Motivation, where do you get it? Can I have some?

[DMickey28]

I posted this on the WISH board but we get more traffic here so I thought I would post it here too.

I have none.

I get married in two months and a week. We have our shower party this weekend. It's a surprise party that my parents are throwing us at their club this weekend. I wanted to lose 10 lbs for it. Did I? NO

I joined the Y and I actually have gone a few days a week. I do a little cardio and the machines for weights. Haven't seen any results yet, other than being able to raise the amount of weights I can lift by a few pounds now. No change in weight, no change in the way my clothes fit.

I need to get fit, I need to lose weight.... I have no motivation. Not just for that either.

I dress in clothes too baggy for me. I fit into a 12 in my thighs and hips and 10 or even 8 in my waist, therefor I end up looking frumpy. I grew my hair out for the wedding it's halfway down my back, I hate it.... drags my face down again frumpy. I don't want to cut it because I don't know how short I can go for the wedding and being able to put it up.

My face is puffy, I need to lose a few pounds. I have bad skin and have done everything to help it. It has good days but when I put makeup it's game over so I don't wear make up.

I am presenting such a pretty picture aren't I?

So how do you get motivated? Motivated to get up early enough to do hair and makeup? Motivated to get up early enough to exercise. Nights isn't work out very well for me....

Can you buy motivation anywhere.....

 

[NMAmy]

I get up at 4:30 in the morning so I can go to the gym at 6:30 before work at 7:30. I have a DD who is 13 and I like to be home with her after work and I like to eat lunch at lunchtime so I can't go then! The good thing is that I'm still half asleep so I don't have enough wits about me to think of excuses not to go.

I'm a morning person so this works great for me (plus it sounds HIDEOUS to most people so the fitness center is pretty empty!) I can't offer much assistance on motivation--except that once you start exercising, you get more energy and it becomes easier. It's just those initial trips that are excruciating! If you can make yourself do it on a regular basis, it becomes just a part of your daily routine.

Now that we've moved and I have more room, my next big purchase is going to be a treadmill so I can do it at home. Winter's coming and I don't relish the idea of leaving that early in the snow.

I wish you the best of luck and congratulations on the wedding!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I think you may just be expereincing pre-wedding stress. It sounds like it. You have so much going on right now with planning and such that it is hard to get motivated. I'm SURE you look fine. I think really it's just stress.

I personally need/want to drop about 10 to 15 lbs. I managed to do so (circa the time that pic in my sig was taken) but I put it all back. It's hard because I'm such a picky eater and most of the very few things I like are high in carbs. It's tough for me in the heat of summer because the heat drains me... Then I notice the weight is back and it's kind of a downer. But I KNOW I can loose it again. I don't know what motivates me. I go through phases where I care about what I look like and then I go through phases where I could care less.

 

[Christine]

It's very hard to stay motivated when the things that you are doing aren't working. My first thought would be to go to a hairstylist and explain the wedding situation. They know how short you can go and still put your hair up. My DD has hair to about shoulder length and she puts it up. Also add some wispy bangs and maybe some highlights or color. This will do a world of good for your face!!! Don't worry about going too short. It is very easy to come by hair pieces now that actually look extremely good. As I said, my DD's hair is shoulder length and she can put it up. But it is fine and she doesn't have tons of hair. When we went to a latest family wedding I bought her one of the hair pieces that you see at the mall. It matched her hair perfectly, looked gorgeous on her and she got compliments all night. We never told anyone it was fake until the next day and they couldn't believe it. Probably only a hair stylist would know. So, please, don't live with the bad hair any longer.

Weight loss -- If I exercise like you describe, I will not lose anything either. It is a combination of diet and exercise. Try to do a *casual* Weight Watchers diet. You don't have to join. There are lots of good threads on the WISH board about how to do it on your own. My friend, who was about 30 lbs overweight, spent years walking, going to the gym, and truly, consistently exercising. She might have lost exactly one pound. It wasn't until she added Weight Watchers that it clicked. And we you lose that first 2 lbs you will really get motivated!! She went from 14/16 down to a size 8/10. Unfortunately, you have to exercise VERY hard for exercise alone to work.

So, get your hair done and start reading Weight Watchers thread (or whatever diet floats your boat). You will get motivated. You just have to push yourself very hard to do it. It's not easy.

 

[Pembo]

When you first start working out you gain muscle so your weight stays the same but the fat is turning to muscle. Don't worry so much about the scale but how your clothes fit. Going to the Y a few days a week is good! You are doing great! Take a walk everyday that will help too. Or at least try to go everyday then when you miss a day you won't feel so bad.

As for your hair, make a hair appt and talk to your hairdresser about the wedding, about now, everything! You want to look good now too!

You are definitely stressing because of the wedding. Relax! Everyone will say you are a beautiful bride. Honest, they all say that! (You're supposed to be smiling now). It will be ok!

Keep going, you are doing great!

 

[DMickey28]

Thank you for the responses!!

As far as diet, I am working on that. My problem right now is that I don't eat enough! I am doing a modified low carb diet that I have done for a while. I lost about 10 lbs on that so far. The problem is not eating enough on a daily basis. I don't think weight watchers would work for me, though maybe it would because I eat so little now anyway... I am trying to eat more on the South Beach plan now.

I will try to get an appointment at the hairdressers, though I don't have one out here and I haven't been able to get an recommendation so far. Nobody I work with lives around me and gets their hair down at a "real" place. I have always gone to a Supercuts or Procuts....

I need to do more exercise, I know that, because my diet is fairly good right now. Exercise alone won't do it when you have a crappy diet but my diets not too crappy when I remember to eat enough!!

Thanks for the advise... please continue... it's motivating!