Amy what you're going through is a very normal part of long-term weight loss. It's one of those battles that your head throws at you - and often - and is one of the most important fights for you to win.
Don't wait for motivation or inspiration - it doesn't come very often. Most of the time it's about making a commitment to yourself, and doing the 'hard yards' at the very times you don't feel like it.
I have been in the space you are in several times over the last two and a bit years. And when it gets like that I get out a piece of paper and write down the goals for today - and then I just do them.
A good example: I weighed myself this morning, and am THREE pounds heavier than I was yesterday. The first thing I did was move the scale to a different bathroom tile and try again
- same result. Then I extended my middle finger at the number on the scale, called it a traitorious little f#@ker, and gave the scale a dirty, dirty look.
And then I cast my mind to the food I ate yesterday and realised that I am very probably retaining water because I had more salt, more chocolate and less water than I should. So out comes the blank piece of paper…
Amy look at what you have achieved. You're really close to having lost 50 pounds - and don't tell me you don't want to reach THAT amazing goal. You fit into smaller clothes, have a lot more energy for your kids, and can do things that you couldn't do a few months ago.
Plateaus are very frustrating. I have been through a couple now - one that lasted about 14 weeks, and the trick to not letting them do your head in is to set an 'upper limit'. Let yourself gain a few pounds, but have a number in your mind that you will NEVER let yourself go past. For me, my current upper limit is 76kg.
Having an upper limit helps you deal with bad weeks, special events, holidays and your own rebellion against "the diet". But it keeps you safe, and stops you from completely losing the plot. It's also good practice for maintenance.
Another thing you can do is set a small goal - and then have a personal 'competition' to beat it. Maybe challenge yourself to lose 10 pounds in 15 weeks - something you know you can do - and then throw some energy into getting there.
I have ONE main goal for today - and that's to flush out the extra fluid I am obviously hanging on to, and that means drinking at least two litres of water today. At least!
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