I can't get motivated...

[DisneyGirl4188]

DH and I really want to start eating better and begin a workout routine. The problem is neither of us can seem to get motivated! I just feel right now that I have so much to lose that it is going to take forever, so why even try (I know that sounds so stupid).

I moved the exercise equipment into the living room, so I wouldn't just sit and watch TV, but that doesn't seem to work. I just feel so tired after working all day that I just want to relax.

We did Atkins previously and lost a lot, but after we stopped we gained it (plus more) right back. I just feel that it is almost hopeless.

My question is, how do you actually get motivated to start??? We have said that we want to go back to WDW, but only if we lose weight, so that is a pretty big motivator, but how do you keep from feeling overwhelmed??

I thought about creating little goals, but don't really know what is realistic. In total, I want to lose about 130lbs. I appreciate any advice.

 

[ZerasPride]

Amber, I was just where you are now right before I started South Beach. I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I had over 100 pounds to lose and thought it was such a large number that it didn't even make sense to try to lose it. My motivation is the thought of myself in an electric scooter when I'm older. I was 282.5 pounds when I started and knew that if I didn't do something I would dead or have such ill health that I wished I was dead.

I had never wore "normal" or "regular" sized clothing (always shopped at Lane Bryant) and the sight of my sil who lost 70 pounds on Atkins gave me the incentive to at least try it. I wanted to wear fashionable stuff and walk into a room with my head held high with confidence knowing people aren't judging me by my weight. I had never experienced that before and wanted it so bad.

I took it one step at a time. I set mini goals of 10% of my body weight. During the first two weeks of Phase 1, I lost 14 pounds and by the end of the first month I was down 22 pounds. The food is yummy and coming here everyday for support and joining and starting challenges helped me so much. It took me about 15 months to lose the majority of my weight and I have spent the last year maintaining. Now I'm focused on losing the last 10 pounds and I'm so much happier. It's not that losing weight has magically transformed my life, I still have the same job, spouse, kid and family but I'm different looking on the outside and feel different (much more positive) on the inside so the quality of my life has improved so much!

I say take baby steps. Work your way up to it. Make true lifestyle changes that you and your hubby are comfortable with and not someone else's good idea for you. You can do this! So many people on WISH have! Use them as your inspiration but most important, it has to come from inside you. Even on days when you just don't feel like it. Fake it. Work out and eat right. The days will go back whether you do something about your weight or not. Wouldn't you like to end 2006 30, 50, 75 or more pounds lighter? On December 31, 2006 of this year if you've taken the steps everyday you need to take, you'll be so happy that you are not starting another year with all those extra pounds. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Thank you so much for your encouragement! I have looked into South Beach, but I'm not too knowledgable. Do you have any suggestions on where I should start and what resources I should use?

 

[ZerasPride]

There is a great site I go to which is actually an Atkins site that has graciously given us a South Beach forum. It's at www.lowcarbfriends.com - just click on the discussion group tabs and you'll see lots of forums including a century club forum for people with 100+ pounds to lose and the SBD forum I was mentioning earlier. We have all the basics on sticky's at the top of the thread. I have the same screen name on that board as I have here so you'll know you're in the right place if you see posts from me. We would love to have you join us!

The program is similar to Atkins but allows lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains which makes a low carb program a bit more doable for the long term for me. You also don't have to count anything - not carbs, fat or calories. Give it a try and please let me know if you do. I'd love to know what you think of the program!

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

One of the things I find I have to do to get back into the swing of things:

Put my workout clothes, running shoes, water bottle, etc., next to my bathroom sink. Set the alarm to give yourself one snooze cycle. For me, I set it at 6:21 to get up for 6:30. Brush your teeth, go to the bathroom, and put your workout clothes on! Get to it! Whether you're exercising at a gym, at home, etc., don't even give yourself the option not to get it done. Do it first thing in the morning so that you can go about the rest of your day content that you've finished it already. Plus, you'll be a lot less likely to sabotage yourself by eating poorly during the day becuase you've already invested your time and energy into working out.

You can do this! And you will two will do this!

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Thank you guys!

I am checking out the www.lowcarbfriends.com site right now. I think that South Beach is the way to go. I am going to show DH when I get home and then start on this.

I am also making a promise to myself that I WILL workout this evening!

It is just good to hear that others were in my same situation and were able to do something about it.

 

[r3ngels]

Hey Amber... I hate when I am not motivated...this is going to sound weird but I was watching an Oprah episode once and she said you don't get motivated and then get in shape... you start to get in shape and then you get motivated... well it was something like that.

So what I did is started working out. I try to fit it in everyday even if it is just 15 mins but I shoot for 30 mins. I have my own schedule and I try to stick to it.

Eat right. Plan you meals for the week, set reminders if you need to take anything out of the freezer (I always forget then I am up a creek with junk food )

Good Luck. It is great that your DH is a partner with you. You guys can challenge each other. Keep us posted.