Re-Finding the Motivation go go the distance.

kgwatkins

kgwatkins

New member
I've been trying to lose this last 40 pounds or so for the last 6 months and I am losing the inspiration I first had. I lost 90 pounds easy, in fact, I didn't even notice it happening (honestly) until my family started commenting, because I didn't have a scale or measuring tape, I just did what I thought would work, when I found out it was 90 pounds down I was astounded and it inspired me to try really hard to lose the rest. I have lost a bit more, but not as much as I would like. I'm getting no support from my family, both my parents are morbidly obese, my stepfather is in fact at least 200 or so pounds over weight, they devour a steady diet of nothing but candy, soda, icecream, lunch meat and helping upon helping of dinner, I've witnessed my stepdad eat a whole cherry pie, half a box of fudge pops AND chips even AFTER dinner (2 double sized helpings of everything). This has happened on many occasions. My mother is terminally ill, but she doesn't follow any doctor advice on diet, she'll go for stretches of days eating (literally) nothing but candy and soda, she doesn't even eat something that she could normally SURVIVE on, we have to eventually force her to eat food. It sickens me but I can't do anything about it. I need a new goal, i need new help and advice. I don't buy the food in the house, but I try to request healthier food when given the choice, but basically my diet is just smaller portions of what they eat (junk) I'm getting a job and I'm going to start buying my own food sooooooooooon, so That won't be an issue much longer. I need motivation with exercise mostly, I DON'T want to eat bad, and I try hard not to, but I also DON'T really want to exercise, I am looking here for support and advice and motivation. I think i'm going to buy a size 8 pair of pants and try to fit into them, that kind of goal is easier for me to WANT than just a number on the tape or on the scale. Tomorrow morning I'm going to start trying harder again. Wish me luck, When I can remember, I will definitely try to update my diary daily.
 
Work out!!! Don't just say "I don't really want to exercise," because if you don't really wanna do that then it sounds like you really don't wanna lose the weight! You have come very far already (great job by the way!) but if you're feeling stuck the best way is to start incorporating exercise. Especially because you're not on a healthy diet. If you're going to eat smaller portions of junk food and not exercise, well... maybe you will lose some weight, but if you want to see better results I suggest working out. Plus it will make you feel way better about yourself. You will FEEL the difference... instead of just waiting for it, sitting around eating crappy food. It's also important to be strong! A few days a week, 30 minutes of exercise won't kill ya! ;) Try it out but if it's not for you... well then go do the grocery shopping for yourself! Buy yourself some healthy snacks like almonds, fruit, yogurt, string cheese, granola bars, etc.

Good luck!

~ Sarah
 
Hey Kg,

Since you don't have control over the sort of food that comes into the house, I'd suggest checking the nutrition facts and finding the best foods out of the bunch. Try to eat foods that make you feel full for less calories. I also suggest you keep track of what you eat in a calorie journal (like fitday.com or something). That really opened my eyes to how much I was eating. There might be some really simple meals you could make with the stuff already in the house--like eggs on toast or something. Just do the best you can with what you have to work with.

Also--drink water. That is free and will make a big difference if you drink it instead of soda. Soda has SO much sugar.

About exercise--is there anything you enjoy that you like to do? Even if it's just a walk around the block in the evening. If there is something you enjoy doing, then you don't have to think of it as evil exercise. Or, whenever you drive anywhere, just park at the far end of the parking lot so you have to walk a bit to get to your destination. That can make a difference too. Or take the stairs instead of the elevator, stuff like that. Good luck!
 
Hello and welcome:waving: Could you ask to go grocery shopping with whomever is going? I think it is great you realize you can't continue doing what your "supposed" role models are doing but wouldn't it be great if you could make them realize it too? That might be too much to ask I suppose but how sad. A couple jumping jacks here and there and maybe skipping rope could be a slow start into some exercise - do you have stairs in your house? Climb those for 20 minutes and you'll burn some calories. I have to exercise and eat healthy to lose weight - not one or the other and I think it works that way with a lot of people so you should get moving. Hopefully you find some of the answers you need - I feel bad for you and wish I could have a talk with your guardians - shame on them! I look forward to seeing how you do - good luck.
 
