I don't know why I can't stay motivated.

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So many people on here are amazing and do amazing things with their weight loss.
and it all inpires me.

but im on day 2 of a diet, and I already want to give up and just eat unhealthy food.

I don't understand how I never have motivation, but being a healthy weight is my most desired thing.

=(


Does anyone else lack motivation this much ?

Replies

  • kakelly1974
    kakelly1974 Posts: 21 Member
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    I gained back some weight this week because I was tired and didn't want to be bothered. (ie lack of motivation). But I'm here today with a renewed spirit. You are not alone!
  • Justjoshin
    Justjoshin Posts: 999 Member
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    Stop looking at it as a diet.

    Change your outlook so that you are trying to move into a healthy lifestyle.

    Eat because it fuels your body. Exercise because it feels good, energizes you, and makes you healthy.

    Consider all of the amazing things you can do once you are fit. Consider living a longer life, seeing kids, grandkids grow up.

    Find some hot outfits that you want to wear if you need that type of motivation.

    Throw the junk food out, and don't buy it anymore.

    Drink Water.

    Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

    Go for walks.

    Be the best YOU can be.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    Just keep at it. If you fall off the wagon, jump back on the next day. What I found helpful at the beginning was starting off slowly. Don't do a complete overhaul of your diet and lifestyle over night. Think of it as a journey.
  • Kendall_Kennedy
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    I have the same problem. I'm working on my mental and my time management. I do better when I'm prepared to eat better and plan ahead. Its all mental. I keep telling myself nothing taste as good as healthy looks. that wore off last year but now I'm on a my body is a temple and I want it to be beautiful inside and out.
  • Usbornegal
    Usbornegal Posts: 601 Member
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    My hubby and I were discussing this topic yesterday. We think it comes down to how important the WHY is to you. If you are scared enough (like health consequences) frustrated enough or angry enough, these things can really fuel your motivation. Or if you have a goal to do something when the weight is off that you REALLY want to do. So try taking a look at your life, your motivation, and why you want to lose weight other than that you 'ought to' or someone else wanting you to, or to fit into someone else's image of what you should be. Who do you want to be for you and why? Journaling might help.
  • gbelltx
    gbelltx Posts: 142
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    Top ten reasons to get healthy, live healthy and Be Healthy
    10. I want more energy so I can go play outside with my children, nieces and nephews
    9. I want my family to be proud of me
    8. I want my friends to say daaaaaang you look like you lost some weight
    7. I want to feel more confident out in public
    6. I want to see my ex and say daaaaaang looks like you put on a few lbs
    5. I want to hear the doctor say you’re in perfect health!!
    4. I want to hear my old friends say daaaaaaang looking good for your age
    3. I want to hear that zipper go all the up in that pair of jeans sitting in the closet
    2. I do not want to wear black all the time
    And the #1 reason for Living Healthy, Getting Healthy and Being Healthy is 1. ME .
  • lookitscaitlin
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    lol kinda in the same boat, i'll be sweet for a week then i'd suck and not exercise and eat ice cream XD I say don't deprive yourself of bad foods, or else you'll go mental, have it in moderation and if you don't want to exercise , say to yourself "I WILL GO!" even if you dread it and you can find many excuses not to :P , once you go, you feel good and you'll be glad you went. I figured, if i was craving something and I know I didn't need it, then I'd have to walk to go get it from the shop, instead of driving laziness would stop me :P or if i did get it, calories would be burnt in the process! :D
  • nehushtan
    nehushtan Posts: 566 Member
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    Dieting is 1% motivation and 99% habit-formation.

    Google "new habit" or "develop habits".
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    So many people on here are amazing and do amazing things with their weight loss.
    and it all inpires me.

    but im on day 2 of a diet, and I already want to give up and just eat unhealthy food.

    I don't understand how I never have motivation, but being a healthy weight is my most desired thing.

    =(


    Does anyone else lack motivation this much ?

