[Dreamer2012]

I was doing great after I restarted back in August. Then around the middle of October I lost all motivation to carry on. At the end of October, I then began an office job in the city. My old job was 10 minutes down the road, now I've an hour commute in and also back home. When I was in my old job, I had great hours where I could go to the gym nearly everyday (although I didn't go everyday) and I was rarely too tired after work so I would go after work a lot too.

But now, I'm in an office job. I'm up at 6am and home at 7pm Monday to Friday. When I first got the job, my plan was to try go to the gym on Saturdays and Sundays and just twice during the week. Even if I went and did 30 minutes on the treadmill on weekdays, I would have been happy. But I'm just exhausted! The last thing I want to do is go to the gym once I get home at 7pm. I guess I'm looking for advice on how I can push myself to go once I get home from work.

I've 2.5 miles of walking to do each day with getting into the city and then walking to the office and that. I'm trying to make that count for something by doing it brisking but it's not doing anything because I've also gotten back into terrible eating habits. I'm bringing my lunch to work and will be fine. But once 5.30 hits and I'm finished, I will go to the shop and get something to munch on until I get home and have my dinner then! I'm eating more chocolate, crisps, jellies than ever before and drinking less and less water.

I'm slowly gaining weight. I was 135, but now I'm up at 143. It will just continue to go up and up. I'm a firm believer in trying new habits slowly and not doing something full force. But even doing that (i.e, my plan of only going to the gym twice during the week for 30 minutes) I couldn't do!

Nothing good is appealing to me right now. But I so desperately want to get to goal. I just don't know how to get my motivation again. Any advice on what I should do?

[Inkrid]

Most of losing weight is diet related rather than exercise. The walking should be plenty ~ maybe lift hand weights at home during weekends.

Half the battle is won by the bag lunch. Really plan what you're buying and eating after 5:30. Don't bring that stuff into the house!

Good luck!

[makebelieve]

You've got to remember why you're losing the weight in the first place. What kept you motivated before?

Try bringing healthier snacks to munch on? Or don't eat all of your lunch at lunch time, spread it out throughout the day?


I also don't get off work until 7. I know that if I go home, I won't go back out. So I keep all of my gym stuff in my car. I go from work straight to the gym. If you drive to work maybe that would help you? Or if you are taking public transit maybe you could just throw what you need in a bag and bring it with you?

[Zima]

I feel for you, Dreamer. I'm having a complete breakdown right now, food-wise. I was doing so well with no slip-ups for almost a month, and then I just couldn't handle it yesterday and ate and ate and ate.

As someone else said, the exercise you're getting during the week sounds like enough; It's your food you need to worry about. For me, that's the hardest part, and it sounds like it is for you too Wishing you the best of luck.

[Mad Donnelly]

Nobody can really PUT the motivation back in you. That comes from deep down inside. I can't even give you any of mine and I have it in SPADES right now ... for some reason ... or I would. So just do what you can do right now .. even if it's not "ideal" or "perfect" or what you really want to do. Just mark time until you're "feeling it" again just to keep yourself from falling backwards. You know what I mean?

Don't worry about going to the gym. For now, let the little things like taking the stairs, parking farther away, such as that be enough for now. I know I can't MAKE myself go to the gym. I believe in "fake it till you make it", but you can't fake going to the gym, obvs. Then once you readjust and you want to really get there, you'll be able to figure it out. But don't let the eating subside in the meantime.

I have a long commute, too, and I eat a protein bar (and I used to NEVER eat breakfast) and start my water for the day. And as long as I do, then the water is never something I have to force later. So, in that sense, I made the time work for me even tho obvs that takes away from, say, workout time. It's a hard transition to go from no commute to a long commute so no wonder you're having an issue with it.

For now, just "work" at staying at 145. It'll come back to you. I swear.