What is YOUR motivation?

StephySands
StephySands Posts: 53
in Motivation and Support
What is it that keeps you motivated to log your food, exercise, and to stick with it no matter what? I've noticed a lot of people are really motivated on MFP and I feel that I'm lacking in the motivation department. What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeve?
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Replies

  • islaybower
    islaybower Posts: 57
    Vanity keeps me wanting to lose (sorry, I know that's shallow), so looking at nice clothes that look better and better as I lose a bit more keeps me going.


    Also, on a bad day, forcing myself to log anyway, even if I'm going to go way over, stops me turning a bad day into a binge day, as I can stop it before the damage gets TOO bad.

    The biggest thing that's kept me going this time, though (and this is such a cliche), is viewing this new me as a complete lifestyle change, not a temporary 'diet', after which I will return to 'normal'. I make time for exercising in the same way I make time for eating or showering, because it's just as important for my body. That means that even if I indulge a day here or there, I know it's ok because I haven't thrown off a short term 'diet', it's just one day in my whole life of being healthy, and what's one day in amongst hundreds and thousands of healthy ones?
  • noteve
    noteve Posts: 57
    The mirror.
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
    Same as a previous poster, vanity. I'm not overweight and dont have any crippling health effects from my weight, so at this point the number on the scale isn't a "problem". I just want to look nicer.

    I guess one specific thing is seeing my thighs get smaller. I just want them to rub together less when I walk. No matter how small my waist or tummy gets, if my thighs are rubbing together a lot I feel like a cow. :/
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 567 Member
    I would like to be at a healthy weight when my husband and I decide to have children :)
  • StephySands
    StephySands Posts: 53
    The biggest thing that's kept me going this time, though (and this is such a cliche), is viewing this new me as a complete lifestyle change, not a temporary 'diet', after which I will return to 'normal'. I make time for exercising in the same way I make time for eating or showering, because it's just as important for my body. That means that even if I indulge a day here or there, I know it's ok because I haven't thrown off a short term 'diet', it's just one day in my whole life of being healthy, and what's one day in amongst hundreds and thousands of healthy ones?

    I absolutely love this^^^^^
  • ashhhhole
    ashhhhole Posts: 60 Member
    Same as a previous poster, vanity. I'm not overweight and dont have any crippling health effects from my weight, so at this point the number on the scale isn't a "problem". I just want to look nicer.

    I guess one specific thing is seeing my thighs get smaller. I just want them to rub together less when I walk. No matter how small my waist or tummy gets, if my thighs are rubbing together a lot I feel like a cow. :/

    I want the same thing about my thighs, not necessarily a thigh gap, but less rubbing. However, cows have a pretty dramatic thigh gap, so a little rethinking of your simile might be in order.. =]
  • ameyer315
    ameyer315 Posts: 3 Member
    http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret

    I just made logging my calories one of my goals to get a red X everyday.
  • jeepzilla
    jeepzilla Posts: 201
    I want to lose the weight so i'll be finger lickin good!!!!
  • nickyfm
    nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
    Diet: Remembering how miserable I was 11.5 pounds ago, and how guilty I felt after bingeing. Also how it's not worth the anguish I feel after breaking my diet.

    Exercise: Feeling good about myself, and getting stronger, thus better at pole dancing :D
  • JanetLM73
    JanetLM73 Posts: 1,226 Member
    I look at my bigger clothes and think that there is no way I ever want to be in them again!
  • StephySands
    StephySands Posts: 53
    http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret

    I just made logging my calories one of my goals to get a red X everyday.

    Nice idea!! I'll be printing me a calendar today......actually, I might print a couple :happy:
  • jkleon86
    jkleon86 Posts: 245 Member
    I started wanted to be more in shape to enjoy my beautiful grandaughter you see to the left :happy:

    But all the before and after pictures are so helpful and keeps me believing that it can be done and I will do it to.
  • Josedavid
    Josedavid Posts: 695 Member
    Mine is easy...

    My wife told me she was pregnant (now we have an amazing 3.5 months old baby) and this thought came to me:

    Do I really want to appear as a good role model being obese? So I want to die because a heart attack while playing with my baby? Do I really want him to feel shame when he notice that there are fit people but not his daddy, his hero, his role model? Am I ready to answer him this question: Daddy... why you are so fat? I wanna play a lot with you and you are suffocated so early!

    On top of that... my wife met me when I was 40 kg down my maximum and its not fair for her to be obese, eventhough she loves me!

    And now my motivation is all of the above plus I got my ISSA PT certification and I am helping others to live better!

    But guess what? not only that... the day my baby was born I took him and because I use to bit my nails since years and years ago I felt that my hands were so unhygienic and awful for such a great and clean baby that I stopped bitting my nails straight away...!

    Now I only have to moderate my bad words when I swear in the Saudi roads because the traffic and I will have problems to find more challenges to go through! haha...
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    My bikini collection ... Yep it's a collection ...and they better all fit...and great.
  • shelbyfrootcake
    shelbyfrootcake Posts: 965 Member
    A mix of vanity and self loathing. I disgust myself when I put weight on, partly because I think I look gross, partly because feeling your belly jiggle when you walk fast is unpleasant and partly because I just don't feel healthy or in control.
  • jennynewbury
    jennynewbury Posts: 48 Member
    The wedding dress I bought for my wedding in June. :)
  • jonesyuno34
    jonesyuno34 Posts: 29
    three things for me

    I have two older brothers who are morbidly obese and have not made the necessary changes to change that fact, and they have had things like high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, even chest pain, and such.

