What do you do for motivation?
(Sarah - stormy_chica)

What do you do for motivation on those days when you just want to give it all up and go back to eating the pizza, chips, pasta, and candy all day long? How do you convince yourself not to do it? I had one of those days yesterday, but luckily I was able to overcome it. It was really hard though - and I'm just starting. I hope it will get easier. :)

My Motivation has been Different Things at Different Times
(Debra - grandmadebra)

At first... weight loss is a great motivator, but it's slow getting started... and we all know that people usually don't notice the first few pounds. I guess it depends on how much you have to lose, but many people didn't really notice my weight loss until it was over 30lbs. By then I was on the "down-hill" side of my journey :-) It was my friends, who were doing this WOE with me, that helped me get through the first month or so. I am very lucky to have them.

It was somewhere between my 4th & 6th week that I found this message board. By the time I posted the first time, I had lost 12lbs... I still had 20 more to lose before I met my first goal of 135lbs. This board became my lifeline... and still is :-)

Around week 9 of my WOE, I planned a Spa/Resort vacation. I was about 10/15 lbs away from 135lb... but I made it my goal to be at least close to it by the time I left for my vacation. With the support of this board & sticking to this program (like a maniac ~ lol), I actually hit 135 just before my vacation.

Now my goal is to make 125. I would really like to do this before the Holidays begin. So, I am going to continue to focus on following the plan.

I sometimes get discouraged, but the support I feel daily from posting here on the board & having friends around gets me through. I agree with Wendy, it’s the upcoming events that I want to be thin & fit for that keep motivated.

I wish I had kept a journal from the beginning. If you're just starting out, I recommend it :-) It seems like it would be a great way to see where you started from during the times when things don’t seem to be progressing fast enough.

Hmmm.... That is a good question
(Quinne - portmoodymom)

It really baffles me that it has taken me this long to make this change in my life. I have tried many, many times before - but I guess back then I had only 10lbs, 15lbs or 20 lbs to loose. (Now ultimately it is 35 lbs) I guess it came to a point where I finally thought, if I don't do something now then it will just get more and more difficult as the years go on, and I will have more and more weight to get rid of!

My first motivation was my daughter. I didn't want her to have an overweight mommy who doesn't have the energy to play and keep up with her. That and the fact that when I have my second child it will be so much harder to loose that weight.

I guess one day it just clicked and I thought - well now is the time. And I dusted off my CALP book - gave it a quick refresh read, and I was off . . . and I haven't looked back.

I think I am really lucky with this WOE - because it truely has treated my "addiction" - because my physical symptoms have dissapeared. My cravings and constant hunger used to kill me! (My God - I ate carrots as snacks when I was hungry - no bloody wonder!!) Now, I honestly don't even think about food (unless I am planning my meals or shopping) until I feel my stomach growl and it is time for my next meal.

There are a few things that do help me keep on track though - I do not keep many temptations in the house, I don't eat out very often, I am not working so I don't have that added stress which was a real trigger for me - we will have to see how I handle it when I go back to work :( - and of course this board is one of my biggest support groups! (besides my DH and family)

Funny thing the other day . . . I was in the grocery line up buying some food items (CM friendly of course!) and there were these chocolate bars and candies right at the checkout. I actually tried to force myself to want the chocolate bar. I sat there and tried to get that 'urge' that 'mouth hunger' (as one board member called it) to get me to want and crave that chocolate bar like I once did. I COULDN'T DO IT! Before this WOE - I would have just had to look at those and get a craving for them. I wouldn't have been hungry before I saw them - but when I realized they were there I would suddenly have this uncontrollable urge to eat one. And I had to have it now!

Don't get me wrong - I do have those days when I eat a little too much carb at dinner or I don't eat as many veggies as I should. Or (like this past weekend) I just ate what I wanted. But I was amazed at myself - it wasn't an all out binge like I usually would have done in the beginning. I mean my 'binge' as I liked to call it - was including a carb at every meal. But I didn't over eat, I didn't snack. I just ate 3 regular sized meals and that was it!

So, I guess the fact that this WOE has really become a WOL for me is my real motivator. Oh, and the nice added feature that I am consistently loosing weight! That helps too! :-)

When I am tempted...
(Becky - petmomcatsdogs)

When I am tempted,and boy, does it seem like it is alot lately, I keep an accurate food journal. Seeing what I eat written down makes me very aware of what I put in my mouth.
I also 'compete' with myself. Meaning, that I set mini-goals for myself. For every 5#s I lose I will reward myself with a non-food item, such as, a new CD, book, whatever catches my fancy.

