Motivation is needed

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Hi ema, you can add me and I will try to help motivate you. You must also believe in yourself and be the change that you wish to see! I know eating right and keeping up with it is hard, but imagine all of the perks you receive from this. You may possibly stave off diabetes, heart disease. . . .the list goes on and on! So good luck and feel free to add me =-)

I think its a good think that you have resorted to this site..cuz that means you are wanting to lose the weight and you are taking a step to do so....If you would like to add me I will help motivate you..BUT REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF FIRST......just take things day by day...i have to do is as well....soo good luck...

I know what you mean. Im all about seeing immediate results, and if it doesn't happen, I get discouraged. It took me a while (like months) but eventually I got myself into the right mindset. you just have to keep talking yourself into it and you'll get there. Get yourself a weight loss buddy if you can or even a sponser (friend or family member or even a complete stranger), that way when you're feeling discouraged and find yourself trying to sabatoge all your hard work you've got someone to call to talk you off the ledge. Good luck!! I hope this helped

Someone posted this back in May of this year. I'm not sure who it was but this post has kept me on track.

#1 - N I /\/\ - NO INSTANT MIRACLES.

I've got a lot to lose, and I needed to get into the mindset that I'm in it for the long haul. I also needed to remind myself that it would be weeks, or months, before I started noticing a real difference. If I could commit to that - I would eventually turn the N I /\/\ around into a W I N .

#2 - LOSE THE DEADLINE - THIS ISN'T A RACE.

I lost the first 10 pounds within a couple weeks, and at that point set a goal to get down to my target weight by my next birthday by losing 10 pounds a month for 10 months. After plateauing about three months in, I was no longer on track for that goal. Rather than giving up in frustration, I decided that it no longer matters how LONG it takes - as long as I keep working towards the goal, I WILL get there.

#3 - SET AMBITIOUS GOALS, BUT ACCEPT PARTIAL VICTORIES.

I still have a GOAL to lose 10 pounds a month. But if I only lose 7, so what? I'm still 7 pounds closer than I was a month ago.

#4 - I'M NOT PERFECT AT THIS, BUT I DON'T HAVE TO BE TO SUCCEED.

I do pretty good most days staying at or under my calorie goals. But some days I end up a hundred, or even several hundred calories over. If it happens, it's not a total failure. Since my target is 1000 calories below my maintenance intake, I am STILL coming out ahead, even on the days when I totally blow my goals.

#5 - DON'T GIVE UP EVERYTHING - LIVE A LITTLE.

I admit, I'm not losing as fast as I could. If I chose to subsist on grilled chicken breasts and dry salad, I could lose a couple more pounds a month. But I don't want to merely subsist. I want to be able to get together with friends once or twice a week over a couple of beers, or to have pizza and pasta from time to time. And I don't want to feel guilty about it. By cutting back a little rather than eliminating them entirely, I can fit the things I enjoy into my diary and stay within (or reasonably close) to my daily goal.

#6 - CELEBRATE LOTS OF SMALL VICTORIES.

The scale isn't going to go down every single day. But that doesn't mean I can't find something else to celebrate. Every day I hit my calorie goal for the day, or every day I get my 10,000 steps in, is a small victory. I celebrate milestones - every 5 pounds lost, every 5 days of keeping a streak alive, every 50 miles walked.

#7 - TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME.

When I hit that plateau, I knew I needed to change something up to get back on track. After reviewing my diary and my pedometer logs, I realized that I would often go three, four, five days in a row without exercising. About that same time, a friend of mine sent me a link to an article that gave me an additional tool to motivate me to walk every single day. Now, choosing to blow off exercise for a day is no longer even an option in my mind.

If you set your expectations too high right out of the gate, you will likely be disappointed. One poster on here lost 4 lbs her first month and was super upset because it wasn't 18-20 lbs. Set reasonable goals, small and acheivable. Make them 1-3 months at first. Once you approach a goal weight, then set an new goal, and make changes to your eating and exercising accordingly.

You can defnitely do this. So many folks on here have! Find a person you interact with ever day (coworker, neighbor, friend) who can help motivate you and keep you accountable. And, find some friends on here who can encourage you.

Work hard, and you'll surprise yourself!!

I think you need to get a good support group on here and you will be amazed at the things you can accomplish. Be patient...it didn't go on in one day so it won't come off in one and you should do great. MFP is an awesome tool in losing weight or maintaining after the loss. It is a life style change, not a diet. We get this way from eating wrong, if you look at it as a diet, that means it is temporary which means, your weight loss will be temporary. You took the biggest step in joining and wanting to change. Now.......there's nothin to it but to DO IT!!! best of luck on your journey and feel free to add me as a friend for support

Ditto! If you approach weight loss by dieting, most likely, you will gain the weight back. You have to change your mind, and the way you eat. I don't like the word diet, because. When we diet, we start to really restrict ourselves and do unhealthy things to accomplish weight loss. What we really need to do is eat better and if there is something you really love don't cut it out, but plan for when you can eat it. Also, if you are able, you will have to exercise. Building muscle will help your body burn calories. MFP is a great site of like minded individuals that will support you all the way. MOST important, don't give up and please feel free to add me if you like. Good luck on your journey.