I have absolutely NO MOTIVATION. Please help!

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Replies

  • fabilonga
    fabilonga Posts: 4
    Well I'm not focusing on loosing weight anymore, but if you let me I would love to help you. Two years ago I decided to change into a healthy lifestyle and I've lost 25lbs so far, and now I'm building muscle. The trick is to get the RIGHT information, and eat the RIGHT foods. For exercise I recommend find an activity you love to do, so you don't see it as an exercise. Mine are swimming, tennis and Zumba, so whenever I don't want to lift weights or do the elliptical for an hour I do any of these that help me a lot with building resistance and loosing calories and fat. If you need any help with information about nutrition and workouts please don't hesitate to add me :) Take Care <3
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    Watch this and get pumped! A little tough love from Mama Bombshell. Feel free to add me! You can do it!

    http://www.fitnessrxmag.com/fitness/training/1512-guide-to-get-fit-part-2.html
  • ChapinaGrande
    ChapinaGrande Posts: 289 Member
    I had the exact same struggles with motivation. As an adult educator, I have seen many adults start going back to school and drop out of school repeatedly. It wasn't because they were failures or bad people, but because it simply wasn't the right time for them to get their education--that particular event wasn't in the cosmos for them at that moment. I had the same problem with my past weight struggles and put myself down all the time for being a lazy pig, but now I realize that I couldn't commit to a healthy lifestyle because it wasn't the right time for me. I wasn't ready for that kind of change at that time. I have been getting some counseling for a year and now, I am able to commit to eating and exercising like a champ. I am confident that this is my time, even though I'VE BEEN WORKING OUT FOR TWO FREAKING MONTHS AND HAVEN'T LOST ONE STINKING POUND. Ahem.

    I do not participate in a religion, but I do find value in religious texts. I am a firm believer in "To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose..."
  • Krys_140
    Krys_140 Posts: 648 Member
    I am a newbie also and I have NO MOTIVATION to exercise what so ever!

    Inspiration: You see a photo of a supermodel, a photo of what you looked like back in high school, an old pair of pants you used to fit into or want to fit into, or perhaps you just get shocked by the number on the scale.

    Motivation: You "feel" like working out. "Hey, I'm going to ride my bike today or go for a walk." You go outside smiling and whistling your favorite tune. It's so nice out today and this is good for me.

    Dedication: Alarm goes off. You hit snooze and grumble about how tired you are. You sigh heavily, get up anyway, go to the gym. "Stupid $%*@ cardio. I hate you!" 30 minutes later you feel no regret for getting up and doing what you know you need to do.

    Everyone feels inspired to be in better shape, some people are even motivated to be in better shape; however, the people that are dedicated to be in better shape are the ones that achieve their goals. Be that person.
    ^^^^^This! BE THAT PERSON!
  • Carolyn_79
    Carolyn_79 Posts: 935 Member
    For me, I had to hit rock bottom before I made the commitment to change and actually follow through. I was miserable and could not stand to be that way for a second longer. Only then, did I succeed. I wasn't motivated to exercise but I forced myself to do it. Once I started seeing results, motivation followed. There are still times where I'm not motivated but I just do it and I'm always happy I did afterward.

    It's hot in Dallas, I get it. You have A/C though, so pop a workout video into your dvd player or computer and get to it. Find a short one to begin with because 20-30 minutes is better than nothing and you can still get great results.

    Good luck!
  • You sound just like me. I am in Kansas and it is sweltering hot. I don't even want to go to Walmart, much less exercise. I have told myself time after time I'm going to stick with it this time, and....it never happens. THIS TIME, however.....I am going to stick with it. Know why? A couple of reasons:

    1. I am 48 years old. Several close friends have passed away in the past three years and the other day I was talking to my sister and she made a comment that struck me. "Do you realize our lives are more than half over?" OMG! I never thought about it like that and it makes me sad to think I am this old and STILL unhappy with myself (body weight, lack of motivation/self esteem, unhealthiness). Seriously, if I only have 20-30 years left, I want to make the most of them and be HAPPY with MYSELF. FOR ME. Think about it. At some point in our lives, we only have so much time left to do what we have been striving for all these years and never thought about it!

    2. I just started Body by Vi this week and am doing well on it and am impressed with the taste and fullness of my belly so far. I realize my deal isn't just bad eating habits...I eat when I'm not hungry. I am an emotional eater...mainly because I am unhappy with myself....and after I eat all that crapola, guess what? I don't feel any better about myself! Eeegads, it's like 40 years later a light bulb finally went off!

    3. I read this somewhere (may have been on this website, can't recall) where someone made the comment, "If you don't do it now...a year from now, you'll be saying, "I sure wish I would have started and focused on this journey a year ago, because here I am (again) a year later and....still the same shape." That kinda hit me too. How many times have I started on January 1 and given up by April, to only next January say to myself....if I had stuck to it, I'd be where I wanted to be instead of starting over.

    For the first time, I think I have a pretty good attitude about losing weight, getting healthy, and most importantly, being happy with myself in my own skin. I am going to stick with it this time. Sure, I will fall off the wagon now and again, but I'm going to get back on it. I want to see what my inner self really looks like on the outside when it is healthy! I want to be amazed by what willpower and my body can do!

    I want to look at myself in the mirror and SMILE. Right now, I don't look at myself in the mirror (other than makeup/hair). I want confidence, self esteem and happiness. We can all have it!!!!!!
  • lmc8774
    lmc8774 Posts: 129 Member
    I feel for you as it is hard to be motivated sometimes. Maybe if you just set small goals for yourself to begin with you can create some habits. For example, on M,W.F try to walk 1 mile right after getting home from work. Then you don't have to dread it - just get it done! I know it is hot - my mom lives in Denton, TX just north of you and I've stayed with her in the summer while training for a marathon and ran in that 100+ degree heat. It isn't easy but you can do it. Carry water and go slow. If the heat is too much, like some other posters have said, get some exercise tapes and workout inside. Try to do 20 minutes about 3 days a week in your home. Get some free weights and lift those. I live in a very cold climate and it is hard to get out in the winter so I bought a little 10" step stool. I'll watch tv while running up and down on the stool (or you can just "step"). Set small goals and then build on those each week, adding more time to each workout. The only person that can do it is you, and I know you can do it. The fact that you wrote reaching out for help means that you want to change. There have been a lot of runs/workouts that I didn't want to do, but I have never once regretted doing a workout. There is always a sense of accomplishment. It might suck while you are doing it, but you'll always be glad you did it!
  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
    Losing weight and being healthy doesn't require exercise, just eating healthy goes a long way.

    That's the amazing secret that you don't hear on television commercials. No one makes money telling you to just eat good. I work out really hard but honestly 70% - 80% of my success is in the kitchen. That's why MFP is such a huge tool for fitness for me. If I can eat good I can be healthy.

    ^^^ THIS!!!
  • jkm1783
    jkm1783 Posts: 21
    Since I started my journey with healthy eating and weight loss 6 months ago I have drifted on and off track. I actually gained 10lbs and felt so crappy. Around last month something just hit me and I realized that the only person I have to get me through this is me... That didn't go well but I started posting on the forums and requesting friends on MFP it has helped me so much to be more accountable for what I eat and how much I exercise. I have a friend on here that is brutely honest (not in a mean way) but when I get off track he lets me know and pushes me back on track. I think for me the more friends I have the better I am and the more they support me I know I will get to my goal. I too struggled with motivation but when I saw old pictures of myself I realized how much I gained. You can friend request me. Hope this helps.