Getting motivated

[crs7568]

What do you do to motivate yourself? I really need to lose thirty pounds and I am having the hardest time sticking to a diet. You would think that the fact that I want to look good this summer would be motivation enough but it is not cutting it for me. I have done it before but this time I am having such a hard time for some reason. So I am hoping that all of you successful "losers" will inspire me to keep on track by telling me your motivation techniques. Please help!

 

[joanb]

Take it one day at a time..build to two days and see how many days you can string together! Reward yourself with a hair cut or something if you can string together "x" amount of days.

 

[MelanieC]

Hi Caryn,
Unfortunately it has to come from within. You have to make a decision to do it, and you have to be ready for it. It sounds like you want it really bad, you must look deep inside yourself and make a decision to do it. But, until you are ready it won't happen.

You can do it, and definately taking it one day at a time is the way to do it. Make coming to WISH and posting a priority. Somewhere inside yourself the power to get the job done is waiting for you to unlock it.

 

[Zoesmama03]

I find that reading about nutrition and exercise helps. The key I believe is making it a new lifestyle since a diet will mearly make you frustrated when you stop and aren't losing or gain back. KWIM?

I find though that I get wrapped up in reading about stuff that I don't "do" stuff though it does motivate me.

Also reading all the journals on the journal page helps me I just haven't been online a whole lot to get motivate by them lately.

 

[LuvTigger]

Everyone has made some really great points, and I think you need to find what works for you. One thing that has helped me is to have a picture of what I want to look like after, and I had a picture taken of what I look like now. Only by looking at pictures did it really hit me how much weight I had gained. So every day, I look at the picture of me when I was thin, and that contributes to my motivation -- that I want to look like that again.

I have also bought a couple of articles of clothing that are a size or two too small (at least right now they are). I did this before, and it felt so good to be able to actually wear something I bought to work that didn't fit before!

I also try to read or look at something every day that serves as a reminder and motivation to lose. For example, the plan I am following comes with a book, so every night before I go to bed, I read a chapter. Coming here and reading the threads helps too, and I have subscribed to a couple of health magazines. Even though I know what I need to do to lose the weight and I am very aware of what is good and bad for me, I need some kind of visual reminder, DAILY!

 

[lmhall2000]

1. Read some other big losers journals!!! It really helps!!! Seeing their posts from the beginning and jumping to the last page and seeing them report they're in size 10's now is really boosting!!!

2. Join some mini-challenges. 30 pounds is a much bigger number than 5...if you join a challenge and shoot for 5 pounds and lose it then you're that much closer! Set some 10% goals for yourself...If you weigh 180 then your first 10% goal would be losing 18 pounds....find some great reward to hit that first 10% goal...by your next 10% goal you'll be AT GOAL!!

3. Cut out two things...look back on your eating and see what is holding you up...for me it was white bread and french fries/potatoes...if I can't have white bread that pretty much limits me to a salad if I have to eat on the go. I won't go to the trouble of pulling off the bun. I think just cutting those two things out has made me lose 5 pounds alone.

4. DRINK your water!!! It really helps you flush all that fat away! Try to limit your intake of diet sodas or unsweet tea to one a day...the caffeine can play with your system.

5. I always like to jump start my losing by doing a week of low carb...I'm a carb junkie and that first week usually takes 5 pounds off and trains me to eat more veggies and less carbs.

We started a 150's club for anyone wanting to get into or through the 150's...you're more than welcome to check us out and see if that kind of support might help motivate you. I find that daily checking in and helping motivate others really helps me. Hope something here works for you...you CAN DO THIS!!!

Tara

 

[disneygoof]

I always focus on the rewards.

From Weight Watchers, 10 reasons to focus on the 10% difference (losing 10% of your weight)

1. Comfortable fitting clothes.
2. Better health.
3. More pep in your stop.
4. Improved confidence.
5. More energy.
6. Proof of your weight-loss capabilities.
7. Less fatigue, more vigor and vitality.
8. Waistlines that don't pinch.
9. A sense of control over your eating.
10. Compliments on how fabulous you look.

 

[wiskband]

crs.glad you made this post! I havent been on much these days and have been eating really bad........reluctantly, I got on line ( and this is my home page) and was about to post the very same as this one! I cant get motivated either! not sure whats wrong with me these days, like you, I have done it before, and want it just cant get into it. If youd like we can IM one another........ kinda like a buddy thing perhaps, this may motivate both of us. And all of those tech. everyone has listed are great ones. I have used some of those things in the past!

Im me if youd like......... thanks again for the post!
renee

 

[ZerasPride]

You have received some wonderful responses. I can't say enough about some of the things that were mentioned previously that really work for me including:

**taking the journey one day at a time
**making a lifestyle change instead of looking at it as a "diet"
**finding a program that you can live with - not someone else's good idea of a diet for you
**reading WISH journals and posting to challenge threads

and here are a few of my own:

**reading Dr. Phil's book really helped me deal with the emotional side of eating
**daily exercise makes you feel so powerful and building muscle helps you look good in your clothes and nekkid (wink)
**positive self talk
**not cheating - I have found that one slip can lead me down a slipperly slope of discouragement. When I don't cheat I feel powerful. I feel committed to my program and I know I'll get to goal! I like what someone said on another thread - "I know what cookies taste like". I often repeat that to myself. When I get to goal I can have occasional indulgences but for now I've got to keep my eyes on the prize of goal!

Finally, there's something Oprah or Dr. Phil said that makes sense and is food for thought. The gist of the comment is that you can want to lose the weight but you have to be willing to do what it takes to lose the weight. I keep that comment in mind constantly.

I wish you well on finding your motivation!

 

[gshoemate]

I lost my motivation sometime last September and haven't found it yet. I was down to 111, my muscle's were looking pretty buff and then........I just lost interest. I don't have a problem with the exercise but it's the eating that gets me.

I have learned to try to get all the junk out of the house. If cookies are here, i'm gonna eat them.

Set some goals for yourself. Instead of thinking ahead to the whole 30 pounds, give yourself a treat when you lose 10 pounds. Maybe a manicure/pedicure, massage, new outfit. Then give yourself another treat when you hit 20 pounds. Then plan something really big when you hit 30.

I actually put on a bikini a few times last summer when going to the waterpark. I don't even want to look at a bikini now!

I wish you luck!!