I just can't find motivation

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  • murf19
    murf19 Posts: 453 Member
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    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
  • BeyondApril
    BeyondApril Posts: 133 Member
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    That was a great video!
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
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    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!
  • cookiefluff
    cookiefluff Posts: 115
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    I totally get you! here at home I have or had the same issue, it's super difficult to exercise with my daughter in the same room and by the time she naps, around 4pm I'm really not in the mood to exercise anymore, I bought a kinect and some fitness games and have some dvds as well, like zumba and pilates but it's impossible as my little girl wants to join in but ends up hugging my leg or bumping into me and I really don't want to end up kicking her by accident, etc... :/
    Also my hubby is really thin!!! He eats and eats and does not gain weight, and he has a super appetite, he's actually looking to gain weight, so I'm scared that if I drag him into my diet he'll lose even more weight, etc!
    So.... my solution, we can still have the same meal, share etc, only that I keep our main meals high in protein, meats/eggs/ etc specially for dinner and give him a portion of potato salad/rice/mash potatoes/extra bread/pasta etc and me... well, I have salad instead, so our main meal is still the same with the sides being slightly different... :D

    And about the exercising, I do not have a solution for that LOL, I'm investigation/researching about high impact and quick exercises I can do in 15/20 min in the bathroom or something... :)

    finding motivation is hard, but as soon as you start losing weight, I promise you, motivation is almost instant!
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
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    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.
  • DianaC13
    DianaC13 Posts: 10
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    I was doing very well at first but then my friend that kept me motivated moved to Chicago. My husband and I try to keep each other motivated but I have trouble finding time also. Daughter in travel softball, son in everything else! I have a plan for this summer at the ball diamonds, I am going to walk around the complex we are going to be at to get my exercise in while the girls are on a break. It is also hard to eat good when you are at the ball diamonds. Have to think healthy with foods we take!! I need some friends on here to keep me motivated and "yell" at me when I am slacking!! :glasses:
  • Marie31450
    Marie31450 Posts: 96 Member
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    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..
  • CourtLiv
    CourtLiv Posts: 68 Member
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    I work full time, have 2 and 4 year old boys, and am in grad school. The last thing I want to do after working all day, class, cooking dinner, cleaning, running errands, reading bed time stories, and packing lunches, is pull myself together and work out. But I've come to realize it's not about motivation, I do it because I have to. Just like all the other stuff in my day...work, caring for my kids, finishing my education. These are all "musts," I include exercise and healthy living in that category too.
  • kristenlees122
    kristenlees122 Posts: 242
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    fake it till you make it - i force myself until it becomes part of a routine.
  • TLL09
    TLL09 Posts: 149 Member
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    If you keep looking, eventually you will find it! Don't give up!
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    You have to want it plain and simple.

    No outside influence will every get you to succeed if you don't have the drive from within.

    For me I had to see results, as soon as I noticed clothes fitting better I was onthe wagon for good.

    Find you inner motivation and nothing will stop you from succeeding!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,683 Member
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    Define "commitment" to yourself. How you define it is usually linked to your motivation.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • kager8
    kager8 Posts: 3
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    You're not alone...it happens to the best of us. First of all I'd say find activities that you enjoy doing to start off with. If you HATE running then don't make that your form of exercise. If you're having trouble giving up sweets then don't give them up. Start small...baby steps.

    In terms of your diet don't give things up...you'll NEVER give up your favorite "bad for you" treats forever!!! It's just not possible and not necessary. Start off by using portion control. This means track your caloric intake. Eat that brownie your craving but make sure you account for it in your daily intake. Portion control is the biggest problem this country has. I can go to Olive Garden and order a pasta dish that's big enough to feed (and fill up) a family of 4 grown people. So start by eating less of what you already eat. I promise when you start to see changes you'll be come more motivated and be more willing to take that next step which would be replacing that brownie for a "sugar free or no sugar added" treat instead (You'd be surprised how many of those exist out there and how delicious they really are!)

    If it's exercise that's troubling you, like I said don't force yourself into doing activities that you hate. If you don't like to run then find something you do enjoy, for example biking. Start small...eventually you'll start to see results and again once you do it'll motivate you to want to push harder and maybe advance with your biking and maybe join a spin class or better yet you might finally have worked up the endurance that maybe running doesn't seem like such a bad option after all. Remember you must walk before you can run!

    Just because you woke up today and said "A change needs to be made in my lifestyle" does not mean you have to go cold turkey, yes that works for some people, but certainly not for everyone. Take baby steps and find a way to make yourself accountable for your actions (ie recording your food intake.) Also, one other trick that I use is that I read a lot of health and fitness material. Whether it be "Women's Health" or other magazines, or biographies and books by famous fitness trainers, or even skimming through the "Fitness" section of Pinterest, I try to make health apart of my daily life. The articles I read inspire me to try new things in both my diet and in my workouts. Some of those things may work and some may not, but either way they keep me going and keep me MOTIVATED! Good luck and I hope you find your motivation.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I would suggest that you just start out tracking all your foods and portion sizes into the food tracker. Don't worry about keeping to a calorie goal or exercise yet. Once you spend say a week or two getting used to tracking and finding out what your actual daily calories amount to you will then be able to start modifying your counts. I am going to bet you will be motivated to improve just by seeing everything in black and white.

    That is what I did and I am on my 6th week and down over 8 pounds. It also helps to make a few buddies, the support on this site is awesome.

    I think this is a good idea. It takes time to develop good habits, and it's less daunting to start out by taking baby steps. If you're like me, you start to feel overwhelmed and frustrated when things seem too complicated. Just start with a few simple goals for the first week or so (i.e., drink 8-10 8oz. glasses of water/day, walk for thirty minutes every day, log your food everyday). Then, once you feel like they are a part of your daily routine, start adding other goals. Just take it one step at a time. Don't beat yourself up when you mess up....just get back on that horse and keep going. You can do it, just keep reminding yourself that it won't happen over night.
  • CelloDB
    CelloDB Posts: 1 Member
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    My hubby and daughter are my motivation. I want to lose the excess weight so I can keep up with them! My hubby offers gentle encouragement. We eat out a lot, also. Proper food choices and portion control are the key. Take your time deciding what to order. Get the MFP app for your phone and check the nutrition info on the food before you order it...it may surprise you. Drink lots of water, and have water or unsweetened iced tea with your meal. You can do it!!
  • celticmuse
    celticmuse Posts: 492 Member
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    I am in a slump at the moment too. Take it in little pieces. Set up mini goals, and build on success. Even if you have been successful, sometimes it is hard to maintain the discipline.

    Inhale all the support on this board. It helps...
  • marie_8888
    marie_8888 Posts: 15 Member
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    I watch the Biggest Loser when I feel bad, I've never been morbidly obese but watching those people changing their life really motivates me to keep going.
    Take one day at a time, and before you know it, you'll be 20 pounds lighter and then you'll be even more motivated!
    Best of luck :)
  • mollyonamission
    mollyonamission Posts: 268 Member
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    Me too... feel free to add me
  • PAZlady
    PAZlady Posts: 59 Member
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    I hear you. Losing weight is hard!! I lost quite a bit of weight years ago on WW but it didn't stay off and now I'm almost back to where I started from originally. The only thing I can say is "you have to want it". More than that piece of cake or more than that bag of chips.

    It's a choice that you make daily. Some days are good and some not so good but I just keep going one day at a time. There is no secret just keep with it and each day will become easier (hopefully). :smile:

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