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Old 04-26-2012, 08:28 AM   #1  
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Default How do you motivate yourselves?

I am so unmotivated, and every day makes me sadder. I feel useless and loserish (if that's a word) I feel like I can not achieve at anything! what gets you motivated? I hope there are others out there that can boost me and get me to KNOW that I can do it! The scale keeps creeping up and food seems to jump out at me. I eat without thinking, mindlessly filling my face and feel terrible afterwards.
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Old 04-26-2012, 08:51 AM   #2  
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If you can achieve weight gain by mindless eating, than you can acheive weightloss by mindful eating. Being a healthy "normal" body weight is the best feeling there is. No food can give me the same feeling as slipping into a well taylored outfit and lookin pretty smokin in it.

Some people will argue that there are some foods/drinks that they can not live without. They will pretty much confess that their life is unfulfilling without some foods/drinks, but for me, I'd give up ANY junk FOOD or empty calorie drink to continue to feel the way I do. But... you gotta do what you gotta do.
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Old 04-26-2012, 09:05 AM   #3  
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I keep a "vision board" at my desk at work that someone made - it's got a bunch of inspirational quotes - my personal favorite being

"Wow, I really regret that workout" - No one ever.

It's a cool, motivating thing to do if you have the time.

Also, if you have facebook - there is an awesome page that's open to everyone

https://www.facebook.com/GymMotivation
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Old 04-26-2012, 10:46 AM   #4  
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I really hit a big unmotivated slump long about January that knocked me down until about a couple of weeks ago.

Each day I'd tell myself "tomorrow". Each morning I'd tell myself "today". Each meal I'd tell myself "now". Each fail I'd tell myself "next time I'll do better".

You just have to do it. Like that saying, "Fake it 'til you make it". No matter how many times you start, and fail, don't stop. Each minute of each day is a chance to start over and do it right. I don't think it's about finding motivation. It's about just doing it.

One source of motivation for me is my scale. That whole time I wasn't motivated, I wasn't weighing myself either. I gained 10 pounds. For me, weighing myself daily is a real motivator. It helps keep my mind focused, and keeps me accountable. If I gain 2 pounds from yesterday, I will eat a lot better today. If I lose a few ounces, I get excited and I stay on track.

Last edited by twinieten; 04-26-2012 at 10:47 AM.
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Old 04-26-2012, 11:04 AM   #5  
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Hi JJ, I agree with twinieten about visiting the scale daily. When I don't weigh-in I can play games in my mind about what's going on. The thing to get past is the difference between what the scale says today and what I want it to say when I hit my 'goal'. But honestly, if you can see victory in days when you don't gain, and days when you lose a couple of points of a pound, you'll feel much better about your ability to hit goal.

Another thing that I'm working on is thinking that I'm inadequate until I hit goal. Which is total C##p, of course. But if I'm inadequate, there's really no reason to go out and try things that will make be happier and healthier because I believe that those things won't get me any where. When, really, of course if I at least 'fake it until I make it' I'll be racking up those healthy habits that will get me where I want to be. And, really, we shouldn't be doing those things to get to the endpoint of losing weight, we should be doing those things to care for ourselves.

And, you know, I think I'll get myself a vision board and post this post right in the middle of it for a daily reminder.

Last edited by Exhale15; 04-26-2012 at 11:07 AM.
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Old 04-26-2012, 11:37 AM   #6  
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staying motivated is definitely one of the hardest things! like a couple of other people mentioned, i weigh daily just to see how my body is doing, & when it goes up, it motivates me to work harder/stay on track & when it goes down it motivates me to keep doing what i'm doing.

this may sound weird, but i like to look at pictures of some celebrities who have bodies that i admire. i tell myself "you can look like that!" (even though i probably wont..) but it kinda helps to make me want to exercise. also, i think about all the cute clothes / new fashion i really want to try, but can't just yet because they don't really flatter my current figure.

the days where i feel the least motivated, i just talk myself into wearing my gym clothes & by the time i'm done dressing, i have no reason to not go & i actually end up feeling really good after my workout. hopefully you can find something that gives you that extra push!
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Old 04-26-2012, 04:55 PM   #7  
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When I'm feeling unmotivated, which is pretty often, I really try to visualize slipping into my "skinny" jeans once again and the confidence that came with feeling good about myself. Every time I'm about to slip up and I think of that good old phrase "nothing tastes as good as being thin feels!" Corny, but it works...usually!
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Old 04-26-2012, 05:03 PM   #8  
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i have been unmotivated to lose weight for YEARS. when i realized that my weight was holding me back from having a baby, i got real motivated. whenever i almost slip, i think about how beautiful i will look with a big round pregnant belly instead of a big round flabby belly, i think about how much fun it will be to watch my future child grow up, and how awesome my kids will think i am when i take them to play at the park every day. then i think, 'if you eat this hamburger, you will just want more, and you may never get those feelings'. that clears my head, even if it can be a bit depressing. lol
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Old 04-26-2012, 05:23 PM   #9  
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My motivation was scribbling down measurements and thoughts during my weight loss. I love reading back through the struggles and successes and it gives me a great kick in the caboose whenever I have a down day and feel like it was all a waste of time/energy/etc.

