I have posted on 3Fat Chicks so many times with the intention of focusing and losing the weight that I want/need. My modivation seems to last about a week and then I just dive right back into being unmodivated. I know I can do this!! I have seen it on this site before. Women with more weight to lose just buckle down and get it done. I look at the before and afters and am amazed and think, "I can do this".

Two years ago my husband, kids and I moved 250 miles away from our family and friend and bought a business. The business is doing amazingly well and is such a blessing. However, my weight has been the casualty of this move. Before we moved I had a tredmill and used it at least 3 times a week. I was a stay-at-home mom so finding time to workout was a bit easier. Then we moved. I had to sell my treadmill because we had no room in the new house (my husband tried very hard to find room for it but we just couldn't). Both our kids were in school full time so I started working part-time at the business. I was also trying to get used to this new lifestyle (I do not do very good with busy.) All of these are excuses, I realize that.

We recently moved to a new house that now has room for a piece of equipment so we bought an eliptical. After the first of the year I also dusted off my old P90 DVD's and have been doing those at lease twice a week. I am very excited to get started again but I am also scared! I am scared that next week this post will mean nothing to me and everything will start accumulating dust again.

How do you stay modivated? I look at pics of thin people or people who have met their goals and get very inspired but if they are not out where I can see them I just stop looking them up. I don't want to put them up in my house because I don't want to explain to my girls that I think I am fat. I tell them that I need to excercise to be healthy so I can keep up with them. My mom always complained about being fat and pointed out poeple who were thinner than her when I was growing up. I really think that has given me major issued about my body and has not allowed me to love what I have. I do not want to do that to my girls!

My biggest piece of advice for you is to get rid of the word 'motivation'. Motivation may get you started but it will not keep you going for the long haul. It takes commitment and dedication to be successful. Commit each day to make the healthiest choices you can. Are you going to be perfect? No of course not, this is where commitment and dedication will come in.
Stop looking at the pictures, start celebrating each goal you reach. You can do this!

Ok, that was the background.

So what's the plan?

Maybe we can help you with that.

Food log? Are you counting calories? WW? Making changes to your eating habits? Something else?

What about fitness? I read P90 two times a week. I'm not familiar with that one -- what level is it? Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced? What else is going on in fitness?

What holds you back? Are you not quite ready to commit to it? Lacking in knowledge or skills that you need to learn first? (ex: learn to cook?)

A.

You need motivation only for a start! It's mostly needed to form a habit of the healthy eating and lifestyle.
Just keep in mind what your healthy living will provide for you - make notes to your notebook of things which motivate you the most (like: "I had a wedding dress I had to fit into" and more like this) and read them every morning and every evening - that will keep you motivated. It works for me.

By posting on here I think you're making a good start. Perhaps set a date, be definate about starting your journey on that day and start a blog, keep a food diary and be accountable. Before the day you start, get rid of all the junk food that tempts you, or hide it. Buy in fresh fruit and veg and low fat snacks. Research and make a diet plan so you'll know what you can eat and plan your meals. You've lost weight before, so you can do it again. You can do it!!!! Look forward to hearing about your success.

Thank you all do much for your support and advice! I have a plan now for exercising and am making a plan for eating. I have also made a deal with myself to come here more often even if just to read. Thank you all again and I will keep posting.

I think we all fall off plan the key is to get back up and start again. I was out of town for the weekend and ate stuff that was totally wrong. I could have eaten better! had packed some supplies for trip but was easier to give in to temptation. Six lbs in 3 days! Dusting myself off, very disgusted and getting back to eating what I should today. I made this my homepage when I sign on to internet so I have a constant reminder and can check in for inspiration (or a reality check).

Adaem,

I agree with all the advice you have gotten but I will add a little more. I know it is really, really hard to stay motivated through all lives stresses. I am right there with you. You just have to make small goals. Can you get through today? Can you make better choices today? Can you make sure to get in some exercise today? Forget about the almighty goal for awhile and just focus on today. If you can do that, I think you will have this. It is really easy to beat yourself up and think about what you have done wrong or could do better but if every day you just wake up and ask yourself if you can just do it today, its not so overwhelming.

Also, find healthy choices you LOVE. I really and I mean REALLY LOVE pizza...I will make myself a healthy version of pizza once a week. I also LOVE chicken parm. I make a heathy version of that about once every 2 weeks or so...I have plenty of ready snack that I love and are healthy.

Put together a fun workout playlist. All the songs you would love to dance to. I really don't know if I could do this all without music.

REWARD YOURSELF! This is less to me about losing weight and more about being a mom. I think moms have a tendency to put everyone first. I don't know about you but in my house, I do all the cooking, checking homework, driving kids to and from school. I heal the booboos and read the stories. PLUS I own my own business and spend about 50 to 60 hrs a week working on selling and promoting that. Its just so much sometimes that I have no time for myself.
I recently signed up for birchbox.com and myglam.com and for $10 each month (from each company) I get 4 to 5 cute beauty samples. I love it and look forward to this so much!

Well, thats all I got! I know you can do this!

Ok. I am changing this from "I Can't Do This" to "I Can TOTALLY Do This!!". I am feeling so much better thanks to all of your suggestions and support. I am even looking forward to working out when I get home from work today. Thank you all so much!!