It seems lately I've had a problem staying motivated. Of course when we all start our journey we are gung ho and excited. I have faithfully stuck with this for the past 6 months. Granted, I have been far from perfect, but I'm still trying.

I am following South Beach and have been trying to work out 4-5 times a week, including 2 times a week with a personal trainer. All of this has made a HUGE difference.

I am down ~30 lbs, but lately I feel like I've just lost my motivation.

I WANT to get to goal. I want to lose this weight and continue with this lifestyle. I enjoy working out regularly, but like I said... lately it's just been tough.

What do YOU do to re-motivate yourself?

I know someone on here (can't remember who, sorry) had mentioned a while back they had made 60 index cards with things they wanted at goal and they would look through those when they were feeling down/unmotivated.

Toss some other ideas at me ladies.

I write motivational saying on my bathroom mirror in dry erase marker.

Can't wait to read everyone elses! I'm SOOOO making those cards!

Ohh!! I love that card idea, I'm definitely doing that too!

My idea is basically the same as that though...I just sit down and really think of all the reasons that I started out with. Why was I so excited and motivated in the beginning? What were the reasons that I started this journey, etc.

I also try to give myself small mini goals to help me along the way. I keep track of every 5 pounds that I lose and I look at how far I've come and how much less, relatively I have to go. For every 10 pounds I give myself a special treat. I'm 16 pounds down now and when I get to 20, I'm going to buy myself DDR for Wii, or maybe something else. It doesn't even have to necessarily be an exercise related treat, just something to reward myself. It's hard to keep on plan, and it's helpful for me to remember that I'm doing this and I'm doing a good job!

I don't believe in motivation - mostly because it goes away and I'm bad at "re-motivating" myself. So I just plan plan plan. I make exercise part of my schedule. I HAVE to work out at least 45 minutes a day, there are no ifs ands or buts, its just part of my day. Same with food. I have to go food shopping and have things in the house that I can eat. I know you live with your parents, so its harder, but I just don't give myself a choice.

And I'll admit, many days I don't WANT to exercise, but its worked into my day (and I know that if I just go home I'll sit around eating) so I do it.

What motivates me is logging on to 3fatchicks, see the progress that everyone else is making. Going to my own blog and reading my inspirational quotes and seeing pics of myself.......those three things usually work for me but its more than that to keep me going. After two years of learning what it really takes to get to goal and stay there its a huge Challenge for me to keep trying and I want to look good so that in a nut shell lol

I would buy an outfit (on sale of course) in a size smaller than what I was wearing, and right when I'd want to give up, it would fit! So I'd go down to the next size until I hit a size 4 or 6. That really helped me, pictures of myself never did because I always saw myself as my original size, I had to feel it.

I'm terrible at staying motivated as well! I spend more time running after the wagon then on it, by far. When I started 11 months ago I sat down and thought about motivation and how it comes and goes, and how I always seem to gain all my weight back, with a bit extra.

So I made a pact with myself, that it is ok not to lose weight. If I don't feel motivated, no matter how long, I don't have to work at losing. BUT I have to make sure I maintain the weight I lost. Motivation always comes back, and because I've been maintaining when it strikes I'm always able to lose a good bit of weight when I'm motivated.

I should add that this worked better when I had more to lose, now I'm down to the last 15 lbs, obviously weight loss has really slowed down with all the maintaining! On the plus side I am confident I can maintain the weight I am at.

I've decided to put away $20 for every pound I lose. I figure when I'm done I'll have close to $800. That will be the most amazing shopping spree and I can't wait! It's gonna be tough saving that money, but I'm finishing off paying a loan next month, so it shouldn't be as tight (can you say broke and I just got paid?). And I know I'll have to buy clothes along the way, but I'm not using my saved money. Those will just be my "transition" clothes. That money is not to be touched until I hit my goal.
Also, I try to think about how awful I feel when I eat crap. Not emotionally. Physically. I had pizza last night for dinner (oh boyfriend...I blame you!) and I just felt drained afterword. Terrible. I don't want to feel like that!

Ooo, but think of the exercise you're getting, all that running...

LOL Great ideas ladies! I guess I'm thinking of more PHYSICAL things to keep around as a reminder. I know I used to have an index card in my car with one of my fav quotes about staying on plan. I have a dream board but I think I need to re-do it and place it some place that I'm going to look more often. Things along those lines.

Keep the ideas coming!

I have a water container that is a physical representation of how much weight I have lost. So at the moment there is 16.8kg of water in it. Every time I get a little disheartened I go and pick it up and walk around my house for a few minutes. It reminds me of how far I've come. And how I never ever want to be in that situation again.

And every week after weigh in I get to put however much I have lost in there. I will not take any out if I have a gain, just make sure I know what its at because I know for sure I will re lose it

A woman I work with had lost 50lbs. She started to slip a little and had gained about 10lbs back. She was getting nervous so she went to the super market and bought 4 10lb bags of flour. She put 20lbs each into 2 backpacks and then wore one on her back and one on her chest. She could feel the extra weight on her and realized she didn't want to go back to that.

I have never really lost enough to do that but I think feeling the weight would keep you motivated.

I have a sticky note on my bulletin board that says "Guys don't make passes at girls with fat a****" It makes me laugh and keeps me focused.

I'm exactly like stella... I'm motivated by nothing

Sometimes I dont even feel like doing this stuff... but I do... Its all part of who I've become.

I'm the girl who goes to the gym everyday and I'm the girl who likes salad sometimes with no dressing....

Its all about commitment... I'm a little bit crazy so that helps with all of this... I'm crazy enough to get too freaked out if I dont do it... If I dont go to the gym and I dont follow my plan...

I've lost 125 pounds with no motivation...no real goals... no real rewards...

I just know that it will be worth it...and the fact that I look super hot in smaller clothes

I'm a visual person, so I have to see my motivation. It may be silly but one thing I watch, especially when I'm feeling low- is to watch some scenes from Biggest Loser or Dance Your A$# Off... and I see these people who are larger then me, more medical issues then me and that often makes me think "wth am I doing sitting here on the couch, those people are busting their butts, so can I!"

Also thinking and talking with my husband about my future is a good way to remember why I'm doing this. We want children and although for not many more years, I want to be in prime shape before having them and I want them to be raised in a health conscious, active household. The little ones (although not even born!) are some of the biggest motivators.

Fat pictures.... nothing hits you like a look at your own fat picture. I purposefully take horrible pictures of myself on my phone and take a look at them when I need some motivation or strength to walk away from Little Cesars.