Need Motivational Help Please!

Tadpole'sGoals

Tadpole'sGoals

New member
I'm very new to this forum but from all that I've read so far everybody seems so helpful! So what I was hoping for, is some motivational tips and tricks that people use. You know, like pictures on the fridge and other stuff like that. I'd like to hear what works for you - what keeps you going! Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm so determined to get down to a healthy weight, but my motivation and drive has gone way down - I need a boost and I'm hoping to get it here!

Stacey :)
 
Kaitie's list of things that motivate her:

* A insatiable urge to be skinny like a super skinny lady at my job. Everytime I see her I think 'I'm going to be skinny just like her!'

* Hearing other people say things like 'Wow you look great!'

* New clothes. I buy sexy, cute new clothes when I reach a new size! I love it!

* Catching guys looking me up and down! :wink: I love feeling sexy!

*Hearing other people at work or church complain that they 'can't' lose weight and asking me how I'm doing it.

Apparently most of my motivators come from my extreme sense of vanity. :eek: Whatever works right?

I know other people will buy a super sexy dress and hang it up in plain view so that you see it every day.
 
kaitie said it best - you really have to find what works for you? if vanity is your reason - and it's the reason for most people (even if they say oh i want to be healthy sure -most of 'em want just really want to look hot :)

Ask yourself why you really want to lose weight - you dont have to say it outloud but keep it in the back of your head... and don't lose sight of it...

my original motivation Ive let go of - i'm kind of over it now -and frustration is taking over a little bit -it's been 10 months ish -so the lifestyle change has taken over for me - so i'll be ok... and get where i need to be for me...
 
For me, it's a vanity thing too...I've never had guys eyeing me. (still don't, but that's another story). Also, I am in competition with myself to see the scale at a lower number every week.
 
one of the things that i've been doing -- is buying an article of clothing a size too small -and keeping it visible -im not spending a lot of money on the clothes but it's something i like and every week i try it on... eventually it fits -(I found if i buy too small then it's just discouraging but one size is motivating)

right now that's the only thing keeping me going to the gym :) that and I want to be able to put my left arm over my shoulder and my right arm behind my back and clasp my hands - I want my flexibility back.
 
I think I might take a clipping of a bathing suit out of the spring catalogue and stick it on my wall as motivation.

I just decided that second ago hehe. My reasons are pretty based on vanity too. but there's a big part of me too that wants those health benefits. Unfortunately, like a lot of people, sometimes my mindset is "well I'm still young so I wont worry about my health right now". Fortunately that doesn't last long before I feel really motivated to be healthy :)

Mal said it good, you just need to look inside yourself and be honest about why you want to lose weight. We you get an answer, then you can find some motivation from that.
 
Vanity and sex always work. I just want a threesome!

I've found blogging keeps me motivated. It means it keeps it at the front of my mind and also it keeps me feeling like there's an audience out there who could possibly chastise me if they so wished. So I guess fear works too! :)

I'd agree with the guys above though. Find something that works for you. Don't be afraid to try different things but make sure you spot when they aren't working so you can change them.

Now back to that threesome...any takers?? lol :)
 
You guys are awesome!! I already feel more motivated after reading all that you wrote!

Here are my two main reasons for wanting to lose weight (and these are in no particular order):

1 - Absolutley it's vanity! I don't ever remember being thin. For as far back as I can think, I've been overweight. For my sister's wedding last October I lost 50 pounds (from 280 lbs down to 230 lbs!) and I went all out, hair highlights, manicure, pedicure, tanning, waxing - and I got more compliments in that 3 days span then I have my whole life - and I LOVED it!! And this is all at 230 pounds - I can't even imagine what'll happen at 140 lbs. So yes, I want to be sexy!

2 - My husband Henry! He is the love of my life, my best friend and my biggest supporter!! He met and fell in love with me when I weighed 225 pounds and he married me when I was at my heaviest, 280 pounds. Not a day goes by that he doesn't call me gorgeous, beautiful, sexy or perfect. And he gets really mad at me when I say things like, "Oh, you're just blind" or "You must need glasses". He HATES it when I put myself down. He wants me to be around forever and I need to be with him for many, many, many more years to come! I know exactly how lucky I am to have found such a perfect man and I want to be with him for as long as possible.

