What keeps YOU motivated?

[Silly_Girl]

I've put on weight since being in my relationship, a lot of it in the last 4 months or so. It needs to come off but I can't seem to find my sweet spot in terms of staying motivated. I know exactly what I need to do, but... life is so busy, work is demanding, we're trying to move house, plan wedding etc and have both been ill for 3 weeks+ although nearly well again now.

 

I'm just not getting in to good routines and am not showing commitment to making changes even though it gets me down a lot and I know without a doubt I need to sort myself out.

 

So I'd be really interested to hear any tips or methods or advice that help you to stay focused and reach your fitness goals when working out/dieting/whatever is the very last thing you feel like doing!

[Nightsky]

start small. Only drink water! No juice, no soda, no energy drinks, no sports drinks, no boos.

[rys]

motivation-when i announce it then take pictures. i let my guy friends critic my progress. they're heartless.

[Ribbons Undone]

change ur diet, eat healthy. alot of veggies.

if u want to keep eating the usual meals, then cut down the portion sizes.

if ur going to snack, try something healthy.

dont skip meals or go without eating, or ur body will go into starvation mode and u will not lose weight.

drink plenty of water. keep urself hydrated.

u could get this app called 'my fitness pal'

with it u can keep track of all the food and drinks uve had each day adding up all the calories etc to help u control ur intake. u can also add in whatever exercises u have done and see how many calories uve burnt.

exercise whenever u get the time to but don't overwork ur body.

i got in shape from just dancing to my favourite music at home (because of busy lifestyle) and cutting down portions sizes and junk food out

hope this helps

[xxoo]

My main motivation is the workout itself. I do something I love (trail running), and I genuinely feel like I've missed out on my "me time" if I go more than a couple days without getting on the trails. Do something you genuinely love and look forward to, if possible.

 

My other motivation is clothes. Particularly cute workout clothes, but also jeans and swimwear.

[Anela]

I'm looking for motivation myself. trying to sort out my depression and physical health issues.

 

I'm also drinking more fresh vegetable juice. When I can, I get on the treadmill and watch or listen to something. on new year's eve, I was back on the rebounder, dancing/bouncing along to music.

[Casablanca]

Track calories

 

I use "myfitnesspal", it is available for iphone and probably android too. They also have a website...or just write everything down. When you see how much you are eating, it will be a shock.

 

Also what really motivates me is myself. I want to be in a good shape, I want to be healthy and I want women to find me attractive as well...but it is more about me feeling good for me.

 

It also takes times, I have been running for 2 1/2 years and over the last year and half, and I'm finally seeing really good results. Granted I wasn't over weight, so I had less to burn, but I am finally seeing great results ; so don't get discouraged

[Mr.White]

If I have an hour free time or even half an hour I just do some simple stuff at home or around my neighborhood. Slip up on work out clothes, running shoes and I am out of the door.

 

After work I sometimes have a towel, my workout stuff all in one backpack ready to go if I ever feel like going. Surely jsut having a work out pack ready to go at anytime in the passenger seat (I remind you PASSENGER seat, so you actually see it) and it will remind you.

 

My motivation you ask? They are very ill-intended but it is the only motivation I have.

 

The only good intentions are

 

1) For my own health

 

2) If I ever do decide to join the military, because I want to be infantry

 

3) To be in good shape for surfing, basketball and many sports to be played with friends

 

The bad intentions are

 

1) Girls

 

2) Girls with big BOOBS

 

3) Girls with big BUTTS

 

4) Sex

 

5) Sex

 

6)Sex

 

Yes sex has to be repeated three times because being in good shape and having sex.....:love

 

Also unless you are still in your early 20's or teens you should keep track of your nutrition, because diet comes before exercise to lose weight after your metabolism slows down later in age.

[Imported]

Nothing. I am like an automaton. I just do it, most of the time. Sometimes though, I wake up and say..."**** this ****" and I go back to sleep. Maybe wake up later and have some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. And whiskey. Or vodka. Maybe rum. Probably all three. At this point, pepperoni pizza as well, with extra cheese and pepperoni. and even more extra pepperoni. From a high dollar place that charges too much $$$ because I hate cheap pizza. It's not worth the calories, no matter how much $$$ it saves you.

 

I can usually only eat maybe half of the pizza before I feel like a pig. Then I throw it all away (not the booze) and get back on track.

[IT Geek]

For my own health.

So I can buy clothes at "normal" stores (Just bought some T-shirts at Sam's!)

To be able to hike part of the AT next year

Run my first 5k in April

 

And last but not least...

 

Maybe be able to get a date to the NYE Masquerade Ball at Chateau Elan this year.

