Hey everyone! I was looking for the thread with all the inspirational quotes and couldn't find it -- I wanted to add the one that is now in my signature. "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." It's a quote by St. Francis of Assisi -- I'm not Catholic, but I've always felt a special sort of connection or something for St. Francis. I went to the St. Francis Basilica in Assisi about 9 years ago on a vacation, and I got a feeling there that I've never had anywhere else (long story -- I'll save it for another time!)
Anyway, I want to get us talking about how to keep up the motivation after a long string of success. I've had pretty consistent weight loss since I started this in July, and I want to keep going, but I find myself getting a tad burned out on counting my calories and writing everything down and that whole end of it. It's so nice in the beginning when it's like this big improvement project and when you start seeing results. Now my obsession with running has sort of taken the place of it. That's a good thing, of course, but I worry that my focus will change and I won't stay motivated to keep up with the eating plan that works. Anyone else having trouble with complacency and burnout after a long period of weight loss? I revisited my goals and decided to focus on weighing 175 by the end of the school year, as a way to rededicate myself to seeing results.
The St. Francis quote really speaks to me because it kind of reflects how far I've come. Last summer, running would've been impossible. I started with what was necessary -- eating right and exercising. Then I did what was possible -- increasing my exercise and beginning running. Now I'm doing what was once impossible -- running a LOT and running far! Things like that motivate me, certainly, but I have this feeling that my focus is changing and I don't know if it's good or bad. I'm wondering if I should just accept it or if that's a mistake because it could stop or stall my weight loss.
Any ideas on refocusing or maintaining motivation?