I also made sure I had a goal item I kept working towards. For some people it's a swimsuit, for others a dress or suit they wore at some other time. For me, my big goal item was a pair of jeans I had last wore 7 years previous when I last believed I looked "good". Well, those jeans are baggy now, despite me being the same weight/size as I was at the time - the fat and muscle re-arranged itself! How's that for a laugh?

Whenever My Body Gallery came online? That was also a huge motivation to me. Not to see how thin I could get, but the variety of shapes the same weight can come in - it's beautiful stuff! Anytime I get down, I flick through and go "the human body is awesome, go us!".
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Old 04-26-2012, 05:33 PM   #10  
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I'm new on this but I've almost lost a stone on my own and now come to a hard stage where I'm up and down everyday! I found that a great way to motivate myself was to make my own calendar for the present month and I stuck it on the wall new to my bed with some colour pens when I get into bed each night I put a green tick for a good day and a red cross for a bad day I feel like a kid at school trying to get sticks but it actually is a good way to stay on top of things and I'm a lot more organised now haha I would also agree that a daily weighing helps to show you the progress you are making! Just remember with your ticks and cross just be honest with yourself when I eat something bad I regret it cause I know I'm gonna have to be drawing a cross and it has kept me motivated and saying now to sweets offered to me! Give it a try an let me know
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Old 04-26-2012, 07:33 PM   #11  
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I separate my emotions from what I actually do in down times. If I feel awful, impatient, I just do it anyways. I don't think about goal, I just think, OK I'll just keep on doing this crappy thing. Maybe I'll switch up the routine, but I rarely do so in the super miserable times. I just keep going till I feel a little more positive, then I try to find ways to change up what I am doing. If I change my diet in too radical of a way when I am unhappy its harder for me to resist binging. And then I see the scale move 1 lb after like...a whole month of NOTHING and I am like YAY.

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Old 04-26-2012, 10:07 PM   #12  
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This is just my opinion, and maybe just my own circumstances, but I think sometimes we don't really get motivated until we hit bottom in some way. Some people are just naturally self motivated, I guess, but for me and many others the motivation to start losing weight and sticking to it didn't come until desperation set in.

For me, it was the realization that I was obese and in serious danger of diabetes and heart disease. I couldn't waddle down the hall at work without running out of breath. I had back problems and no longer had clothes that fit. I knew that I would die of a heart attack or diabetes if I didn't clean up my act.

I have heard of other people who had similar triggers: spouses who told them they were no longer attracted to them; a serious medical issue; a humiliating moment; losing our on a promotion to someone skinny; etc.

Now, when the alarm goes off at 4 am and I don't want to get up, I push on because I think about how I will be one more step closer to being healthy and fitting into my clothes.
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Old 04-27-2012, 07:54 AM   #13  
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Thank you all so much. Everyone had something different to say, but in reality it all comes down to the same thing. Self discipline, which I lack, and realizing that we CAN do this! Making sure we understand our feelings and moods and seeing what triggers us to eat mindlessly.
I have been off of 3fc for about a year now. maybe that is a sign in itself, get my caboose back on here, and keep myself accountable to people who understand why I am here in the first place.
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Old 04-27-2012, 08:09 AM   #14  
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When I start to lose my motivation I go to the goal page here and scroll through and check out the pics of people who've lost a large amount of weight. It reaffirms that it really is possible. I love seeing the before and after pictures. YouTube has a ton of great before and after vids. It makes me crave the day I'll have an after picture....more than I crave junk food.
I also go back and celebrate my own successes. I track everything. What I eat, what I weigh, even how much I exercise. I go through all my trackers and pat myself on the back for all the good things I've achieved.
As for the bad days, they happen. You just have to pick yourself up and carry on. Everyday is a new day and every meal is a fresh start.
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Old 04-27-2012, 08:28 AM   #15  
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That's a very good point that I have to remember...every meal IS a fresh start. No need to wait for Monday all the time.
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