[suladas]

Just to look better, having to get rid of clothes because they are too big is awesome. In the first month of hitting the gym I was having a bit of a tough time going as much as I should, but since then i'm use to going a day off feels weird, I would go everyday if my body didn't need the break. I go 5-6 days a week, and most of the time do an hour of cardio. Diet is tough, I gave up pop for 3 weeks but then went back and am still struggling to cut it out. The way I see it though, cutting back on anything from your normal food will help you, even if you still don't eat perfect. I still enjoy my pop, deserts, and fast food once in a while. I don't care if it takes a few extra months to get to my goal as long as i'm making progress i'm happy. Also I find going to the gym helps because you see how tough it is to burn off those calories and avoid the food after.

[SpiralOut]

I have issues with stress and exercise is the one thing that helps me the most. If I feel crappy, then going to yoga class or taking out the bike is something I NEED to do to feel better. Kinda like taking a pill for your headache.

[Emilia]

 

So I'd be really interested to hear any tips or methods or advice that help you to stay focused and reach your fitness goals when working out/dieting/whatever is the very last thing you feel like doing!

 

Does your fiance do any workouts/sports himself?

[Eternal Sunshine]

Looks, physical health, strength, mental clarity - I use it to fight anxiety and depression without drugs.

 

Weighing myself every day keeps me on track. There is nothing that stops me eating at night like the thought of numbers going up on the scale in the morning.

[LittleTiger]

I've put on weight since being in my relationship, a lot of it in the last 4 months or so. It needs to come off but I can't seem to find my sweet spot in terms of staying motivated. I know exactly what I need to do, but... life is so busy, work is demanding, we're trying to move house, plan wedding etc and have both been ill for 3 weeks+ although nearly well again now.

 

I'm just not getting in to good routines and am not showing commitment to making changes even though it gets me down a lot and I know without a doubt I need to sort myself out.

 

So I'd be really interested to hear any tips or methods or advice that help you to stay focused and reach your fitness goals when working out/dieting/whatever is the very last thing you feel like doing!

 

Silly_Girl, the best way to motivate yourself is to discover YOUR motivation!

 

That may sound like an obvious thing to say but, being brutally honest with you, it doesn't matter one iota how other people motivate themselves - what matters is how YOU do.

 

What exactly is your goal?

ie

What are your reasons for wanting to lose weight?

ie

What is it that you hope to gain from being slim?

ie

How will your life be different (in a positive way) when you are slim?

 

If you can answer those questions you will find your personal motivation. Ask yourself how you will feel, what you will see, what you might hear, what you will do, how you will behave, how others will behave towards you. How will your weight loss and healthier lifestyle affect other people in your life (eg your fiance), and what difference will that make to you?

 

If it helps, you can also write down all the reasons why you don't want to stay as you currently are ie what are the downsides of staying overweight.

 

If you don't know what it is you are aiming for, or why you want things to change, you will not be motivated to stay focused. If life isn't going to be significanty better when you've achieved your goal, what incentive do you have to achieve it?

 

I, personally, have a million reasons why I make the effort to stay slim and fit and probably none of them will be the same as yours.

 

Motivation comes from within and with a goal such as weight loss it's a very personal thing.

 

Good luck getting on track - keep us posted!

[Toddbt12y1]

My motivation is to prove myself wrong.

To prove my cheating ex, wrong. To make her realize, I'm standing tall without her, she has not broken my body into ruin.

(Though for a while....which is why I must prove myself wrong.)

 

I love it. I love the pumps, the feel-good effect afterwards.

 

My motivation is simply to prove all those who doubt me(and myself) wrong.

[Anela]

Last Friday, in the evening, I knew I wouldn't be able to get out on the Saturday for food, so I bought enough veggies for my juice over the weekend - and avoided things like the crumpets that I *really* wanted.

[JamesM]

Little Tiger said it best...what is my motivation may not be yours.

 

Mine is health. My wife is looks and how she feels.

 

She cannot get motivated by health. I was only motivated by looks when I discovered that I fit in clothes that I haven't fit in about two decades. (Last year I lost 40# from January 1 to December 31. 30# was lost in the first six months).

 

How to do it?

 

There is another thread or two that gives the best ways to lose weight, but again...as I have learned, everyone has a method that works for them.

 

What I do know is that whatever you do needs to be a long term change or it will only be a short term loss.

 

All you need to do is to take the first step. The hardest period is at the beginning when you only lose a pound or two and gain it back and down a pound. But you need to get started one pound at a time. Do not be discouraged and do not give up.

[tman666]

The biggest motivation for me has always been seeing results specific to the goal(s) I'm pursuing. Most recently, being able to see more of my hard earned muscle as a result of my efforts to lean out has been extremely motivating. Being able to see one's abs is cool, don't get me wrong, but being able to see vascular and well striated shoulders is cooler in my book.