I also have a pair of pants in my closet that is a bit tight around the upper thighs/hips area, I try them on every now and then. The more they 'move up' my thighs, the more I know I am closer to being able to wear them.

No one is perfect
(Nancy - myofficemyrules)

First of all I know that no one is perfect. So I strive for progress, not perfection. My second motivation is the way I feel when I watch what I eat, when I excercise, when I get the proper rest, and when I take care of my spiritual needs.

When I came to the realization that health is not merely a number on the scale, that was a tremendous "ah ha" moment. Health is the whole deal, physical, spiritual, emotional.

So to stay motivated I work on all the small things that make up the big picture. That way I am not overwhelmed by the big picture.

Food is just one of them. I know that if I follow this WOE that I feel good. Who couldn't like eating what they really want once a day? If there is a burden involved with that it is how to work that freedom into my life.

I know that if I exercise regularly, I feel good.

I know that when I don't eat right or exercise I am sluggish, humorless, and of no use to myself or the good people around me.

So never feel that you have to be perfect and don't look at the big picture it is way to scary. Does any of this make sense? If not then just remember.

Through persistence many people will win success from what seems destined to fail.

It does get easier, but I still have those days!!
(Susan - slehmkuhl517)

I try to take a couple minutes and look at my excel spreadsheets to remember how far I've come. If this isn't enough and sometimes it isn't, I ask myself if eating that pizza & ice cream & potato chips & all the other junk will really make me feel better?? The answer is usually no, but sometimes even that doesn't matter....on those days, I then TRY to think about how I'll feel about myself if I give in to those things. I know I'll feel guilty and mad at myself but once in while even that knowledge doesn't stop me and it is then, that I say what the Hell and go for it! I eat whatever it was that was driving me crazy! Then I have to deal with the guilty and anger and knowledge that I lost control.

In the beginning, back in January, I lost control often...probably 2-3 times a month! I still lose control now, but it's usually a controlled loss of control (if that makes sense) It's a one meal binge instead of a day long food party or it's a carb heavy RM. When this happens I try to figure out why it's happening.....usually TOM is visiting or getting close, stress, or something else is "bugging" me! Once I identify it, I TRY to plan for it in the future or in the case of TOM....come to the understanding that when TOM visits I have cravings and I need to deal with those!!

When you decided to start this WOE, what was your reason for doing it?
(Chris - maymaiden)

Think about all the reasons you decided to begin the journey...to wear smaller clothes?, to feel more energy?, to be healthier?, etc. On those days when it just seems easier to chuck it all and go back to where you were, keep reminding yourself of your goals. I broke down the 75#s I had to lose into smaller goals, 10 pounds at a time. It seemed easier to convince myself that I could lose 10 pounds 7.5 times instead of telling myself I had 75#s to lose. Mind games help. Mind chatter, such as Kristin's post below helps too. Keep having positive discussions with yourself, write down your reasons for losing weight over and over again when the munchie attack hits. It's not always easy and you may not always win the munchie battle, but as long as you give it your best effort you'll succeed. Old habits are hard to break but the longer you are into this program, it does get easier and easier. Hang in there gal!

Good question...it made me think about it.
(Sandy - sandign)

I think I had two reasons initially. (Well, at least two.) First I didn't like the way I looked. I have too many mirrors in my bathroom and it was getting to me. Plus, I was having problems with my knees and knew if I lost weight they would improve. And they have. In the midst of all this, it was debatable whether I had diabetes or not. That definitely got me motivated.

As the weight dropped, I could start wearing clothes that I haven't worn for a long time. Plus my glucose seemed to be stabilizing. This group has kept me motivated. And the further I get down the path to my goal, the more motivated I become. I've had my ups and downs and after the first few weeks there are less times I feel tempted to binge. I still do, but like Susan said, now I do it as one meal versus all day or days. I take it one meal at a time. If I mess up, I try to compensate at the next meal or do more exercise or even drink more water. I forget about it and move on to the next day.

I know it sounds easy after I read this. But I guess I decided it was time and with the support of this group I got through those first few days. I noticed I ate a lot more snacks during the first few weeks. I ate ALOT of celery and cream cheese. Lots of cheese also. But I slowly started cutting back on those also.

Now, I can wear clothes I haven't worn in 6-7 yrs. I'm glad I kept some of them. They really motivate me!!

Just keep coming back to us when you need help. Take small steps at a time and look at nothing as failure. No one is perfect. Mistakes are just that..mistakes!! The best make them. Hang in there, 'cause it does get easier!!