I am so discouraged. With any big change, it is hard for me to stay on my weight loss plan. I am about 1 month in this time. My husband left town for work, and will be gone about a month. I have quickly slipped into old habits.

I am having a hard time staying motivated. It is hard for me to be 100% when he is gone, because I get stretched so thin with the house, the kids, etc.

blah.

I'm having trouble with motivation lately too. Sometimes I just ask myself, why? Why NOT eat that cookie? Why bother exercising? That's actually how I ended up on this site. Trying not to give up. I think showing love and compassion for myself works to help if I remember to give it. Sometimes a cookie is all I "need". It's hard. Hang in there.

Be gentle with yourself and try your best. If you make a mistake keep on keeping on. Remember why you want to do this.

Don't give up, snootson! Feeling motivated or unmotivated...those are both passing emotions. When the unmotivated spell breaks and you look around, you don't want to see that your actions during that time pushed you away from your goal. I can understand needing to ease up and indulge a little, whether that's with bigger portions or foods you've been avoiding. Could you be structured with that indulgence? Like, still stick with whatever plan you've been using but allow yourself that indulgence once a day or every few days?

I think a key with weight loss is not letting our transitory moods and emotions have too much influence over how we eat. Accommodate it a little, but not so much that it removes you from the right path for you. One day at a time, snootson. You can do this!

Its only a been a days since being on this site, but I tell you in those 10 or so days I have had crazy highs and lows emotionally where I wanted to just say eff it, I'll be fat. When I felt that way, I came on this site and scrolled through the goals and mini goals photo album. Seems superficial, but in that moment that is what I needed... to know that I am not alone in this journey. You are not alone in this journey. There will come a point when I will need to vent and have people reply with support. This site is amazing for that is what I've gathered in my few days here. Remember that while you have a house a kids, you have to take care of yourself too. Also remember that if a cookie is all you really need, you aren't going to undo everything with one cookie. Don't let food win. We're smarter than food

Hanging in there is literally the only way to succeed at this.

I lost the bulk of my weight in 2011, got pretty close to my ultimate goal, but have gained a few pounds due to having a total knee replacement in December (I'm already losing again!) - but I still have a lot of motivation issues, too. It always helps me to remember that though this journey is tough, and I sometimes think, "What harm is this pizza? What harm is this ice cream?" Etc., etc., etc...but then I remember how hard it was being 230 lbs. I hated myself, literally hated myself. I had zero confidence, my work performance was terrible, I had ditched all of my friends because I was too embarrassed to go out and my marriage was suffering. I didn't even want to see my family - it was horrible.

So yeah, eating right (most of the time) and exercising regularly can be tough, sometimes I fall off the wagon - but then I remember how difficult my life was back then and it helps me - even if it's just for an hour, hopefully I've at least stopped a binge.

Maintaining, for me, is easier than being so unhealthy and unhappy. That's what keeps me motivated!

aw, snootson, hang in there!! You've been 'in' for a month and that is GREAT!! It is so worth it. Granted, when you have kids and a house to take care of you sure do get stretched thin sometimes but YOU ARE WORTH IT.

Being fit makes life SO much easier, with stamina, strength to carry in groceries, just everyday life. And as much as we sometimes are feeling antsy and vengeful and think we just have to have something that is off-limits..if you push through it, you feel so proud afterwards ( I am one of 'those' who can't have just one treat, I do better to abstain completely)

You do have my complete sympathy in that I found it near impossible to work out when I had a small child around..heck, it was impossible for weeks when we had a puppy and she would NOT leave me alone when I was on the floor, LOL so there are always obstacles in our way it seems But keep coming to 3FC when you are feeling weak and read and know you are not alone

I totally understand the losing motivation. I've lost weight successfully before but gained it all back. What i'm learning this time is that I stay reminding myself of my WHY. WHy do I want to change. How my life can benefit by being healthier. I have a super busy schedule. I work 12-16 hour shifts and regularly work my days off. But I've learned that making "me" time is important. and i choose to use my "me" time to do something active to get my endorphins going to help me feel happier. and meal prepping makes it easier to not fall off track. find new fun things to try.

I'm clinically and chronically depressed. If I let motivation be a factor, I wouldn't do anything. I decided about a year ago that being at a healthy weight was important and it wasn't going to happen if I only worked at it when I felt like it. So I committed to never giving up.

Sometimes I have my stuff together and my diet and my life just flows. Sometimes I don't and it's all I can do to manage basic self care. Either way, I just keep trying.

My advice to you would be to just do the best you can when you're struggling with a change. So what if you're not 100 percent? Everyone struggles to right themselves when their boat gets rocked. Be kind to yourself and know that you're in it for the long haul.

Motivation, is what gets you started.

Commitment, is what sustains the journey.

Small steps! Conquer one thing, then another, then another! And so it goes.

Think about it this way. Did you learn to ride a tricycle, a bicycle, learn to swim, learn to bake potatoes, do laundry, check the air in your tires, balance your check book? Most likely you did a few of the above, along with lots of other things.

You can succeed at this as well! Be patient! Fall down, ok, just remember to get up more times than you fall down!

Hi snootson. I hear ya re: losing motivation. I was in a groove. Then poof. Groove gone. Now it is so hard to get the motivation back. I may have a suggestion. Maybe you could think about how you could feel motivated or accountable. Joining a gym? Planning a visit to someone you want to show a smaller you to. I don't know. Hey, I have to lose the 8 I gained in maintenance. Sort of family reunion with an uber critical mom. And even with that, motivation is grueling. I do feel for you. Just keep trying.

Thank you all! I am so thankful that I have all of you for support.