I'm sorry it sounded like I was being lazy, No no, I DO want to exercise, But on a lot of days I'm tired from cleaning the house and looking after my mom and I don't REALLY want to, because i've lost my motivation. I don't have stairs, but I do have a steep hill for a driveway and I walk up and down it sometimes, in fact I think i'm going to go do that in a few minutes probably walk my dog. I want to get the last 40 out of the way, most definitely, I didn't know people could reply to this thing, I thought it was really like a diary diary, only people could look at it. :waving: Hi everyone then! Thanks for the advice. My parents have noticed my returning interest to getting fit and they think it's kind of amusing.

I DON'T drink soda, sorry, Again, i thought this was like a real diary, I kind of don't make sense when I write mostly for myself. I rarely ever drink soda, if ever, Now that I mostly stopped, when I do drink it it upsets my stomach and I don't really like the syrupy taste. I don't know.... This diary thing is so hard, that's why I never blogged. Sorry. I avoid candy at all costs, and try to avoid the chips, but like the lunch meat and everything is hard since a lot of the time there's nothing else TO eat. I finally just got a job and will have my own income coming in, so I will be going and buying my own food. I like healthy food, thankfully, even though I wasn't raised to like it (my parents hear the word low fat or diet and they recoil in disgust before even trying it). I'll let you guys know. My new job is as a maid, so I will be doing lots and lots of physical work every day. Plus I'll start going on walks again with my doggie, that should start helping me again. I'm still going for the size 8 pants, that's what helped me to get this far, I got a size 12 pair of pants that I thought were SO pretty I wanted to wear them so badly.

By the way, I did a little bit of exercise on and off today, since I fell off the wagon I didn't want to start hard core again, but I did some concentrating on my abs, since that's where most of the fat is, along with my upper arms and thighs, but I'll get busy doing more tomorrow, now I'm off to do the good ol' driveway thingy. Wish me luck!
 
Last edited:
I posted this in another thread (actually I've posted it in lots of threads) but here it is again and it might help you. :)

This is my philosophy on motivation:

There are things that we do every day - as adults - that we don't do because we're "motivated" but because they are just facts of life. We get up in the morning. We go to work. We wash the dishes. We do laundry. We pay bills.

I don't know about you but I'm not necessarily "motivated" to do those things. I don't hate them (well, maybe the paying the bills bit! ), but they're not things that make me go "Whooo ... I am so motivated to wash the dishes!" I do them because I'm an adult and I have a life that has to be lived and this is all part of it.

Don't get me wrong, some mornings I'm looking forward to going to work, but some mornings maybe I didn't sleep well or I'm crabby or it's raining or whatever ... and I really don't want to go. But I go anyway. Because that's life.

It's all about the things you do as a reasonable, responsible grown-up to live your life.

When I realized that exercise and eating healthy was one of those things - I don't have to like it, I don't have to be "motivated", I just have to get off my ass and do it - it made a big difference in actually doing it.

Sure there are still days that I slack off. And every once in a while I call in to work and take a "mental health" day. But 99% of the time ... I just do it.

I dunno. Maybe that doesn't help you ... but it's something that has made a difference to me.
 
Trust me, Kara, I of all people know about doing things because you have to and not because it's fun. My mother is dying of renal failure and sarccoidosis, I don't think it's fun daily to sit up until the wee hours of the night because her oxygen level drops into the 70s or lower and she almost burns down the house and she falls and trips over things and stabs herself with things on accident because she's hallucinating that she's taking care of horses, camping, talking to people, running from the law and other things, and then still I get up every day to clean up after 4 adults and my parents's 5 dogs daily because i'm the only person willing and able to do so including all dishes, laundry, sweeping, mopping, cleaning any messes the dogs make, keep the medications straight, paying bills, and now I'm also getting a job and starting college. A lot of my life is done because I have to. I just figured since losing this weight should be a positive thing for me, I would look for motivation to make it one of the few things in life I can enjoy. That's all.
 
The answers to the big questions.

*What is your current height and weight?

Height: 5' 0" 147lbs

*If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?

110lbs

*At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?

120lbs

*Why do you want to lose weight?

For my total health, physical, mental and emotional

*Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event?

Not that I know of.

*What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?

Lack of support, motivation and knowledge of what I should be doing.

*Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?

I was an emotional eater surrounded by bad food choices.

*What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?

Stop self pitying, stop being lazy, start saying "I can" and learn more about nutrition and fitness.

*Have you lost weight in the past? If so, what has worked in the past to help you lose weight?