    Are you working out and exercising? If so give it a week, by the time the week is up, if you are truly pushing yourself you won't be able to quit. Once you get the runners high you crave it more then food.
  • geekymom57
    geekymom57 Posts: 176 Member
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    I think part of it is perhaps your age and the amount of weight you want to lose. It's going to take a while and it's going to require that you develop eating habits that aren't necessarily consistent with that 18 year old females and males eat. Binging on pizza after going out, fast food trips after the mall, sweet coffee drinks, etc., will need to become a treat rather than a daily item. And frankly (I lived this with one of my children and myself in high school) it can be a huge self esteem eroder to be overweight in high school and before. Depending on where you live, clothing choices can be limited, and that alone can be discouraging for a young person.

    I was overweight from about middle school througyh grad school, got down to what I would now love to see (145) and slowly gained weight until at my high point about 6 years ago I was at 210--just saw some photos from then and in retrospect, how I didn't see how much I'd gained is beyond me. But I stopped watching what I ate and drank, and didn't track what happened. I was thinking of the weight loss as a diet, not a change in my life.

    So don't think about this as a diet. Think about what you need to do each day to make your life better and not just from food intake. As you lose weight and make changes in all parts of your life you're going to feel better about yourself. Don't focus on the overall long-term goal--set smaller goals that you can succeed at.

    And if you have health insurance or access to affordable health care, consider seeing someone for help in developing a plan and an eating strategy--sometimes having someone else make decisions/put some boundaries around your choices can help one stick to them. Then it's more like "here's whatthe doctor told me to and what I can have as an occasional treat" rather than trying on your own to come up with something.

    Get family support and if they won't/can/'t give it, see if there are weight loss support groups in your area--Overeaters Anonymous, TOPS, etc. Or form one yourself!

    Don't give up and don't get overwhelmed! You can do but it's going to take time.
  • LooseWheel
    LooseWheel Posts: 211 Member
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    Diets don't work, you know that yourself really. Deep down honestly. Ok I am a seasoned dieter and my biggest has been the 'fatblaster' tablets that were simply aimed at increasing metabolism and yes they do work for me but when i stop it becomes a weight gain problem. Yes what I am saying to you I am saying to myself lol. What you need is to drop the word 'diet' and focus on a lifestlye change as every diet, once reaching your goal weight and you stop doing it, makes the weight come back and usually plus extra. It sucks. If you make a lifestyle change to reassess your eating habits and focusing on changes to your food intake balances (for whats relevant to you, protein, carbs, etc).

    This mfp will help you to keep note of what you are eating and the support along the way will be some motivation you are looking for. Best motivation has to come from within so choosing something you 'want' to do will help more than taking on someone else's suggested diet in the mindset of 'having' to do it. Starting with walking, moving and some exercise will benefit you more than focusing on the diet to change things. If you want to lose weight it's best for food lifestyle AND exercise change but both should be something you want to do. that will be your biggest difference.

    Happy to support you along the way also for what you want to achieve. Best of luck and what ever you decide to do, make one of the things sticking with my fitness pal (mfp) as it will help a lot.

    Another thing I want to suggest is being able to physically see your 'goals'. Making a motivation poster for everything you are wanting to achieve in your life short term will help. If there's a car you want, cut it out and stick it on. A holiday, cut one out of a holiday brochure. Further training/a degree/a certificate, cut it out and stick it on the poster. A person's physique/legs/stomach you would like to have yourself, it will help to cut it out and stick it on. You can see this everyday and know that many of the things are possible but also keeping it fresh in your mind for what you want to achieve. You will be your own motivator! It does work for absolutely any area in your life. You know what you want, you just have to 'see' what you want by means of your own motivation poster. Works so well with kids as well.
    cheers Lou
  • SarahBrown1979
    SarahBrown1979 Posts: 229 Member
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    This is not easy at all to do! I'm 32 yr old and still trying my hardest to lose the weight that I've put on over the years. One thing that I've been told is that it took 32 yrs to get to this weight and its going to take awhile to get it off. The best advice that I can give you is that being on this site has helped my put things in perspective, logging everything that you put in your mouth, the fact that if I work out I can eat MORE, and when I don't work out I feel BLAH. I don't know for you've seen the movie Legally Blonde but she said it best when she said "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." Not that I want to kill anyone,lol but it is so true, I am so happy when I exercise and in a great mood. And most of all this site has great support! I am friends with great people I don't even know and they help motivate me so much. Add me if you like, I need support as much as the next person! Good luck to you and keep your head up, you can do it!