MInd over Matter

haleyjester
haleyjester Posts: 197 Member
edited November 12 in Motivation and Support
So I KNOW all the reasons I want to lose weight and KNOW what I have to do to get there but I have no motivation to physically do it. I guess this is more of a statement then a question. Anyone else have this problem?? What to do, what to do?

Replies

  • roksfarm
    roksfarm Posts: 56 Member
    HERE! HERE! I find the motivation but keeping it is a different story! I'm so disgusted with my body image but I guess not disgusted enough to keep with it more then 5 days at time!!! UGH
  • meglynne1987
    meglynne1987 Posts: 382 Member
    I am there with ya! I feel the same. There are some days i am all in it and others i am like whatever.... there is always the next day to get on it.
    The only thing that helps me is how well i feel AFTER i get off my butt and move. I have to remember that the whole time i am moving and why i want to loose weight.
    I try to do "fun" things.... Just Dance, Wii Sports..... Trick my brain to have fun not the evil "E" word. :)
  • jmjatlanta
    jmjatlanta Posts: 25
    The best time to have planted a tree was 20 years ago... The 2nd best time is right now.

    Staying at your ideal weight is easier than changing habits to get there. But just because you're going to have to work to get there is not an excuse to never start the journey.

    Plant the tree. Write down your reasons and your plans in your personal journal. Write down where you are now. Take pictures now. When your tree starts to grow, take pictures of yourself, for yourself.
    The hardest door to open is often your own.

    On the other side of the door is unexpected life changes. You'll probably soon make a new journal entry, as your reasons and your plans will change. What will change? It is different for every person.

    The only way you will find out is to find a way to open that door.
  • jonesdav254
    jonesdav254 Posts: 99 Member
    We ALL have times when motivation is lacking. I've used an approach that I call the "three songs and you're OUT". Here is how my approach works for me. I always wear my headphones when working out so I can listen to my favorite tunes. On days when I'm just not "feeling it", I commit that I will workout for AT LEAST THREE songs. If after the third song I'm STILL NOT feeling it. I move on without regret.

    Since each song is roughly a little over 3 minutes in length, I'm into the workout for, about 10 minutes. Over the several years I've been using this approach, I've only cut my regular exercise routine short 1 time.

    "Failure will NEVER overcome you if your desire to succeed is strong enough" - Og Mandino (quote from the Greatest Salesman in the World)
  • haleyjester
    haleyjester Posts: 197 Member
    Glad to hear Im not the only one. I quit tracking food on here for awhile and lastnight I was laying in bed on my side and my belly just all bleh, and I was like Damn...I really need to fix this. It disgusts me as well and I dont want to be embarassed the entire summer and be too ashamed to go out and do funt hings with my family! My son is turning one in July and I want to be able to do fun things with him...plus I just want to feel good. I always feel good when I do start tracking and exercising, its just the matter of continuing it. I know Im not gonna meet my goal weight by summer, seeing as how I want to lose 80 lbs! But I definitly need to get started and stick with it...Its finally getting nice out and I can get out and go walking and eventually swimming.
  • Tashry
    Tashry Posts: 151 Member
    I find the more I log my foods and exercise, and post in the forums and just browse the site in general, the more motivated I am. It helps to read the success stories and find motivating people to surround yourself with.

    Another thing I did was start a workout challenge with some MFP friends. We are doing the 30 Day Shred. The thought of having to admit I didn't do it is enough to keep my butt moving each day!
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    this time around i eased my way into it. in the past i would change everything day 1. fullworkout routine...new diet....etc...

    this time i started just with 3 days weightlifting....everything else the same...then i started to add in cardio......then i started coutning calories....then i started substituting items...and finally started to be strict about staying under daily calorie allowance. that probably took 6 weeks to get into full swing. from then on i didnt have any scheduled cheat meals or days. on rare occasions i allow myself to go over my limit by a lot. New Years eve, bday...

    my plan is to do this for a year...get close to my goal weight then slowly start adding stuff back in. working well so far.
  • staceeyxox
    staceeyxox Posts: 24 Member
    We ALL have times when motivation is lacking. I've used an approach that I call the "three songs and you're OUT". Here is how my approach works for me. I always wear my headphones when working out so I can listen to my favorite tunes. On days when I'm just not "feeling it", I commit that I will workout for AT LEAST THREE songs. If after the third song I'm STILL NOT feeling it. I move on without regret.

    motivation is the thing i struggle with the most, when i'm in the right mind set I know I can do it, its just keeping motivated!

    I do like this theory, if you wack on three songs you really love aswell im sure it'll make the workout seem easier :)
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Just like a car have the most difficulty going from 0-10, so does human mind. Once you get on that bike or you start it, its all easy ride. The trick I use is to tell myself "ok, i'll just do it for 5 minutes and then stop" an hour later I want more!
  • sarahgilmore
    sarahgilmore Posts: 572 Member
    Do you pick the typical "lose 2lb per week" goal?
    If you do, choose a less aggressive one - 1lb or even 1/2 lb.

    Sure, it's a slower loss, but it's not as difficult to stick to and you're more likely to stick with it.
    When you compare that to giving up after a handful of days, 1/2 a pound a week is lightning fast!

    Just think - if you had have stuck to a very slow 1/2lb/week loss back in October, you could be ~10lb down by now.

    So go with a less aggressive deficit - and when it seems pointless (I'm not losing much, why bother, blah blah blah) remind yourself that if you just do stick with it, that's 10lb by summer, not a handful of starts and no finish and still where you are now by summer.
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