I have lost 90lbs so far in my journey, I made changes and stuck to them, but then I fell off the wagon.

*Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?

I got lazy and complacent and didn't feel as though my effort was paying off anymore.

*What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work?

Nothing so far I think.

*Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?

No, I HAVE tried and I can't keep up with it.

*Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?

I don't do the cooking in the house, but I WOULD cook if I had things that I could cook that were healthier for me.

*How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?

Rarely, restaurants or fast food.

*What are your three favorite foods?

Shrimp, Tuna casserole, mixed nuts

*What are your three favorite restaurants?

KFC, Mexican, Chinese

*What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?

Watch portions, Watch calories in the food, read the labels (and understand them)

*If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?

I would be thin and healthy and able to run and do sports and not get winded and my back wouldn't hurt, and I wouldn't have scars and stretch marks.

*Do you eat when you are not hungry?

I'm trying to stop doing that, I try to just chew a piece of sugar free gum when I get the "want to eat but not hungry" feeling.

*Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?

I sometimes do, but I'm trying hard to stop.

*Do you hide your food or eat in secret?

No

*Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?

I used to do this ALL the time, but I REALLY try hard not to.

*Do you eat as a reward?

No

*Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?

Only if it's dinner, I have cut out "snacking" like that successfully.

*What do you normally eat for a meal?

Some kind of meat protein and some kind of vegetables.

*What type of snacks do you eat?

I try to get apple sauce or nuts, but often they aren't available and only chips are available.

*In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?

I just restarted, so I don't do much, I dance to upbeat music, take a walk, do some ab work and resistance exercises.

*Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home?

Home

*What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?

Walking, Swimming, and ab work.

*What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?

I don't have one, I'm looking for one now!

*Do you have rewards for certain goals?

My reward for my end goal is a brand new, beautiful pair of jeans, which I am buying soon and they are a much smaller size than I am currently, so I'm working towards fitting into them. I don't know how to set smaller goals though.
 
Last edited:
I've got a question for you--when you lost the 90 lbs, weren't your clothes falling off of you? I'm just curious how you didn't realize you were losing weight.
 
Well actually, I actually noticed it when I hit the 60 pound mark, yes, I wore mostly sweat pants, so I was stretching the waist bands, when I lost the weight, I noticed they weren't tight, but they never fell OFF (until I WAS at the 90 mark) I didn't have to start buying new clothes until I was at the 80 to 90 mark, I wore the larger clothes, because they were all stretch anyway, and so they never actually FELL OFF.

Is there a way to put photos up? I don't see one, but here's some links to some pics I have on my.... um... social networking site profile? I don't think this is spam, right? I am not sending you to buy something, so this is alright, right?
 
Last edited:
Wow. You so totally missed the point of what I posted. You asked for help with motivation and I shared with you my point of view.

I'm sorry for your situation and I'll cut you some slack for the stress, but your response to me was out of line and way over the top.

You said in one of your responses above that you thought this was "like a real diary". I think you might not have a good understanding of what posting to an online forum is about. Your diary is a place for you to post whatever you want, of course, but when you post things publicly in an open forum like this, you are by default saying you are open to comment and response. If you don't want comment and response, or if you're looking for a very particular comment or response, then you need to state that very clearly ... or rethink posting on public forums.

I'll just bow out now. Have a nice life.
 
Last edited:
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a b-word. I'm just really getting frustrated. I'm so sorry, Kara. The rest of my life is getting more and more stressful (as you can tell). I just came here for some help and some friendly people to give me the support I lack in real life. I apologize a LOT to you, I'm not that mean normally, I'm just running on my last threads already and plus trying to get help and not getting any anywhere. The point of MY post was just to tell you WHY I was looking for motivation instead of just going ahead and doing it anyway. And I do welcome comments or whatever, I just guess I need more sleep before I read and respond.

As a side note, I DID go out with my parents to get food and got myself some snacks: Apples, baby carrots, unsweetened applesauce, almonds, light yogurt and bottled water.
 
Last edited:
KaraCooks said:
I'll just bow out now. Have a nice life.
Click to expand...
Yeah... that was a little harsh! And not to mention totally RUDE...

