I just can't find motivation

Hey wait a minute! Why are you writing my posts?

:laugh:

I am having a hard time finding the motivation too since I got back from vacation. I kinda got bummed out because my network got turned off on my phone and I couldn't log in for 4 days. I was up to over 100. But it was a little motivating this morning to get on the scale and see I was still losing even though I wasn't logging. I really do need to get back to logging and exercising.

Sometimes you just have to do it...even when you don't want to. I tell myself things like, "I'll just to 10 minutes. I can do 10 minutes!" But 10 minutes in I'm usually telling myself I should go for 15...and 45 minutes later I feel so happy and motivated to keep going that it lights the fire I needed. (Doesn't always work out that poetically, but I just keep making it happen, keep making myself go back to it when I think it would be "easier" to just give up.) Log just your breakfast. Or log at the end of the day everything you can remember. Whatever takes that first step for you...it's the hardest one, trust me!

And my vacation really busted me, too! Actually I had been eating awfully for a couple fo weeks now but it never showed up on the scale until I got back from vacation.

Hey!

So I've tried many many times to lose weight and NEVER lost near the amount I wanted and then I just gained it all back everytime. I literally had no motivation. I feel its kind of like hitting "rock bottom" for addicts, as in if they don't have a reason to stop, they won't. I think its the same with weight loss.

This is my story:
One day I woke up and I was having trouble bending over to tie my shoes, which was always difficult but for some reason this particular day was REALLY bad. I was in a bad mood and I just couldn't take it. I broke down crying (at work ) and it was at that point that I realized I NEEDED to change. I could feel it in my body that I needed to change my life and not just a fad but really change. My friend and I both decided to do it together, which is what I think is getting me through. She is so encouraging and I help her as well.

I think my motivation is NUMBER 1 my best friend who helps me day to day and NUMBER 2 the scale. I see those pounds dropping and I can't believe how amazing that feeling is. Maybe an idea is to get someone to eat healthier with you, like you husband or someone else who can help keep you on track. Start off with tracking what you eat and then it will all fall into place. Get some MFP friends to help you and just get into thinking that "I cannot gain another pound". That's what I think everyday before I pick something to eat and then I just don't eat as much.

PS: I eat out for every meal as well and I have literally no time for exercise but I have only been tracking my food and exercise for just over 55 days and I have lost a total of 26 pounds so far and continually losing. If I can do this, I know that anyone can. Keep trying and I know you'll succeed. Good Luck!

Watch anything featuring those SUPER obese people that are bed-ridden and can barely move...if that doesn't make you want to lose weight, I don't know what will.

Or, "window shop" for really cute clothes, that one usually works for me the best.

I don't have a lot of mirrors in my house, but I've heard that people who do find it motivating to pull down the shades and spend the day doing their housework in the nude, lol.

The best advice I've read on this topic:
Don't sit around and wait to be motivated, chances are that won't happen.
Make a plan (set your phone to remind you!) and just go do something even if you don't want to. You don't have to exercise for hours every day. Set a goal to walk for 10 mins a day. Usually I find that once I get out the door I'm OK and I will walk for longer than 10 mins, it can just help to get you over the intial hump of getting out there.
I usually exercise first thing in the morning because then I don't have time to talk myself out of it!

How old is your son? I have 2 kids - 1 is 7 and the other is 22 months. Exercising is easier a lot when I involve them some of the time
Today we were watching music shows on the telly and dancing round the front room (ok I'm not the greatest dancer but they don't care). Sometimes me and my eldest have competitions to see how many jumps on the trampoline we can do without stopping.

We walk everywhere - the little one goes in the pushchair for the most of it but is starting to walk for 20 mins or so at a time. Round here those that are 3 or 4 years old and struggle to walk for a couple of hours a day take scooters which makes it easier. I carry food shopping on my back (hiking backpack for main shop) which helps.

I take my eldest on bike rides or exploring trips.

I run round after my little one in the park when her brother is at school, chasing her, pushing her on swings. TBH carrying her (now she weighs nearly 24 pounds) burns quite a lot (carrying small child plus hiking backpack at a combined weight of 80 pounds or so burns a huge amount though was not what I intended to do).

I also do exercise dvds when they are in bed at night - 30-45 minute workout plus shower and change means I'm done in just under an hour.

I just watched this video this morning.

It was all the inspiration I needed to get off the couch and workout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o6Alt2DssYc#!

As the title says I JUST CAN'T FIND any kind of motivation. I had motivation for about 3 days and it went on a long vacation. Is anyone in the same boat as I am? It's hard to find time to exercise with my son. It's hard to diet because we never eat at home and we (husband and I) always share meals to save money. I feel like I am stuck in a rut.

I think what you are going to have to do is to force yourself to develop a habit...When we got our gym membership in February, I told hubby that I would use it. So for the first 2-3 weeks, I went 5 days a week, then I cut down to 3 days a week. After that first month, I started craving the activity. In the last 4 months, there has probably only been 2 weeks that I didn't do at least 3 days a week in the gym.

How old is your son? Can you make a "date" with him to do something active? When my son was a little younger, he would hand me his shoes and say "go bye bye?" so I put our shoes on and went to the Y...he went to child watch, and I went to the fitness area.

My best motivation was always my before picture. I took my picture before I started to get healthy and posted it everywhere. I hated the way I looked and felt. Everytime I saw that picture I wanted to change.

good luck. You can do it. Just put your mind to it and shoot for small goals to start.

t

The best advice I've read on this topic:
Don't sit around and wait to be motivated, chances are that won't happen.
Make a plan (set your phone to remind you!) and just go do something even if you don't want to. You don't have to exercise for hours every day. Set a goal to walk for 10 mins a day. Usually I find that once I get out the door I'm OK and I will walk for longer than 10 mins, it can just help to get you over the intial hump of getting out there.
I usually exercise first thing in the morning because then I don't have time to talk myself out of it!

Not only are you awesome, but you're spot on. I exercise over my lunch hour at work and sometimes I sit all morning and try to talk myself out of going. then I say, I'll just go for 10 minutes... I run intervals so I say over and over, I can do anything for 2 minutes (2 minute run/1 minute walk).

I love your ticker, too!

Sometimes you just have to do it...even when you don't want to. I tell myself things like, "I'll just to 10 minutes. I can do 10 minutes!" But 10 minutes in I'm usually telling myself I should go for 15...and 45 minutes later I feel so happy and motivated to keep going that it lights the fire I needed. (Doesn't always work out that poetically, but I just keep making it happen, keep making myself go back to it when I think it would be "easier" to just give up.) Log just your breakfast. Or log at the end of the day everything you can remember. Whatever takes that first step for you...it's the hardest one, trust me!

This.

Motivation is hard to find all the time. You just have to take the first step and do it, even when you don't feel like it. You'll feel so much better afterwards. Trust me.

Motivation is my downfall as well! I've tried just about every diet under the sun.. and this website was recommended by my daughter who uses it faithfully . I've only been tracking 3 weeks..and its amazing to see in black and white how many calories I was consuming! Tracking is motivating me to make better choices. Like you , I eat out quite a bit and thats my weakness..socializing and that leads to more calories with food as well as cocktails..lol.. A MFP friend of mine suggested this website that gives you a lot of info and has every restaurant menu info you can think of! Check it out..www.nutritionix.com. It might help to plan what to eat ahead of time..

fake it till you make it - i force myself until it becomes part of a routine.