[kneed2lose]

Hey all!

Im only into my second week of WW. The first week was good, I was motivated and it turned out great!

Now the second week, i had a slip-up and its been down hill since then. I feel like once i make a mistake Im hopeless and i lose all motivation.

I obviously want to be healthy and look great, but sometimes i feel like ill never get there because i lose motivation.

So what are some things that motivate you guys to continue on this weight loss journey and really push yourself?

[freedomreins]

I usually try to set a goal for a special occasion. My boyfriend's graduation is July 21 and I'd love to be at my goal of 145 for that day so I can float around in a sundress and look lovely

Keep at it, don't give up! WW works if you work it!

[zanheltangia]

For me it is part motivation part pure determination.

And I really think it's the willpower that does it than the end result, or at least it is that way for me. I don't focus that hard on the scale numbers, as long as there is a downward trend or if I know what my slip up was and was working on correcting it.

I started with a lot to lose, about 87 to 97 pounds maybe more, maybe less depending on how it is when I get there. If I would have sat back at the start and just stared at that number, I probably wouldn't have started. What started me was the fact that I was starting to get back pain. I had a little knee pain on and off, but I kept thinking, 'it's nothing'. But when my back started and wouldn't go away without chiropractic care, I had had enough. I had met others with severe back pain, and I didn't like the sounds of it. That's where my determination comes in.

I am determined not to have to take meds or give up certain activities because of my weight, and I realized that in a way I was. My breathing would be heavy after a quick chase after a teasing sister, I would have to slow down when helping my family clear away tree trimmings, I didn't want to do group activities that involved going outside, it was getting bad. I think of all of this when I want something a bit extreme food wise or when I didn't want to track or figure out the points for every little thing, and I realize I really didn't want or need all of it or that I had to make sure I got all my daily points and stayed within my WPAs.

I am still fighting with myself to get moving more, I need to get to the gym more often, and that's the hang up I have now. But basically there will always be something that is in the way or that you don't want to do but need to. I've learned that you've got to be stubborn about weight loss, if you don't fight your past habits and failings, we’ll just slip backwards and have to start over again, and I’m too stubborn to let myself do that!

[Old Schmoopy]

I agree, zanheltangia...it DOES take willpower! I think anyone who says dieting is easy, is CRAZY! I don't care what diet it is...willpower is still a key factor. WW is wonderful because of the variety and it's healthy, but I'd be lying if I said I don't feel hunger often. But...I have to tell myself that it's not really that my body needs food....I just WANT food because I'm used to eating whatever I want or I'm bored or stressed. What motivates me is the fact that I'm feeling healthier and knowing that what I'm doing is good for my body. I'm going to be 60 years old next month and I want to remain healthy and active for the rest of my life.

[Thinfor5Minutes]

I'm having a very rough time staying on track, mostly because I have a full time job with a 40 minute commute each way and I feel as if I just don't have enough time to plan. My husband is a vegetarian to add to the confusion, and I was looking through the WW cookbook last night and was not getting any inspiration of what to cook for dinner. And lastly I only get 19 points and get pretty discouraged when I realize just how little I seem to be able to eat before I am out of points. There's where planning would help, but that brings me full circle to my first dilemma. I need a kick in the butt.

[SissieSue]

For me it's a combination of will power, guilt, and looking to others for inspiration.

I agree with Zanheltangia -- in the end, will power is a lot of it. BUT, will power -- at least to me -- isn't some magical undefinable thing. It's really an issue of learning to plan my food/exercise and shape my environment so that my eating habits are supported, not challenged. When I don't plan properly (e.g., let myself get hungry, fail to have WW-friendly food on hand, etc.), my "will power" fails.

Guilt. It's a powerful motivator for me. Basically, I don't feel that I have any right to be overweight since my weight is a result of over-indulgence and sloth. I'm not a religious person, but I do think that it's "sinful" for me to eat too much when there's so many people who don't have enough food to eat. Plus, if I'm not healthy, I'm no good to anyone -- I'm not a productive worker or spouse. I don't think there's anything wrong with guilt being a motivator so long as it's not my only motivator.

Finally, I look to others for inspiration. I do a WW at work plan, and I find many of my coworkers to be inspiring. They stay on plan and lose consistently. And recently, I've found Alton Brown to be a motivator. He's someone for whom food is a passion -- it's his life. And yet he's made serious changes to his diet -- without sacrificing quality or taste -- and has lost 50lbs. THAT's motivating to me.

I hear you about the "slip ups." I have them more than I would like to. But all those cliches about "falling down" and "getting back up and brushing oneself off", etc. are true. The people that we call successful (at whatever it is that they're successful at) don't "get it right" the first time or all the time. BUT, they do keep on going even after "falling down." It's consistency that matters, not perfection.

GOOD LUCK!! You can do it!!!

[PlatinumGi]

At the end of the day when I lay my head down on my pillow to fall asleep I want to know that I did everything I could to make myself a healthier and better me. You have to want it....if you want it...you just have to find a way to do whatever it is to get you there. Of course it's hard to find the motivation, especially when life is so full of distractions, but don't you want to wake up tomorrow with the feeling of accomplishment ? That feeling is what keeps me going. Good Luck to everyone I know you can do it....just dig deep to find whatever it is that will keep you going !