 

Occasionally, I'll get compliments from random people on my physique, and that's always kind of a boost, even if it's not the primary reason why I train.

[Imported]

Also, when I get back on track I like to blast this song and play it over and over for a while

 

 

I sing along too. Pisses me off that they never have it on the karaoke machines at places I go to and they won't let me add it

[wild wolf]

Motivation? Knowing I am bettering myself in a way that only I have control of. Setting mini goals to make the real goal seem a little less scary. Also, I have a physically demamding job, so staying in shape means I keep my job. That might be the greatest motivation of all. But, as mentioned by a few members, sex is so much better when you feel sexy and healthy. And we all love sex, no?

[ooglesnboogles]

My motivation is quite often fleeting. I know exactly what should be great motivators for me, but there are those really down days when I just say "ahhh, screw it!"

 

My main motivator is my progress. For the past few months I haven't put on a single pound. I came very close during the week of Christmas, all that extra eating, but managed to move around enough to hold it off. Nowadays when I step on the scale, I'm excited to see if I've finally shed that extra pound. I don't want to go back to worrying about whether or not I gained weight, so I think about that then say "If nothing else, do just 5 minutes of floor exercises" or "Just get out of the house for a few, see if it shakes up your mood". I don't want to slide anymore, since I've made such progress and it's so easy to take that slide and keep going in the wrong direction.

 

As others have noted, my other main motivator is seeing myself in the mirror. I've got a lot to go before I can be happy every time I see myself, but at least now there are some days when I look in the mirror and think "damn, looking pretty good today!"

Having not felt that way in years, I want to see just how much farther I can go =D

[Eternal Sunshine]

My other motivator are clothes. I was trying on some jeans yesterday and the sales woman kept trying to convince me that I am smaller size than I thought...she was right. I am also able to wear super low jeans now with nearly no muffin top. I am actually pretty thrilled.

 

It's even making me able to handle other life stresses better. Whatever happens I think...hey but I can wear super low jeans

[Silly_Girl]

Does your fiance do any workouts/sports himself?

 

Yes, but he's been in to exercise all his life, with cycling as a teenager, and later running. He's training for a half-marathon. But where he'll force himself to get his gear on, reluctantly mind you, he'll come back on a high. I'll find 'reasons' to not go with him or not get on the treadmill.

[Silly_Girl]

I really appreciate the input, thank you. Useful thread for me. Last year I took up running and entered 3 races of 5k each. As someone who had never previously exercised on a regular basis it was a big deal for me and I felt great. I wanted to do more this year but am still feeling rubbish from illness.

 

I understand what you folks are saying about 'my' motivation versus 'your' motivation but I wanted to hear if there were any tips I could pinch. There's the old favourites... 'Pic on the fridge of the body you want' and that type of thing that some folk swear by.

 

I've a million reasons to do this, and some are quite big to me.... I've a wedding dress on order that will NOT fit me if I don't get back to my usual weight. I want to try for a baby towards the end of the year and my BMI is currently high 20's. I want to be a good role model for my teenage son who is at a tough age where body issues and fitting in are concerned. Not least - my mood has taken a massive plunge since the weight piled on, it's as though I'm carrying around a massive burden (oh! I am!!).

 

I don't know why I don't push myself more. It's strange. Definitely a psychological thing.

 

That said, I've experienced a slight change. I love hiking and badminton but for the first time in my life I've found a workout I enjoy. On a whim I bought the 30 day shred DVD. I've done it 6 days in a row (previous consecutive run with any other DVD = 2 days). I enjoy it, I'm quite good at it in that my fiancé and son have both tried it too and struggle more than I do. It seems to tick something in me. I had a rough day at work, got in at 10pm but doing the DVD was non-negotiable. I had some bad news yesterday, was teary and upset, got my shorts on and did the workout, fab distraction.

 

My fiancé would rather run 3 miles than do the video, he says that's easier, but I'm so LAZY!!! Even fishing out my trainers, finding the right jacket; even leaving the house to run along pavements fills me with dread! Mostly because I find it so ruddy HARD! But I can't kick up a fuss about about sticking on some shorts and prancing in my lounge for 20mins. I already feel loads better and what I hope is that by raising my fitness level I'll be more keen to do other things I need to do to lose the weight.

 

In good weather I'll do a couple of short runs, some cycling and 20 miles walking every week. In bad weather I'll eat food and drink wine!

 

I'm really hoping I've found my 'thing' with this workout, and that this is the start of something. It's horrible hating yourself for not keeping healthy, whilst doing nothing about it! It feels good that I'm doing something, even if it's only 20mins a day, and apparently my body looks stronger already. So I'm told.

 

It amazes me how a grown adult with a brain (me!) can watch themselves put on weight and get so unfit. Makes no sense at all