I've gotten to the point that everyone here keeps talking about: motivation has run dry and commitment should kick in... except it isn't for me . I feel like it's all kinda pointless again. I want to lose the weight, so idk what's holding me back.

I can't convince myself to go on my treadmill anymore, and I've started to let things slide with my calorie counting; any suggestions?

I don't wanna be the person that does well for a little while then goes off track until the motivation comes back... i need to really be committed, but i guess i just havn't found my reason yet .

You CANNOT get off track. Think about how much work you have put in, you have lost 23 POUNDS! That is AWESOME! If you stop now, you will not only NOT reach your goal of 160, but you run the risk of gaining back those 23 pounds you have lost. Do you really want to do that? NO! Do NOT let all your hard work up to this point become lost..YOU ARE BETTER THAN THAT! Believe me, this has happened to me. I went from 210 to 178 and gave up...and guess what? I went back to 210 in about 6 months AND gained another 15 to where I was 225. I know it seems like you have a lot of weight to lose, and we all struggle. But you DO NOT want all your hard work to go down the drain. YOU CAN DO THIS! Just take one day at a time, have some long term goals in mind, and keep coming here to get support!!!!!!

In my opinion it's time for alittle reward session to get you back in the saddle. Maybe after 2 weeks of regular exercise you treat yourself to a mani/pedi or a new top or shoes. Whatever it is you consider a treat that ISN'T food. Something to make you feel good about your hard work.

I just wrote quite a long blog post musing about creating motivation. There's a link in my signature if you want to read it.

But, I would bet that the loss of Mojo has very little to do with not wanting it enough. There's probably something scary that you don't want to face? Are you approaching a significant number? That can mess up my mojo. Are there other issues that you aren't dealing with? They can make you feel helpless and can lead to a lack of mojo.

In other words, this is all in your mind. Work through the thought processes, and you'll probably find what's blocking you.

I would actually consider treating yourself NOW. Don't wait until your back on the wagon. Reward yourself for being you, and generally being a decent person. You might simply be feeling deprived.

I've been fat my entire conscious life and sometimes I just get tired of thinking about food every cotton-picking minute of the day. I just want to kick back and eat what I want, when I want it. But if I do: I will be diabetic within a year; I already have hip replacements and they will have to be revised much, much sooner; I will have pain every time I have to walk up my steep stairs; I will never, ever be able to travel again, at least not without a wheelchair and lots of pain; my joints hurt now and wil be worse, ad infinitum. If you are younger, then it's hard for you to imagine what is ahead of you if you don't keep on your food plan and accept it will be for the rest of your life. You can be like me, and just start one diet after another and the next thing you know it's 25 years later and you are fatter than ever and not worrying about how you look in a bathing suit, but if you are going to lose your sight from diabetes or have to give yourself injections of insulin. Or, have your hips or knees replaced. Just do it becaue the alternative is terrible.

I've been feeling the same way, so I've been thinking a lot about it.

I think it's interesting that you said that you're "waiting for the commitment to kick in" I don't think that it will "kick in". I think you just have to decide to commit to it. That's why it's different from motivation, it doesn't just come to you, you have to make a conscious decision to stick with it. You don't convince yourself to get on the treadmill, you just get on it, whether you're convinced or not. Personally, for me, I'm never convinced! I just have to do these things I don't want to do.

You're farther along than I am, and I'm not really sure I know what I'm talking about, but I'm pretty certain that it's all just really hard, and you just have to stick with it, whether you want to or not. That's what I'm struggling with right now.

Theorizing weight loss, who would have thought!?

Suezeeque gave you a nice long list of reasons why you should stick to your plan, so I won't go through that part again. As Paris81 said, committment isn't going to "kick in". Committment is you carrying on with your plans to lose, even though you don't feel like it. Many times, I don't feel like exercising. I tell myself, "I'll just put my shoes and jacket on; I'll just walk around the block." But as soon as I get out there and move a little, I all the sudden want to go further.

If you really hate the treadmill, then find a different mode of exercise that you DO like....but remember that weight loss, for most of us, is mostly about your diet. It only takes a few seconds to eat enough Snickers to completely wipe out several days' treadmill sessions.

Finally: Remember that you do things every day that you don't necessarily feel like doing. Sometimes my inner two-year-old will kick up quite a fuss if I don't give her the junk food she wants or if I try to make her exercise. But I ignore her; she doesn't know what's good for her. She can kick and scream all she wants, but she WILL put on her shoes and go for a walk or a jog. As soon as I get her out there, she forgets all about her objections and has a good time.

Think really long and hard about the things that Suezeeque said. Is it worth it?

Make more mini-goals! That's why I haven't run out of motivation yet (or commitment, thankfully) because I keep setting goals for myself along the way that are achievable, and I reward myself for them!

For example, for every ten pounds lost I get a mani/pedi, and for every twenty pounds lost I get something like a new pair of shoes. For smaller goals, like 5lbs and being on plan for the day, or working out for an extra thirty minutes, I do something like take a bubble bath, give myself a makeover, etc. There's countless goals you can set for yourself so that you can achieve one each and every day of your journey!

lots of good comments here.

I had a couple of thoughts. maybe the treadmill is boring you and you need to shake up your exercise routine. maybe a class, or buying or checking out a couple of DVD's from the library might help.

maybe getting more excited about the food part, finding some new recipes or foods, to make that side of your program more appealing to you. if you haven't already looked at it, take a peek at the 3FC recipe sections.

seriously consider why you're struggling at this point, at the same time keep to your daily eating and exercise routines. let your good habits carry you through.

I know from personal experience it's easy to get burned/psyched out. you'll be glad you pushed through this and stuck to your guns.

If you are waiting for a magic moment of motivation to hit you then you're going to get yourself in trouble. Everyone has times in their journey when their motivation to keep going lapses... but commitment isn't about a single moment, it's about many. Many choices... choice after choice after choice.

Don't question whether you want to exercise, just do it. Make it mandatory in your life, like brushing your teeth. Stick with it... you've already come so far! Don't give up now.

Thanks everyone, really... but idk if it's that simple for me right now.

You're all saying that i shouldn't be convincing myself to do something, i should just be doing it... i guess that doesn't seem like an abstract thought to you, but it definitely does to me. I got this way by having no self control, and i don't think I've gotten to the point that i can 'just do it' quite yet.

Thanks for the support, it feels good to know people care enough to try and help .

I'll stick with convincing myself right now, because that's how i do everything in my life i don't want to do... hopefully one day i either wont have to convince myself because i want to do it, or at the very least ill just do it because i have to like you all are saying .

Also! ill definitely try the smaller mini goals. i have already split it into a few: -30lbs facial and new clothes, -62lbs girls weekend with my mom and new clothes, -94lbs Disneyland with my mom and new clothes, and once i get to my goal (-126lbs) I'm going to Australia with my mom (and new clothes, haha).

But i have had days where i was really proud of myself for doing something, but i still had the thought "you still have XX pounds to lose until you've reached your first goal, you don't deserve anything yet"... maybe I'll try to think of simple ways to reward myself .

Have you ever tried a group exercise program? Or exercising with a buddy who won't take excuses? Sometimes we are more reluctant to let other people down than to let ourselves down.

I know a lot of us are embarassed to exercise in a group situation but once the ice is broken it really is a motivating force. Putting your name on a dotted line can really work.

Already lots of good advice!! You know you have it in there -- just dig a little deeper!! We are all behind you to suceed!