    My dad, who is suffering from diabetes, heart disease and cancer now all at once. A lot of those first two are from his poor eating choices (he is not a heavy man at ALL).

    Lastly, my wife, who is on the same weight loss journey I am, and even though she has not seen any weight loss since Christmas, she keeps trying.

    Lots of good motivation for me...
  • WhitneyAnnabelle
    WhitneyAnnabelle Posts: 724 Member
    I don't want to ever feel like I felt when I was obese. In a matter of months, from medication, I could barely walk up stairs, my thighs burned from rubbing together, and I had pre-diabetes. I slept 20 hours a day. I don't ever want to go to that place again. Whoever said a chronically ill person has to sacrifice quality of life for their health is full of ****. Health IS my quality of life.
  • lucylousmummy
    lucylousmummy Posts: 348 Member
    my favourite aunty was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago, she fought it off and went into remission. last year it came back again she fought it and went into remission again. i decided that i wanted to run the race for life for her to show how much we all love her and want her to keep fighting, but before i could even think about running i needed to lose some more weight (id already lost 50 pounds+ at this stage) i've been attempting to run for a couple of months now and the fastest i've managed so far is 4k in 30 mins think i've got about 11 weeks left till the 5k race so hoping to get more weight off before that
  • momsdizzie
    momsdizzie Posts: 2 Member
    One day three years ago my husband wrapped his arms around me and very sweetly and lovingly said to me "I don't want you to get big again." I was 165lbs at the time and looked beautiful. I didn't listen to him and I did my own thing. Now I am struggling everyday to lose the weight that I have put back on. My motivation is me! I know I can and I will. It is not so much dieting as it is a lifestyle change. I still eat what I want but that means that I have to work out extra hard and long that day. I have lost 7 lbs since starting this 2 weeks ago and I fit better into my clothes. I love the feeling I get when I look in the mirror and see that I am getting better looking every day!
  • dinovino_59
    dinovino_59 Posts: 1,700
    I want to be the sexy, older guy with the shaved head....not the fat, old bald man!!
  • ratherbeskiing
    ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
    seeing muscles- no joke!!!!!

    ....and being able to shop with friends and not feel bad because I have to go into a different section then them :blushing:
  • NBabi91
    NBabi91 Posts: 270 Member
    My *kitten* in the mirror lol
  • schillewis
    schillewis Posts: 144 Member
    The biggest thing that's kept me going this time, though (and this is such a cliche), is viewing this new me as a complete lifestyle change, not a temporary 'diet', after which I will return to 'normal'. I make time for exercising in the same way I make time for eating or showering, because it's just as important for my body. That means that even if I indulge a day here or there, I know it's ok because I haven't thrown off a short term 'diet', it's just one day in my whole life of being healthy, and what's one day in amongst hundreds and thousands of healthy ones?

    THIS!!! Since joining MFP I feel as though I'm not longer in a "race" to lose the weight. It really is a journey, and every step of that journey (both good and bad) is important. I've learned so much here already and for the first time in a very long time, I feel in control. I feel as though I have the tools to get where I want to be. And I'm thoroughly content with a slow, consistent weight loss...before I wanted to see 3+ pound loss every time I stepped on the scale. But that's neither realistic nor particularly healthy.

    I'm eating enough so that I'm not hungry all day long (such a change from previous "diets") and I don't feel deprived. I don't feel the need to "cheat" because I can log what I eat, exercise and usually stay pretty close to my daily calorie goal. If I go way over, I log it, exercise and move on.

    And the week when I don't lose (despite following the plan) didn't freak me out. I've read so many amazing and informative posts here that it's really changed my entire outlook. I knew it must have been my body retaining water, etc...and sure enough, the following week I had another loss. In the past, a single non-loss/gain would have completely derailed me.

    Everything I learn here and the amazing posters here continue to be my motivation. :)))
  • corrinnebrown
    corrinnebrown Posts: 345 Member
    My "before" picture I took yesterday. I will print it out and out it on my fridge. Disgusting. lol
  • missym357
    missym357 Posts: 210 Member
    There is a vanity component to my working out and eating right, but the biggest motivator for me is how it all makes me feel. I get frequent headaches when I am not on track and my mood goes down the toilet too. I consistently feel WAY better when I am eating right and exercising.
  • Sondras09
    Sondras09 Posts: 30 Member
    First off to pass my AF PT test. I recently had my 3rd child via c-section and am having a much harder time getting my booty into shape!
    Secondly to feel as sexy as my husband tells me I am. He always tells me he wishes I saw myself the way he does, well...maybe in 20 lbs I will :)
    Third. I want my children to have a good role model. While I am not very heavy I have made poor food choices. My kids need to learn the healthy way to eat so hopefully they wont suffer like I do/did.
  • AEJhoi
    AEJhoi Posts: 36
    To look at what weight I have already lost! even though that is only 1 kg ^^
    I have been here for a week now and just lost my first weight, and looking at the 1 kg I already lost just makes me think "hellz yeah, I did that!!"
  • missy787
    missy787 Posts: 35
    Actually in Feb. my mom was hospitalized with conjestive heart failure. Then on March 30th my dad passed away from renal failure due to diabetes after a long fight with M.S. I just decided it was time for a change, and my husband has been such a big help, and doing this with me.
  • 1953Judith
    1953Judith Posts: 325 Member
    bump

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