I don't see what you said that was wrong and I don't think you sounded bitchy at all. Your apology was not necessary. I'm actually glad you responded the way you did because it gave me a better look at what your daily life is like. You have a lot to put up with, and I give you huge credit. I actually thought I was being a little harsh on my first post here but I realize that I just I misunderstood you! Now I see where you are coming from. Despite a few comment on your journal here... you have come to a great place for the motivation you are looking for. The best advice I can give you is (if you have some free time) look around at some other journals on here. I did this and it is probably the biggest reason why I've been able to hold on for as long as I have (even if it's only 2 months! lol) But reading other people's stories and learning their struggles may help you to deal with your own.

I like that you bought some healthy snacks for yourself. That's a good start! :)

~ Sarah
 
Thanks, I'm glad I didn't come off as a total :reddevil: because I really don't like to upset people and make them mad, I actually cried when Kara reprimanded me, lol. I just want to keep everyone happy, I don't break rules and I try to be nice. I am a member of a bunch of other random forums (pet birds, pet iguanas, hobby forums) and I try try try to be really nice, But if I upset Kara, I'm still sorry, I'm going to get some sleep now and get calm and then come back tomorrow and I'll be better. :Angel_anim:
 
Just as I suspected.

So I woke up today at 5:30, had a lite yogurt, a handful of almonds and a water for breakfast, and am chilling until 6:30 so I can go on a walk. I surprised both my parents who asked what in the world I was doing up, hehe, It feels really interesting to be getting up at this time instead of going to bed at this time, like I used to do. I told mom I weighed myself (144.8 before breakfast, 146 afterwards!) and she said that it was good I was losing more weight. I told her "Only 30 or 35 pounds to lose!" She goes "Nooooo, that's tooooo skinny" I told her that for my height (5' even) that the normal weight range is around 95 to 120, so I was going for the middle of the road, but she shakes her head and says that I won't look good that skinny :rant::willy_nilly: I told you, no support whatsoever. I also found that my brother had secretly eaten one of my yogurts! the cherry cheesecake ones! :toetap05: I wish I had never introduced him to yogurt, lol, he sneaks and eats them every time I get some! :chillpill: Alright, I gotta get my shoes on now, it's about time for my walk, I'll see if I can convince my dog to go with me. See you guys later.
 
My First Day

Here's my first day, so far, I'll edit and add dinner and if I end up with an after dinner snack i'll add that too along with total calorie intake. I'm aiming for 1200, so that's where I'm at:

Friday, Nov. 13th 2009
Wake up: 5:30
Breakfast: 6:00 1 light Strawberry yogurt 80 cal. Handful almonds: 162 cal. Bottle water
Morning exercise: Brisk walk 6:30-6:45; Stretching/balance 2 minutes, 25 crunch/cross crunch combo, 25 Jumping jacks, jog in place 25 seconds (7 minutes total exercise).
Morning snack: 9:10 6 baby carrots 35 cal.
Lunch: 12:15 Turkey breast sandwich on white bread 150 cal. Apple sauce 50 cal. Bottle water
Afternoon exercise: Play tag with my dog 3 minutes, Household chores 2 hours.
Afternoon snack: 3:10 Apple 80 cal. Half handful almonds 80 cal.
Evening exercise: 5:30-5:45 Brisk Walk/jogging
Dinner: Fried chicken leg and wing, corn, mashed potatoes and bottle water Total: 800ish

Daily total: ~ 1437
Estimated calories burned (based on calorie calculator off-site): 1025 (The two hours housework really kicked my adz with the calorie burning dept.)


For the record, this has been the worst day of my life, my body is in shock right now because of how I treated it and how I'm whipping it into shape again, I think i'm just going to imagine Jillian Michaels with me all the time telling me I can do it. I pushed myself a bit much today, I felt weak and light headed some of the time, but I'll chill out tomorrow, plus I'll have more sleep, because even though I woke at 5:30 and went to bed at 11 last night, I didn't actually get to SLEEP until 1 something out of habit, so I guarantee I'll be going to bed and going to sleep REALLY early tonight. Now I'm off to the shower and then I'll figure out what's for dinner.

ADD: Okay, dinner was not that great, but I found out that I had burned almost twice the amount of calories that I had consumed so far (and I was feeling it, the light headed swimmy feeling) I thought I could get away with more calories, this is not to say I'm proud of this, but I was a little panicky after this discovery, I think i'm going to have to check a calorie burned calculator more often, because today did not feel good after a while, and now I know why. I didn't pick dinner, but I DID pick to eat it.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top