So those are my 2 biggest reasons. That should really be all the motivation I'll ever need right? But I guess I still need some more help considering how hard this is. And that's where you guys come into place! I love the suggestions you've given me. I'm going to try all of them, but the one I like the best so far is buying a piece of clothing one size too small and keep trying it on until it fits. That's a great idea! But like I said, I loved them all. Please keep them coming!!

Thanks again!

Stacey
 
Mental Motivation

You can also try internal motivators. Try to use words.

There are a few sciences relating to the use of words and the mind. One is called Neruo Linguistic Programming. I use it with my patients with great success (I am a bariatric nurse among other things).

Consider this story about a wife who reprogrammed her husband out of his anger. You can have an internal conversation with yourself and accomplish the same. Just insert the new mind set thought into what you want to start thinking.





Then take it further and program your dreams. First learn a bit about recalling your dreams…



Just before you go to sleep, program or think of and choose to dream about what you want to mentally program your brain to do.

Combine this with the other great suggestions here and you will reach your goal sooner.

You wrote...

Quote:
And he gets really mad at me when I say things like, "Oh, you're just blind" or "You must need glasses". He HATES it when I put myself down.

Well, when you say (use words) those things, what programming are you reinforcing in yourself? What are you saying about his view? Does what he thinks matter? (Remember, guys have fragile egos and they are easily crushed.) No doubt he sees what is both internal and external.

Is it loving to yourself or your lover to put yourself down? Would you ever put down someone else? It is probably not like you to even put down a lowly animal. It is probably not like you to put others down. Therefore it is not like you to put yourself down. You are his other.

We are part external. The biggest part of what makes us who we are is the internal one. DR. Alex Merklinger (a weight loss guru from the 70s I think) used to say much of what we do is 80% mental and 20 percent physical. The biggest motivation comes from changing the way we think.

Use the words you hear and use to motivate you into whatever the image that is inside waiting to come into view. It's there. Your love sees it. When you get the compliments, take them as applying to the finished work you will become and you will keep making progress.

We will be looking forward to meeting you at your goal line.
 
First of all great job on the first 40 pounds! That is awesome! Different things keep different people motivated. For me a few things work. For one I take progress pictures. Another is I have a goal pair of jeans and try them on from time to time to see how much closer I am to getting into them or how much better they fit me. Another is I set mini goals. My last one was 145 and when I got there I got a facial. I'm not sure if I'll set another one till maybe 130 cuz I've spent alot of money lately on clothes and a new ring for my anniversary. LOL

I also try to set realistic goals to reach by a certain date. My last one was I wanted to be 138 by March 9th which was my sons first baseball tournament of the year. Well I was 137 2 days before my goal date. That felt good. My next mini goal date is April 3rd which is my anniversary and I want to be 134 by then. There is a website fitday.com that you can put in your current weight and goal weight and what day you want to reach it by and it will tell you how much a week you have to lose to reach that goal. I updated it everyday.

Another thing that has helped me to stay on track with my eating in the past has been to write down everything I put in my mouth for the whole day and the next day at the gym I would show it to my workout partner. I ate a lot less knowing I had to tell someone what I was eating.

I hope that maybe some of these things may help!
 
Motivations!!! That is the best part of all. There are people who make a list of reasons why they'd like to losse weight and then they look at the list everytime the fell a bit down.

You can create your own list inspired by others. If one day you feel very possitive about lossing weight, take a notepad and start to make your list!!!!

All the best and good luck.
 
One of my motivators is to buy People magazine or rent movies. I look at all the "Beautiful People" and the slim actresses and ... you guessed it ... vanity kicks in. LOL

Another motivator for me is age. I asked myself do you want to spend age 45to 60 being fat or a slim? I also play a little game with myself and say "if you want to eat your face off when you're 60 you can, but from 45 to 60 you will be slim". Silly, but whatever works.

I use fitday.com to log all my food in every day. And being in two clubs here helps because it's just great to be around all these other people that eat healthy and exercise.

Another great motivator is me thinking about the alternative if I don't eat healthy and exercise ... bad moods ... it's not pretty.
 
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