work. So, try things, analyze the results, adjust. If something doesn't work for you, it's not a personal failure. It's useful learning, on the path of narrowing down to the tactics that will work.

For myself, I thought of weight loss as a fun science fair experiment for grown ups: Finding manageable ways to tweak my routine eating habits (not micromanage daily!) so that I felt mostly full, happy, energetic and well-nourished at a reduced calorie intake, relying on foods that I enjoy eating and find affordable/practical. I decided I wasn't going to do anything to lose weight that I wasn't willing to continue permanently, except for a sensibly moderate calorie deficit until I reached a healthy weight. For me, that worked pretty well. (So far: I'm in year 8 of maintaining a healthy weight after about 30 years - most of my adult life - of being overweight/obese.)

Fitness was similar: Finding things that were ideally fun, so fun I'd do them even if they weren't good for me. (I was lucky: I found those things, and I liked them so much I'd do other not-as-fun things to get better at the fun things. That was powerful.)

There's no way I'm maintaining white-knuckled motivation, willpower, or discipline for the rest of my natural life (short though that may be for me at age 68

). Finding relatively easy, practical new habits - ones that can run almost on autopilot when other parts of life get demanding - has worked OK so far.

Best wishes!

csplatt · June 18

When I need to cut, I find that if I can make it to the two week mark, I am over the hump and can continue successfully.

Getting motivated?

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