[Amy25]

Now if only I could keep this spirit and motivation 24/7. Am I the only person who is up and down like this?? Ugh I am driving myself crazy! I know that this is not me and I am over this mess of being overweight. Long story short: Got pregnant had twins, gained a 100 pounds. Gave birth, lost it, gained it back. I want it off and it's driving me crazy, BUT I'm afraid I'm just going to wake up tomorrow with my mood changed and want Mcdonalds! Can someone please let me in on the secrect of keeping Motivation? Because unless it becomes legal to wander around nude I'm afraid I don't know of another way to keep the pounds off!

[Rosinante]

Congratulations on the title of your post and your determination!

If there is a secret, it's taking the emotion out of the whole process. It's training yourself to do it (whatever your 'it' turns out to be) day in day out, whether you feel motivated or not.
Too often we diet based on how we feel. We need to approach it more coldly than that: we need to choose a plan, be it by personal trial and error or by asking others like on here, and then sticking to it; because the simple fact is that if we keep doing it right, we Will lose the weight (medical condition permitting).

I find calorie counting the easiest way to keep doing it, because it means nothing is 'forbidden', I can have a big Mac if I want, although in reality I always choose to have a larger volume in something healthy than a smaller volume of something less healthy.

Oh, and use a food tracker, like sparkpeople . com - not only does it keep your calories on track, it flags up where your nutrients might be missing and it also makes clear how low NOT to go - you can lose weight on what feels like a surprisingly high calorie level!

Good luck!

[rockinrobin]

Secret? Well there really is no secret to weight loss. I think what is needed though is an extreme, burning desire to do so. In other words, you have to want it really, really badly enough and be willing to do what it takes to do day in and day out - forever.

And if you're looking for the secret to motivation, that doesn't exist in my book. Motivation is great to get one started, but unfortunately it is rarely around when the cookies are and when the couch is nearby instead of the treadmill.

So, I don't rely on my motivation. Once I had that burning desire to lose the weight - I made a commitment. A commitment that no matter what I was going to get and stay at a healthy weight. A commitment to myself to do whatever it takes to be a healthy person. That commitment is what keeps me from resisting xyz and eating healthy foods instead, day after day. That commitment is what forces me to exercise on the days that I "just don't feel like it."

So first dig down deep. Decide just how badly you want this. Then make that commitment. Then find a plan that is right for you and make it work for you.

Losing weight, permanently, and a lot of it is possible. It's something that IS doable. And you too can most definitely do it!!

[mayness]

This is what works for me: when it comes to motivation and "moods," prepare for the worst. Assume that every single day you'll want McDonalds, and be "too tired" to exercise, and "too busy" to cook healthy meals. (Now that I see it written out, that's pretty close to reality for me, lol!)

Now, I decide how to work around that. What time of day do you have the most energy for exercise.. in the morning, after work, right before bed? That's the time to do it. And do things you like (or the things you hate the least ) or else you'll definitely quit.

Avoiding stuff like fast food can come down to "will power" (just telling yourself "I don't eat _____" until it becomes true!) but you can also use some tricks... calculate how much money you've spent on fast food during times when you were gaining weight (that works for me because I'm cheap lol), don't carry cash for vending machines, find a partner to hold you accountable and admit to them when you slip up, journal every bite you eat so you have to see it on paper (or your computer screen).

We can help you come up with other ideas for things that you find challenging (preparing healthy food, saying no to free/gift food, drinking plenty of water, etc) if you're stumped. That's one of the great things about 3FC, you can hear about other people's plans and take the bits and pieces that work for you!

[Thighs Be Gone]

I wish I could offer you a secret for motivation. The only thing I can tell you is one decision at a time. One minute at a time, one hour, one day, one week, one month and now I am coming up on a year.

It came down to me wanting health, balance and the best for myself. It came down to making myself THE priority--not my kids, not my husband, not the school, not my house. If you don't have "IT" yet that's okay. Fake it till you make it. Treat yourself and feed yourself as you would someone you very much loved. For me, I began to replace the bad foods with less bad foods and eventually HEALTHY foods. I found replacement for the time I spent eating--calling a friend, taking a long bath, watching TV with just a drink, cleaning my house, shopping.

My advice is to figure out your true danger zones and start there first. For me, it was definitely night time eating. I started going to bed. I also had a problem with fast food and sweets, so I cut those out except in very careful moderation.

You can do this. We are here for you. I am one PM away and will be glad to help in any way. Mary

p.s. If you have something in your diet that you don't really even care for that much--you just eat it because you always have, get rid of it. For me this was fast food so it wasn't hard to toss. It was also all red meats--most meats actually. I have found that fish agrees more with my constitution and it's a much healthier source of protein. I have also found that I don't really care for butter either so that was easy to let go of. Give it some thought. You might surprise yourself.