Yah... lots of questions from this newbie.

I "only" have about 20 lbs to loose. I know there are people with many more lbs to loose and may scoff at my "measly" 20. I know there are people who want to loose only 5 lbs and maybe think my 20 is a lot. I am at a loss right now. I know the things to do:
Eat healthy/fewer calories
Exercise
Drink more water

But I can't seem to get my butt into gear to do it. I'm good for most of the day. From the time I get up til about 3-4 in the afternoon... and then I loose resolve. I am a completely emotional/stress eater & that time of day is stressful for me. Then in the evening after the kids go to bed I always unwind with a bowl of icecream or some chips or some M&M's... or something.

So what do you do to loose? What motivates you? What works for you? What drives you? What encourages you?

A lot of people here will tell you not to rely on motivation because it comes and goes. Many people will say that it is commitment that counts. I have found that to be true for me. For me, the first few weeks were the hardest. I had to fight the impulse to eat things that were not in my plan, especially late at night (I am like you in that regard). What happened for me is one day built upon another and then another and so on. Once I got some momentum, it just clicked. And, once you see results, it is even easier to keep going. So, my advice is commit to your weight loss and then just take it one day at a time... you will be amazed at how quickly the days start to add up.

I wish you the best on your weight loss journey!

Cheers,

J

Well, this might not apply to you since you only need to lose 20 lbs, so you probably are not very overweight. I'm losing weight primarily for my health. I have overweight/obese family members who are suffering from health problems because of their weight. I'm 23 and am healthy, but I can stand to lose at least 70 lbs, and this extra weight is a burden on me... literally and physically! I've lost about 40 lbs so far and I already feel so much better.

Well put J and I agree.

Good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

I have about 10 more to lose, I have lost 25 so I see where you are coming from.

I bought a bodybugg. I knew I was not that far out of reality, I did not and do not have real eating issues, but I just could not find tha ballance between calories in and calories out. I now have a better ballance with what I do and how i do it.

Good luck and to 3FC

I'm going to suggest that you find a daily thread to join.
Like this one http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/featherweights-197/
Come every day and read and post. It'll help keep you in the "slender, healthy" frame of mind.

I don't think that I am driven or motivated, to me, they both feel like outside forces and I think that it was decided to cut out 'outside forces' that really helped me. I decided that every single mouthful was my own choice; that I didn't have to eat to make anyone else happy, because they had annoyed/upset me, because I felt compelled to do so or because I needed to 'tidy-up' any left overs.

I do a lot of exercise but I'm probably not as strict with my diet as a lot of the women on here, however, I am mindful of everything I put into my mouth and I know that all junk food is a compromise and that if I eat it, it will take me longer to get to my goal. I think about the junk food you've mentioned almost every night, well maybe not every night now but every night at the beginning, and I weigh up what I want most; the junk or the body that works as well as it can.

After the first couple of months, the momentum I'd built up helped. I felt a bit sluggish before but I'd convinced myself that I was nearing 40 and that 'a bit sluggish' was normal for a middle aged woman and I didn't really notice how much better I was feeling until I had a salty junk food blow-out and then suddenly felt awful. Reminding myself that if I eat pizza, I'll feel like I've been chewing on shoe leather, have a swollen belly and dry staring eye doesn't always stop me indulging but it usually does.

For me, I get overwhelmed if I think of my entire goal. At this point, I have 27 more pounds to lose. Which, like you, isn't a HUGE goal. But at the rate that I lose, that seems like an awful long time. So long, that it doesn't even seem worth it.

It may just be the way my brain is wired, but I break everything up into baby steps. 10lbs at a time, 5 more minutes of running at a time, one week at a time, one day at a time, one half our at a time, etc. When I'm having an unmotivated on-the-verge-of-a-binge kind of day, I force myself to think of the day in half-hour intervals. Can I keep myself from eating out of control for 30 minutes? Probably. Can I get my running shoes and clothes on in the next 30 minutes? Yeah. Little steps build up.

I'm not always motivated. This last week, I was very unmotivated to the point of wanting to throw in the towel. But, I forced myself to stick with it, and I lost 2lbs

i have 38 more lbs to lose to meet goal. I rely on my little motivation kicks, it causes me to burn more in less time, but when motivation stalls outs...I rely on COMMITTMENT.

When I am relying on committment I really ask for support from my 3FC friends....then I can feel motivation again.

Always track progress. Seeing your own progress is one of the biggest movitational tools.

I hope you lose that 20 lbs in no time. I am more of a restructure--before loss type girl. so the weight comes off slowly, but with huge changes.

Whenever I hit a plateau, I start by changing up my exercise routine. Ill take a different class or do the stair master instead of running. I find a lot of motivation through exercise because this is how I have seen the most results .. and when i see results i am happy =)