What keeps you motivated? Give me some Ideas.

I am so mad at myself I stay motivated and OP for a good few months I lose weight then I just go off OP one day and it's the hardest thing to get back OP. I haven't gained any weight back I have been maintaining it. And I think thats just because I am so busy because I work part-time and go to school full-time I don't have time to think about eating too much. But I am not losing. I have not been eating the right foods. I have stressing about my schedule at work with school because I have so much on my plate. I can't cut my hours back at work anymore I need the money I have a little girl too. I think thats my excuse for being off plan. I just need some major motivation.

Tell me what you guys do to motivate yourselves, anything, please!

Kayla

Hi! You DO have a lot on your plate! I personally tend to have high anxiety about things so when I get wrapped up in all I have to do, eating healthy and working out definitely takes the back burner. I think a good first move for you right now might be to relax a bit.

Is there a day in the near future that you can have all to yourself? Start and end the day right... dedicate it completely to yourself. Don't make plans with anyone but yourself! Take a walk, take a bubble bath, have some tea, get your hair cut or nails done, read a book... relaxing things that YOU like to do.

It's really sounding like you're burnt out, which makes it hard to focus on goals. Try to squeeze a day in to recharge so you can feel fresh to "start over"!!!

I tell myself that "i can do this" I want to do this and I will do this. Than, i workout and eat right. Train yourself back to saying "no" to bad foods. one of my problems was that I didn't eat a lot but when I did, I did not always choose the right decision so now I do. It takes a bit but the more you say No to bad foods the skinner you get

I am so off plan just now it's not even funny. A lot of good things are going on in my life right now and i've found that now i have other things to focus on, weight loss has taken a bit of a back seat... Before i started back at uni, i didnt really have anything to focus on and working out and eating well gave me something to work on.
But im NOT going to undo all the good work ive done.
What is helping me get back on track today is thinking about how sexy i felt in my new skinny jeans on saturday night and how a hot guy told me i looked gorgeous It's the best feeling in the world and no chocolate cake or pizza can make u feel that good!
So today im back on track, just worked out and eating healthiy again, and i feel so good for it.
good luck getting back on the wagon, we know u can do it!!
Cat
x

I completely agree with this! This weekend I was doing so well turning down bad food multiple times when my friends were over. Sunday I had ONE slice of pizza and even tho it fit into my calories for the day it made me feel like I failed at following my eating plan for that day. I think if you just train yourself to believe in what you can accomplish each day instead of overall, you'll get through it eventually.

I too go to school full time and have a part time job. I've got an internship on top of that and very little free time myself! I do not have a daughter, but I do have a needy boyfriend who I live with haha. It is just about making space in your brain to juggle thinking about one more thing-you! I actually enjoy being able to experiment with my favorite foods and how I can make them low-cal and fitting for my plan.

It helps me to wear things in my closet that I am close to fitting into, or a new pair of a smaller size jeans to get me back to positive thinking and seeing how far I've come.

You can do it!

There are a lot of things that keep me motivated.

I feel much much better since I started exercising. My body feels so supple, it seems like I'm flowing. It is a joy in itself to walk a few steps or do some housework because I keep thinking "Wow, moving feels so great!" I hope this stays because it is a great motivator for exercise.

I keep discovering joys of the losing itself. Clothing I fit again. Being happy when I look in the mirror, instead of unhappy. I don't feel as bad when I have to sit a long time (my butt would start aching and I'd move to and fro all the time to find a comfortable way of sitting, which I never succeeded in). This weekend my 12 year old brother took my shawl and I ran after him, overtook him (to his great surprise) and took the shawl back. I could never have done that a few months ago.

I feel so much more healthy and alive, like I am a person capable of almost anything as long as I'm really trying. Unconsciously I changed my behaviour because of my weight (or better said: because of the insecurity caused by my weight). Not wearing certain clothes, saying no to go swimming, having a bad mood all the time when my parents wanted to walk / cycle (because I had difficulty keeping up with them). I'm shedding off all that now and it feels so great. Compared to that, watching my eating and exercise seems like such a tiny sacrifice...

I look at how far Ive come and how little i have to go

great topic. great to hear other ppl's inspiring words. i myself, have only recently discovered "motivation". i think it's bc i'm finally noticing my weight loss. and like catrocks already said.... food, no matter how tasty, will never make me feel as good as being comfortable with myself.

the other night i was smoking out my art class studio, and a stranger walked past me, turned around and walked back to me, and asked if he could take me out for the evening. after i declined, as he was walking away he said "btw, you have a great ***"

granted the comment may have been sleazy, but who cares. i'm not introducing him to my parents. it made me feel great. and later, i told my boyfriend, and he kinda laughed it off. but maybe he felt a bit jealous, or even a bit proud. needless to say, he couldn't keep his hands off me or my butt for the whole night.

that whole situation right there felt better than any snack or goodie ever would.

What keeps me motivated is a self-image of myself slim. It's all about seeing myself slim, that does it for me! I've never been slim and would really like to see what I look like.

the main thing that keeps me going is the alternative to NOT keeping going. When im thinking "oh this is so hard" i reply to myself "well, what are you going to do? are you going to give up? No? well...i guess we better keep going then!"

then there is always the stuff i dont have to worry about- worrying about sitting next to the window on the bus (of all things!), worrying about being the biggest, slowest person around, worrying about my heart!

you said it, lady!!!!! i'm feeling the same way. i got the blinders up right now, and i'm only looking straight to the finish line. i refuse absolutely refuse to get knocked down. i wanna see myself thin so very badly, i refuse to stop at this point.


also, i'm finding the more times i say no to food, the easier it really is getting. and the immense sense of pride in myself after refusing the food is so invigorating.

I have 2 kids and am in school full time too. It is so hard to stay motivated when you are just so worn out. What helps me is that i plan for it. Two days out of the week i'm allowed to be too tired to work out, too tired to make some big healthy dinner. I order veggie thin crust pizza or some other healthy take out, relax and hop back on track the next day. For some people this wouldn't work, i know, but if i were to try and stay 100% on plan 100% of the time it would be unrealistic.
To get back on track, i remind my self why i'm working out * to be healthier, to hopefully live a long full life with my kids. To not be out of breath when walking on campus, to show my kids what being healthy is. I try and remember that feeling i get after a good workout, and usually its enough. Sometimes i just tell myself i'll do ten minutes. If after ten minutes i'm done, that is it. Usually i keep going though.
Congratulations on maintaining though. That is an accomplishment in itself. At least you have not gained! Your daughter is lucky to have a mom who cares about her health, :hugs. I hope you find the motivation you are looking for.

I listen to the Jillian Michaels podcasts (the trainer from Biggest Loser) and she gets this question quite a lot...her response is ALWAYS "why do you want to be motivated in the first place?" That's supposed to be your motivation. I made a list of all the reasons I want to lose weight, and every time I need motivation I look at that.

One of the biggest things that keeps me motivated is that all over TV people say, "I want to look like I did when I was 20" and I think to myself, "I am 20 and I can't stand what I look like!"

Now is the perfect time to get back on the right track so I can do all the things I want to do in life, rather than starting off life regretting...