What have you found to revive your motivation when it wanes? Now, don't confuse this with determination; I know determination can outlive motivation. I am still determined to lose weight, but it seems I've hit a snag in my motivation. I also know this is common for just about everyone on this journey - so that leads to my question: What do YOU do to revive your motivation? Anything in particular help you to start feeling excited and motivated all over again?
My motivation? What breathes life into it time and time again? Well too start with... 3FC. I give advice, and then try to practice it. Another thing that really revs up my motivation... inspirational movies that involve physical sports- Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Bring It On, Stick It, Save the last Dance.... There is something about watching someone put that much of themselves into their art... their bodies... their lives that fills me with motivation to the point of bursting. It never fails for me.
I love this question because it's just now happening to ME!
I am totally re-motivated because I asked one of the trainers at the gym to design me a totally new workout for upper and lower body so now I'm doing this really cool circuit-training thing. But really I get excited when I introduce any new exercise related thing, aerobics class or try a different cardio machine. We (the girls from work) started an early morning Saturday morning walking club, where each week we walk at a different park, so we get to walk, chat, enjoy the crisp morning air and see new parks. I'd love to play some summer sport, softball or even tennis with DH....so I'd say trying anything new and get excited about that.
But of course, I like to echo....reading the posts on here, especially the NSVs!
Or I get all excited to wear a new outfit and get TONS of compliments! That usually keeps me motivated, to keep impressing others!
When I first started out in September I started a journal, something I had never done before. I listed in there all the reasons for wanting to lose the weight - health,activity level, family, vanity, emotions. Really specific ones. I added to them as I went along as something popped into my head. I also have my weekly weigh-ins in there as well as my goals. As I started to get compliments, really good ones I put those in there as well. And some good NSV's. I would re-read this when I was lacking the motivation. Over and over again if need be. Cause there are some really, really good reasons for getting down to healthy weight. I don't know if you have a journal, but if you don't it's a great thing to have. Reading it really propels me to keep on going. Also looking at my success is a great motivator as well. As yours should be. You've lost 25 lbs. 25 POUNDS!!!!! Think about how much better you feel now then when you started. How far you've come. How much closer to your goals and dreams that you are. Telll yourself how very doable this is. come to 3FC, read the goal and the mini-goal section. Leave motivational messages for yourself in strategic places. WHATEVER IT TAKES. Because this is just THAT important. And like I mentioned to you in another thread, and I know you know this, motivation will come and go throughout your journey. It's the commitment that has to be ROCK SOLID. You'll get that fire back. I just know it.
RitzyFritz, I really understand how hard it is to maintain your motivation. I've been struggling with this same exact thing for about 6 weeks and have just found my way back on-plan this past Monday. I started off with a bang on January 1st and lost 22 pounds. I followed my plan 100% and worked out almost every day...boy, was I pumped up! My initial goal was to conquer my Disney trip in February. I did conquer that trip...I had tons of stamina and was able to keep up with my family. After the trip, its like a switch flipped and I slowly started eating off-plan and skipping exercise. Last weekend, I bought a bag of Hershey kisses. Then, something clicked last weekend. Some family members were talking about starting a diet and exercise program and I was telling them how it should be done ...then I realized that I was all talk and no action! I've lost 20 lbs since the first of the year and I can lose more! Its all up to me.
How did I find my way back? What is my motivation? I really think that I got back on plan because I never stopped visiting 3FC everyday...I never dropped out. Everyday, I was able to share in my 3FC friends victories, to see them succeed....and this kept a kernel of hope alive somewhere in my heart and mind. Sometimes I have felt like a clingy, needy, whiney baby and I've felt ashamed that I can't seem to charge forward with iron control and determination. But, everybody here is just so encouraging and supportive and their attitude does rub off on me. Apparently, my journey is going to be a bit slow and rocky. But, I refuse to give up. And, I will stay in touch on 3FC because this place is my lifeline on this journey! I'll keep posting here even through the rough times.
RitzyFritz, I know you are having a rocky time...and, that's ok. This will soon pass and you will feel pumped up again...just stick with us here at the 100lb club. Just think of this as a learning point in your journey...there is a lesson in all this for you. My lesson was realizing that I handle the stress better when I am on-plan and working out. Eating to relieve the stress just added to my stress.
