Motivation

How do you all stay motivated? Thats my biggest obstacle. I will be great for 3 days or so and then I just lose steam. I know that slow and steady weight loss is the best but somehow no matter how much I tell myself that, when I don't see instant results I lose my drive. Exercise isn't a problem because I enjoy it. . . . I just get tired of thinking so much about what I am eating.

Wed. Nov 28, 10:08am

Maybe you are thinking too much about what you are eating and restricting too much. You shouldn't be "dieting," you should be making sustainable changes. So instead of saying "today I am starting my diet. I will eat only healthy foods and none of the bad ones," try saying "This week, my goal is to not drink any soda." Then next week, stick with the lack of soda (which has become habit at this point) and add in something else - "I will eat 3 servings of veggies every day." Then the next week - "I will switch my ice cream for lowfat yogurt," etc... Making small changes, one at a time, helps you to feel less deprived, because you aren't forbidding all treats, etc.

Good luck!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 10:28 AM

I don't know if this will make sense...but the biggest thing for me is I forgive myself for my unmotivated days. I'm not perfect and sometimes I make bad choices, but I don't beat myself up about it and I make sure I always return to making good choices.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 10:31 AM

That was my issue too. But just stick with it...tell yourself you'll eat healthy for a month..and hop on the scale and that'll give you motivation. That's helped me big time and I've been doing well the past several months and lost weight.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 10:59 AM

Reward yourself!

I am giving myself rewards for hitting weightloss goals. This morning I weighed in at 237.5. When I get down to 230, I'm going to reward myself with a spa day filled with a manicure, pedicure, hair cut and color, eyebrow wax, and whatever else fits into my budget. At 220 I'm going to buy myself a tanning package. At 210 I'm going to treat myself to several personal training sessions since, hopefully, by then I'll be looking for new ways to work out. And when I get down to 200, I'm going to allow myself to get the tattoo (a small star on the back of my neck near the hair line) I've wanted for several years.

How are you rewarding yourself?

Monday, December 03, 2007, 5:05 PM

Make notes and stick them all over your house. Every few days take them down and make new notes. That way they never get old. And fill the notes with POSITIVE motivation Instead of writing something like "I WILL exercise everyday this week" write "Think how great I will feel after excersing everyday this week!"

Monday, December 03, 2007, 5:31 PM

I agree with the idea of rewarding yourself. Every time I lose 5 lbs, I buy myself and inexpensive silver bangle bracelet, and I wear them all the time. Today I bought my third bangle, and hearing them jingle together when I move is a great reminder of how much I've worked and how far I've come. Also since they are on my wrist, I see them when I reach for food!

Monday, December 03, 2007, 6:45 PM

oooooh, I love the silver bangle idea!!! pretty and a very personal reminder of how far you've come! so much better than a bookmark or something that blatantly says "I've lost 15 pounds!"

Tuesday, December 04, 2007, 1:13 PM

The biggest changes happened for me when I changed my environment - go through your cupboards and get rid of all your trigger foods and unhealthy junk. Some nights I want some junk, but there's none in the house - I literally find myself prowling around, searching the cupboards...but there's nothing there! So then if I'm really hungry I have a healthy snack and get over it! Willpower doesn't work! You need to change your whole life and your environment (as much as you can) if you want to be successful long term.

p.s. in case you're saying "but my husband still wants _______", sometimes my husband starts saying he wants chips, but I tell him there is none, and if he wants some he needs to go out to the store and get a small bag for himself. He just says, "Oh well, they're probably not good for me anyway" and gives up!

Tuesday, December 04, 2007, 2:10 PM

My roommate and I have gotten rid of all our trigger foods. The other night, she was having one heck of a time dealing (her best friend is dieing of cancer, only 28 years old, and she was having time-of-the-month cravings) so she went to the grocery store around the corner to buy some vanilla bean ice cream. She came back with a small pint of vanilla lowfat frozen yogurt. Even braving the cold weather with her rather sensible craving, she didn't come back with piles of chocolate cookies or even the real vanilla bean ice cream. I don't know what did it, but I was rather impressed.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007, 4:12 PM

If you stick with it, eventually those good eating habits will come naturally and won't require much time or attention. In the meantime, what you really need is a compliment. How do you go about getting one? Sometimes it takes a new haircut or a new outfit before people around you notice that you've lost weight. Try it!

Tuesday, December 04, 2007, 8:35 PM

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