Hello all! I am new to 3FC but already I am having trouble staying motivated as usual. My problem is that while I am overweight, I am not always self-conscious about my weight. I am a lot of the time, but overall I am healthy and somewhat fit. I definitely want to lost weight, possible up to 40 pounds, but I have a hard time staying on track because I know I am still healthy at my current weight. Do you all have any tips to help keep me motivated?

Motivation has nothing to do with it. Losing weight and getting fit is a matter of setting up good habits. Motivation is an emotion, it comes and goes, but I try to focus on being consistent and forming good habits.

But you bring up an interesting point. On the one hand you feel like you need to make some improvements in your life but there seems to be a part of you that thinks the opposite. It sounds like you are sabotaging yourself because of that other little voice. It's great to feel like you are healthy, but better not dwell on that because if there are improvements you can make then you should focus on that.

I'm treating myself to a spa day if i stay on track

Hello =) I am also very new to the site, and have run into similar issues with motivation. One thing that motivates me is my wedding...I want to look great, and that is why I'm losing the weight. If you have an event you are going to, that could be some good motivation maybe =) or also a nice outfit that may not fit quite right yet, or an old pair of jeans you'd like to fit into, etc.

Or like Rose said, a spa day, or maybe a pedi/mani, etc., can be a reward for staying on track. Do something for yourself when you reach your goals, and that can be a good motivation to always keep moving foward ^_^

Rose426 that's a great idea! I actually have a coupon for a full body massage, so maybe I'll use it one I lose some weight!

You aren't going to stay motivated so don't even try. IMO, it's an exercise in futility. Are you always motivated to go to work? No. But, you go anyway, right? What you'll need to rely on is your committment to this new lifestyle.

I have had tons of motivation this past year (2012) - weddings, dates w/ boyfriend, holidays, vacations - and I've had just as many instances where I said, "Eff it, I'm eating cheese fries." What's kept me going this current year is my committment to doing what I need to do.

You ride this thing on committment. Eff motivation.

So basically, everything Wannabeskinny said. :-)

I think it might sound harsh to say, "Motivation is crap and it isn't going to get you anywhere." And it is harsh, but it is also true.

Motivation is great every once in a while. Motivation can push you to have an AWESOME workout! Or to achieve a short term goal, sure.

But there is something more that you will need to get through the really difficult places. The places where you yourself are sick of reading the motivating messages, or listening to the same techno song that used to get you pumped (Haha, referencing myself here). And that something more is a DECISION.

You have to make the choice, that every day you are going to try your best to be a healthier you. Another word for it is commitment, but to me commitment sounds very long term, and I am not a long term thinker. Commitment is too 'big' of a word for me. I need a smaller word. I can deal with making a DECISION. On days when decision is too long of a word I use the word CHOICE. And for the hardest days I use the word TRY.

Might sound simple, but it really isn't. You have to have an honest conversation with yourself and agree with youself that you are going to try your best today. Have this conversation every day.

Coming to this forum is a great way to do that. I login in the morning and report in on one of the challenge threads. That serves as me actually thinking through what it is going to take today to do what I need to do. I type it up. I post it. And I make the choice to try my best to achieve it.

Again, I wouldn't necessarily throw motivation out the window. You just don't want it to be the only thing standing between you and a brownie, haha!

Keep it up, you will get there. One day, one decision, one choice at a time!

I have a pair of purple Levis with a bit of bling on the pockets that I am DYING to wear. If I go off plan, I won't be wearing those pants anytime soon!

They hang on my closet door and say "Wear me, wear me!"

(You lose your mind when you lose weight, in case you were wondering why my clothes speak to me!)

Good luck!

I like this. I think I'll start incorporating the words "decision" and "choice" into my mental deliberations from now on. Well, tomorrow at least.

Freelance

I found this really interesting TED Talk called 'The Power of Self control"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPQhj6ktYSo

100Mother I love it! I get so much inspiration from this forum. This is going on my refrigerator:

It's a commitment.
It's a decision.
It's a choice.
At least try!

And yes I agree that it is very harsh to throw motivation out the window, because motivation feels so empowering when we feel it. But it really does waver so much and it's not something you can depend on. I know I have motivation, what I DON"T have is an ability to walk away from a cookie and that's what I'm working on.

Yay! I'm glad you found that useful freelancemomma!

I agree with you 100% Wannabeskinny. Motivation is like that awesome awesome friend that only calls you every couple of months and flakes all the time. They are great to hang out with, but not dependable.

I'm glad you liked the break down of words. I love this forum too, and sometimes I'm just as much amazed by what I say as what others say. To quote the great Steve Urkel (and yeh, I'm dating myself here), "Did I do thaaaaat?"