Sorry for the dupe post but it looks like I originally posted this on a very slow board.

I'm 6 full days into my weight loss journey and weighed in 10lbs less this morning than last week. As you can see from my profile I have quite a way to go to get healthy. I've always had the desire and always start with incredible motivation only to have one cheat day that leads to a second and so on until I'm 10lbs heavier than I was before. I'm determined to make this go around different. I have to. See, my hubs and I have been trying to conceive for about a year and have gone through 4 iui's (because of MFI) and still no bun in the oven. We met with a specialist this past Tuesday and it looks like if we want to grow our family IVF is how it is going to have to happen. I'm ok with this...when you've cried as many tears as I have when staring at negative pregnancy tests having another plan gives me the hope that I started the ttc process with.

Dr said that I could do IVF this cycle but he is concerned about my weight and rightfully so. After talking to my husband, weighing all options and take a serious personal inventory of who I am, what I want and how I have to get what I want I think it's best to hold off on IVF until at least the fall. I have to get serious, change my life, get healthy, re-find my former love for working out and then hope and pray for a bambino somewhere around this time next year.

All that being said...what keeps you motivated?

Anyone else ttc unsuccessfully? Looking at IVF?

Thank you!

Hugs! I haven't been through that, but I can only imagine how hard that is!

As far as motivation...that comes and goes, it's commitment that you need. The thing that has worked for me is to not allow one bad day dictate what the next day will be like. 1 bad day doesn't undo everything, just as 1 good day doesn't get you to your goal. The good days start adding up, and before you know it you will have mad a huge dent in the weight you want to lose. Before you know it you will have dozens of good days under your belt and your confidence will grow by leaps and bounds to where 1 bad day won't phase you.

Start focusing just on today, just on THIS meal, THIS workout. Sometimes staring at the big picture gets overwhelming and discouraging, at least for me it does.

There is no doubt that you CAN do this. And, while I don't know your specific circumstances whatsoever, I know personally several people whose weight loss resulted in pregnancies. That's some definite possible motivation right there.

Stick around here!!!

Stephanie gave you some good advice! I'll say it again, don't let a bad day/meal/few days unravel your efforts. Especially if you jump on the scales and it's much higher - it's (mostly, if not all) just water weight. Life happens. Healthy habits don't happen over night so start making small changes and it's a lot more manageable. I know how daunting it can be at the start, but little changes add up to big results!

At the beginning I kept a food journal and wrote down everything I ate and drank. This really helped me to understand what I was eating and why. After a few weeks I didn't feel the need any more but at the beginning it was a big thing for me. Even though I mostly ate healthy food already I had to figure out why I was over weight. Portion control was a big issue for me.

I'm only saying some of my experience, and you'll find what works the best for you.. so stick around, this place is full of great folk

I'm sorry you've been having a hard time, so good luck with IVF when it comes up.. and take care of yourself! You can do this!

I can really only speak to the above as I've had issues in the past with an all or nothing attitude to weight loss and exercise. I'd start out like a dynamo and then quit when I found I couldn't keep up with myself. Finally, after many years of effort and failures, I have learned to make small changes then move to bigger changes. For instance, instead of starting out exercising 5 days a week, this time I started with 2 and have worked up to more. Also, I am allowing a lot of flexibility in my diet with a daily calorie range instead of being so strict. It's working for me.

Stephanie put it perfectly. Motivation comes and goes, so it really comes down to commitment. I suspect you won't have any problems staying on track until fall. That's not very far away. You also have the ultimate goal . Once you start losing weight, that will likely help push you forward too. It feels really good and makes you want more.

I have nothing new to offer. Everyone has given great advice! I start each day fresh. Each meal. I don't let one slip up blow the whole day, and I don't let setbacks blow the whole week. When you lose your motivation, always have the attitude that you'll start "now". Not tomorrow. Even if you slip up, it's always now. It's always a good time to try again. I did this for two months and finally I got back on track!

I keep a food journal, I use Bodybugg, I weigh myself every day, and give myself flexibility like EatMoreCelery. I don't deny myself treats, but I compensate for them in my daily calories. I make an effort to have at least 3 work outs a week, if not more. I mark a calendar and see how many red X days I have. I like the visual.

Good luck!

Find a plan that you don't need to cheat on. If you are on an overly restrictive diet, play with what you are eating until there are foods you like on the plan - not just dry tuna, lettuce and nonfat icecream (not saying that is what you are eating, but its what I see a lot on these boards.)

I count calories and am able to have cheese, bacon, avocado, pulled pork, wine etc all within my calorie budget. I don't need to cheat because I'm not missing out on anything (except eating too much of these things and feeling gross.)

I don't always have motivation, but I have made a commitment to track my calories and stay within my limits every day.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the support. I type this as I on the stationary bike.

In exactly1 week I'm down 13lbs. I've been using the my fitness pal app on my phone to track my calories and exercise. All of my research shows that at my current weight I should beeating 1300 calories. It's only been a week but my hanging eating habits actually make me feel better. I'm not necessarily eating less but I am eating smarter.

Thanks again andi look forward to being part of this support system.

WOW!

13# in a week! - you're doing GREAT! -

but I have to say, at your current weight, I don't think 1300 calories is ENOUGH and it might become quite difficult to keep up at that low rate right off the bat. You might want to recalculate? I did a calorie calculator for you (current weight + height & age) and it shows to maintain at 299# you would need to eat 2950 calories per day, and to lose weight, about 2300 per day.

At any rate, just know that you can do this... just keep it up, and when you feel your "motivation" starting to wan, remember WHY you're doing this.

I agree you could be eating quite a few hundred calories more and still lose!

Feel free to add me on MFP (stephanie1133), I use it and I love it!

Hi,
First of all congratulations on your weight loss so far! You already got some good advice from the others here.
I just want to say that I understand what you are going through with your TTC. I have been trying for over 2 years now with no luck. I have done 6 Clomid cycles and recently started with IUI. The Dr. said that we'll try 4 cycles total. After the first one failed, I realized that it was time to get serious and get my body in better shape if I wanted to conceive. I decided to take a break from the IUIs and lose as much weight as I could for the first month (which just ended). I am feeling great, so I am now going to wait one more month and lose some more weight until I go back again.
You said you are waiting 'til the fall for your IVF. I think it is a fantastic idea, you get a few months to lose some of the weight and also work on healthier eating habits which will come in handy once you are preggo
Good luck to you in your journey and keep coming back for support