We will give you all of the encouragement and support you want. Stick with us! You can do this!
Ritzy, I'm kind of going through the same thing right now. Thank you for posting this, and thank you ladies for the responses. And Rhonda is so right... just keep coming here for all sorts of motivation.
Ritzy - One thing that helps me keep the motivation is seeing the numbers.....either the scale or the measuring tape. I sooo want to see those numbers go DOWN. I know everyday that I stay on plan, it works.....it gives me a feeling of POWER that I may not be able to control everything around me, but by god, I can do this. NOTHING is gonna stop me this time.
I wish I could share how I feel with you. I know there are people who say they're not gonna give up this or that and no one can tell them they have to ~ but for me, that IS WHAT WORKED. Cutting the junk, the soda, the sugar, the sweetners.....by me cutting that stuff out, I do not crave it anymore. PERIOD. That helps me keep on plan sooo much easier. It isn't a struggle - it is like second nature to me to make good choices now. And again, it gives me that feeling of POWER. It may sound dumb to some, but that is ok. It is what works for ME! (and I think it does for others on here too)
Rhonda, thanks for sharing all of that in your post. I think that all of us sometimes feel that we can only post if we are having success and have happy thoughts to share. Sometimes I learn more and feel better after hearing that someone else struggles like I do! We're all trying as hard as we can and we're having some great successes. But we're also human and can slip sometimes! We just have to stick together!!
We all have struggles from time to time. I was struggling big time a couple months ago. I never gave up though. I'd stopped exercising and was eating poorly some days but every day I would wake up and try to continue on. One day, something clicked again for me. The click told me that I could get out of plus sizes, that I could much smaller by the time I visit my family in the summer, by the time I see some friends in early fall and by the time I go on a hiking vacation in late fall. So I started exercising every day. I started ignoring the signals that said to eat eat eat and went back to my healthy eating habits. I also set a limit on myself of only eating out once a week. I had started eating out 2-3 times per week which is too much for me to lose weight.
One of the things I decided when I started this journey was that I was simply not going to let motivation (or lack thereof) be the determiner of my behavior. I set certain rules for myself that I had to follow, and just stuck to them hard. I've had days where I don't feel like it due to a lack of motivation, but I just treat them as the rules that I have to follow, whether I want to or not, and for the most part, that's kept me on the right path. I have tried to keep them flexible enough so I can live up to them.
For example, I set a weekly calorie average for myself - it doesn't matter if I go above it on a given day, but the overall average is one that I've met almost every week. Same with exercise - these days, I've set a minimum running requirement of 20 miles a week. Totally achievable over the course of a week, so if I have one day where I don't do it, it's no big deal, but I make sure the long term trend continues in the right direction.
That said, I have also tried to boost myself up when I do feel the motivation lagging. I keep a cute outfit hanging on the door to my bedroom that is one size smaller than I currently am, and I try it on any time that I'm feeling less inspired. I also have a couple of photos of the old (thin) me available, and those work wonders too. And as GirlyGirlSebas points out, visiting 3FC is always a good boost to the motivation. A visit to the photo galleries is always inspirational for me.
the scale is great motivation, specially when your losing of course but when that doesnt help i just start to day dream about everything i want to do when i lose weight and it just pushes me onward.
Thank you all so much!! These have been so inspiring and - motivational! - to read!! I definitely have to agree, it has been coming here to 3FC that has kept me from totally quitting. As I said before, my determination has kept me hanging in there, but my motivation/excitement/enthusiasm was waning and I wanted to somehow re-capture that feeling because, as we all know, it definitely helps to feel pumped up about something.
Thank you all again!! These have been awesome! I hope others continue to add to this, as I think it will be wonderful to come back and re-read these on days when we need to be reminded.
You all are wonderful. Keep up the great work!! You are being an inspiration to the rest of us!
Reviving your motivation
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Then, something clicked last weekend. Some family members were talking about starting a diet and exercise program and I was telling them how it should be done 
One thing that helps me keep the motivation is seeing the numbers.....either the scale or the measuring tape. I sooo want to see those numbers go DOWN. I know everyday that I stay on plan, it works.....it gives me a feeling of POWER that I may not be able to control everything around me, but by god, I can do this. NOTHING is gonna stop me this time.
