What motivates you to eat healthy and exercise?

So you wake up in the morning, and you know you're trying to lose weight/gain muscle. What is the first that that comes up or mind or what do you tell yourself for encouragement? What do you tell yourself that makes you get off the chair and workout? What is the one thing stops you from eating unhealthy foods too?

Tue. Mar 22, 9:31am

I think to myself, "Well, I can either keep doing the things that got me where I am or I can do the things that will get me where I want to go.'

Re: foods - the thing that helps me the most? Reminding myself that there is virutally nothing out there that I can't have 24/7 if I really want it. If I don't have it right now, I can have it an hour from now, later tonight, tomorrow, next week, etc. That really helps me vs. saying 'Don't eat it! It's bad! Shouldn't eat it!' That just drives me to eat, eat, eat!

Learning about how some foods are made and processed has also created some lifelong aversions which makes them no longer tempting, which helps a lot!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 10:30 AM

i was inspired by one of the emails sent out by the PeerTrainer people. it basically said that if you choose to eat something unhealthy or sit on the couch instead of working out that you are prioritizing that hamburger or tv show over your health goals. now whenever i'm like "whatever, i'll have a margarita and chips", i remember that i want to prioritize my goals over those things. i don't deprive myself, i'll just have a light beer and a few chips instead if i really "need" some. i also have a dress that i look great in when i've been behaving on the food and exercise front, and i keep that dress in the front of my closet so that i see it whenever i get dressed.
good luck!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 11:58 AM

There are several things that continue to motivate me:

1. I feel awesome when I eat healthy and workout. Physically and emotionally
2. I'm vain - I like to look good!
3. Nutrition is interesting to me and I enjoy learning about new and healthy things to eat.
4. Habit - I've been living a healthy life since 2006 and I'll never go back!

rachspen

Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 12:11 PM

3 months till bikini season.. haha.
Also once I get into a routine I enjoy working out and improving at the gym - I like to feel strong.
Food - I have problems with food still I'm working on it though. I just try not to eat things that are not good for my body. If I really want something I try to eat a little bit of it only.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 5:06 PM

What motivates me? I was refueling my vehicle the other night at a Circle K in Tampa and this lovely latin, half my age (I'm 43), walked up to me to tell me how handsome I was...So, there ya go! LOL!

Hank

Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 5:44 PM

You know what motivates me to eat well? Logging on PeerTrainer! Sometimes I'll think about eating something and I say to myself, "Remember, you're going to have to write this down where anyone can read it." Sure, I could just not write it down, but then who am I lying to? Only myself.

As for exercise, I have the hardest time with that. The main exercise I get is walking my dog, so sometimes just seeing how excited she gets when I pick up the leash is enough to get me moving.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 9:50 PM

I was treated with chemotherapy when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The nurse in charge of the chemotherapy unit told me that the patients that did best were the ones who exercised! That gave me a lot of motivation to exercise! I'm now 22 years downline from that diagnosis and I'm still exercising every other day.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 6:10 PM

What motivates me.

After all my years of struggling with weight and deppression finally losing the weight motivates me. I have a workout partner who is the military and in fantastic shape. I want to be able to run with her for a mile straight and not stop. IM TIRED OF PEOPLE RUNNING PAST ME ON THE TRACK. But baby steps. Another motivation of mines is gaining confidence. I feel that if I can get the outside of me right I will be happier inside. ANd hopefully attract the person of my dreams whoever that maybe. Also not having to be ashamed of my body. 2 piece here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 9:41 PM

Eating: I make sure that I plan something every morning that I like for breakfast- lately I have been having an egg, 2 morningstar soy sausage patties, and a cup of heated unsweetened vanilla almond milk with espresso mixed in- not perfect, but I'm losing weight, it fills me up until lunch, it's under 300 calories, and I enjoy it and look forward to eating my breakfast. I PLAN PLAN PLAN my llunches- I don't go to work without a healthy lunch. And I make sure my food is filling and I have healthy snacks on hand when I get home.

