I use the mirror lol.

No really, I use the fact that

Every time I sit down there is less and less tummy there

I can walk up a flight of stairs and not be out of breath

I am down a pant size

I don't want to die before my time because no one will remember to feed my beloved Winkie ( my cat ), like he would let anyone forget

I no longer want to be sick when I get out of the shower and see myself while I am drying off

I love the sense of accomplishment I feel every time I drink tea instead of mountain dew ( ok, I still have my dew times )

I had a construction worker whistle at me the other day ( been awhile )

I am tired of not wanting to be seen by people

My children want me around for a very long time, what I am doing is reducing my risk of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes hopefully giving me a longer and more healthy life.

I have only been on this journey to a more healthy thinner me for about 7 months so I haven't ran out of motivation yet. I stared out with 78lbs to lose. I have lost 36 of those lbs. That is 46% gone gone gone. That is motivation to me.

I picture the photoalbum of my future. Not necessarily me wearing a teeny bikini (though there are some of those fantasy pictures!) but pictures of me finishing my first 5k- sweaty and hair messed up with dorky running sunglasses and a cheesy promotional visor. Or my first sprint triathalon, making funny faces in my swim cap. Or a candid photo of me in everyday life, standing tall and laughing. Or hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail, and putting on my little commemorative pin when I finish all 165 grueling miles. Or me sitting on my butt in the snow, laughing, after struggling through my first cross country skiing trek. None of these things have happened yet, but I can see them so vividly that it pushes me so much harder to be able to capture them on film.