Yay for you!!!! You've discovered the "secret" to weight loss!!!!

Motivation is great, but it peaks and wanes - big time. It simply can't be counted on when there's chocolate or cheesecake around. But that dedication, determination, COMMITMENT, that I'm going to do it no matter what attitude, that "just do it-ness", that STICKS with you.

Go you. Go you. Go YOU!!!!!

I'm motivated about 30-40% of the time. Really, truly, get out there and go MOTIVATED. It was higher during active weight loss, maybe 60-70% of the time.

I was, and in maintenance I am, committed to being on plan about 95% of the time. Sure, the commitment flags every once in a while too. But not NEARLY as often as the motivation does. And once I've gotten off plan, commitment is MUCH easier for me to get back.

It's really quite a difference.

Before I even finished reading the above paragraph, I was nodding in agreement about the commitment flagging every now and then. But thinking that another really BIG factor in commitment vs. motivation, is that commitment makes getting BACK on track much, much easier. And by the time I got to the end of the paragraph, I see you had written just that.

Don't wait for your Want to's to Want To!

They'll trip you up everytime.

NEVER give up what you want Most, for what you want at the Moment!!

This was my mantra, my tag or sig line for well over a year when I first started this journey. I should put it back. I had this posted everywhere in my house too. On the fridge, pantry, cupboard, even on take out menues!!

Epiphanies are powerful tools.

Ha! This was the post that I lost yesterday! And now it has reappeared in the 'new posts' bit. I had a wobble yesterday and saw the title and thought 'I must read that' but posted a little rant first about losing motivation! Then I lost it. I', now going to read all the replies, but you are so right. I'm going to have to treat this as a project: some days will be harder than others but as long as I do something towards it each day, I'll be rewarded.

I also have this idea that maintenance will be easy. Sometimes I think I'd like God or whoever/whatever to make me my ideal weight as I'd be able to maintain it easy peasy.

But that is just a fantasy, like motivation.

Thanks for this post. It has really, really helped

Lou

I kind of see motivation as a motor, and commitment as the boat. On the surface that might make it seem that the boat is the more important of the two (because a boat motor without a boat is pretty useless, but a boat can be useful on its own), but there are many situations in which a boat is virtually useless without the motor (I certainly wouldn't attempt to cross the ocean in a boat that didn't have one).

I also think that for some people motivation is the harder part of the equation, and for others commitment is the harder part of the equation. How you go about making changes is going to be influenced by which you find more difficult.

When I first started really eating healthy and exercising, my motivation was definitely high. I was participating in a Biggest Loser challenge at my school. The motivation has definitely waned during the summer months, but I am actually looking forward to school starting back up again because I hope that I can get back on a schedule and routine that will help get that motivation back.

I am committed to losing the weight....but motivation and commitment do go hand in hand, I think.

This is actually a good analogy. My point is some people are trying to cross this lake with only the motor! Probably not going to work in the long term...

I agree with everything that has been said. Whenever I tried to lose weight before, I used to lose a bit and then lose my motivation and give up. This time I made a commitment to stick to the lifestyle changes I made in January of '07 and so far, so good. Of course I've had setbacks and haven't always stuck to plan, but for the most part, I have.

For me, what worked is what I call the "3 Ds" - Desire (to lose weight), Determination (to get to my goal) and Discipline (to get out and exercise even when I don't feel like it).