Exercise: I now have 3 classes at the gym that I am committed to- I started out doing pilates with my sister (pilates is hard but no-impact) and we added a yogalates class. Now I ahve a workout partner an generally I get in at least those two workouts. I started going to a third with a friend, a boot camp class, and she no longer goes but it is my weekly challenge. and I have a dog so I walk her frequently, and I got an elliptical for those days when I can't drag myself out of the house. My health is worth the $800 I spent.

Basically I try to make small changes that turn into permanent habits.

tmccaf

Thursday, March 24, 2011, 12:15 PM

To travel and run marathons in a different state, as often as my wallet can take me. It helps to look forward to a trip / vacay, when everyone else usually goes out to the bars, clubs, and wherever on the weekends.

Friday, March 25, 2011, 4:17 AM

I want to be able to prctice what I preach...

I work in behavioral/mental health and faciltate both the substance abuse treatment and the fit and wellness groups, and after having to preach about taking care of yourself to aid in substance recovery and mental illness recovery, I began to feel like a hypocrite being 80lbs overweight myself. I had to practice what I was preaching, and am finding support in the information and discussions I lead.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 11:47 PM

"Today is a new day full of opportunities for me to do things that will help me feel better and live longer."

Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 9:41 AM

feeling great

I tell myself that I will feel great if I do it. Plus i really enjoy working out so it is kind of "me" time during the day. Im pregnant so its not about losing weight for me right now but just trying to stay healthy with this baby inside me. I love healthy food and i feel good when i eat tons of veggies, fruit, lean protein, rice crackers, so i try to remind myself how great i feel after i eat these things. Im one of those people who is really affected by what I eat. If I eat a big steak I will seriously be sick for days, same with lots of bread or potatoes. So i avoid red meats and even chicken sometimes.
So that is sort of my motivation, and to be honest I also don't want to look fat during pregnancy. I already have gained 20lbs and im only onto my 18th week of pregnancy, i was tiny to begin with so its not a big deal but it definitly helps my sanity to know that I'm doing everything in my power to be healthy. If the pounds come on my body must be needing them.

Saturday, April 9, 2011, 8:26 PM

first thing that comes to mind- i really need to lose this weight so i can be healthy, and damn i really want a flat stomach so i can wear a two piece or skimpy swimsuit

first thing that comes to my mind for encouragement - this is something you just have to do, youve came to far too go back , stop being so lazy

what i tell myself to make myself get up and workout - i want to look my prettiest and have a amazing body like [ insert girl celebrity name here, usually kim kardashian comes to mind ]

what i tell myself to stop eating unhealthy food - everything in this is basically bad for me, i cant even produce some of these ingredients or know what they are, or i dont know how many calories is in this but it looks fattening

Monday, April 11, 2011, 12:42 AM

I run every other morning before work. I prefer the morning because
my evenings are busy with dinnertime/helping with schoolwork/making lunches for the following day and it's a great way to begin my day.

The first thing that comes to my mind is Just Do It

Sunday, April 17, 2011, 3:22 PM

I wake up early and go out and exercise everyday. I do it before I have time to make up an excuse of why I can't do it. I personally jog 4 miles every morning before work. If I'm tired, I walk it. It sets the pace of the whole day. If I workout in the morning not only do I have more energy but it also motivates me to make the right food choices for the rest of the day.

If I tell myself I'm going to hold off on my workout until afterwork/later in the day then I have all day to come up with excuses why I can't. "I don't have time", "I still have to cook, clean, etc", "I'm too tired", "I deserve a break".

Also, what motivates me is results. Buying new jeans when I drop a dress size. Even when I don't see results, I keep going because I know they will be right around the corner. I weigh myself everyday to keep on track.

What's also important is not to deprive yourself. If I want something I eat it, I just have it in moderation. I will not let myself feel guilty about it. A spluge every now and then is nice. Diets that are based on deprevation surely lead to failure. Don't have an "all or nothing" attitude.

Live with the pain of discipline or live with the pain of regret.

Monday, April 18, 2011, 12:33 PM

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