How do i

SparkPoints: (8,691)
Fitness Minutes: (5,415)
Posts: 166
6/26/11 8:14 P

Sometime motivation is intrinsic and sometime it is extrinsic. The hardest type of motivation is intrinsic motivation....it is the motivation to keep going for yourself and no one else. It is a fire that is inside you and it takes a little while to burn bright, but when it decides to burn...nothing will extinguish it.

You will know when you have it, but a good why to start with staying motivated is to find a friend to hold you accountable, someone that truly cares about you and will tell you the cold hard facts when you need it. Eventually this extrinsic motivation will spark your inner motivation and you will be unstoppable!

Posts: 2,880
6/26/11 7:25 A

The thing that is working for me "this" time is...."This is not a diet - it is a lifetime change!!"

Everyday is a new day to make new choices on who I want to be and how I want to feel. When I get up in the morning, I am so thankful for another day of being healthier than I was yesterday, being happier than I was yesterday, and having another day to get even healthier and happier.

This is a lifestyle change. I want to live my life to the fullest.

Posts: 276
6/26/11 7:15 A

I, too, worry about my past failures .... I worries so much that I couldn't even think about weight loss or heathly eating for a year. Those *nasty internal voices* convinced me that I was 'stupid' to try something that I'd already failed at. However, I've overcome the nasties and I'm on track.

Best advice: analyze your past attempts, and learn something to do differently this time. For me it is sparkpeople. Blogging/journalling and generally being active in SparkPeople is helping me keep those nasties at bay.

Posts: 1,267
6/25/11 10:19 A

Getting started is definitely the hardest part. What I personally had to do was write down the reasons why I wanted to lose weight, and the pros and cons of being both healthy and overweight. It essentially boiled down to me having health issues later on in life and not being comfortable in my skin ever, or I can take care of it now while I'm young, enjoy my young fit body, and keep the healthy habits for the rest of my life and pass it on to my children if I should have any.

As far as giving up in the past, I've definitely been there. I started my weight loss in 2009 at 330 pounds. I lost about 30 pounds, then lost steam. I started 2010 at 317 pounds and the same thing happened. This year, I started at 307 pounds and I've lost more weight than I ever have in one "go".
Think about WHY you've given up in the past. Was it too hard? Did you just not care anymore? If it got too hard, then you're trying to do too much all at once. Try starting small such as walking 10 minutes a day 4-5 days a week. As that gets easier, incorporate more changes.
If you had quit because you just lost motivation or didn't care, maybe it's tied to something deeper? I personally know that my weight issues were tied to much deeper issues and since I started seeing a counselor this year, I've lost 56 pounds.
Just remember YOU CAN DO IT! It just has to start with you.

I hope this helps!



Edited by: STARDUST2K4 at: 6/25/2011 (10:19)

Posts: 42
6/25/11 4:44 A

i have been on a number of diets and healthy life style plans. but i always tend to give up and hit the brick wall. I can never seem to stay motivated on a diet plan so any advice and tips on how i can stay motivated