How do YOU keep your motivation up?

[TitianWasp]

Resisting temptation when you are motivated is not hard. You know why you are doing what you are doing, and the goal is clearly in mind.

What is tough is when you lose your motivation (big changes at work or at home, in your relationship, etc... can really throw your focus off). At times like that, your eating plan just seems so much less important.

I'd love to hear how various people keep the goal in sight - or more specifically, how you remind yourself that the goal is still important during crisis.

[Desihue]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

I’d have to say that pictures do it for me. I have taken a ton of pics of myself every step of the (weight loss) way and I’m so glad I did. I keep the pics in my siggie on me at ALL times. I’m not even kidding! I have them on my MP3 player and even on my cell phone. My desk is a cotton pickin weight loss shrine and I don’t really care what people think. I used to eat all the time, and keep junk food on me all the time so why not have inspiring pics around me all the time. When I look at my start pic, I remember how I felt when I was bigger. The self esteem issues, the issues in my marriage because of THOSE issues. The physical pain with all the extra weight, the horror of being stuck in a ‘too small” outfit in a dressing room at the mall. I had to rip the thing to get out of it and I cried all the way home. When stressors start triggering me to eat badly, I go running to my pics and they get me right back on track. I don’t EVER want to go back to the way I used to look. NEVER…
The show the Biggest Loser is a close runner up to my pics. There are people on that show who have triple the weight I do to lose and they do it. If they can do it, so can I.

[TitianWasp]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

Wow - Desihue, your post is a great motivator in unto itself! Thanks!

[SugarFreeSheila]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

Dez, you really look great.

[MorningGlory]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

I agree....great post Desi!

To T.W....keeping up motivation is hard at times isn't it? I struggle a lot, but when I'm at one of low, weak points where I want to consume a bag of cookies, I come here and read posts, sometimes my own, to give myself a kick in rear and make me remember where I was when I started low carb, and to remember that I don't want to go back to that place where I didn't want to buy new clothes, didn't want to go out to any social gatherings, didn't want my picture taken, etc etc etc. This place is my rock, my life-raft, my reality check and this is where I get my motivation.

[IrishSarahHB]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

results keep me motivated .. When i see the scale move down a pound or two, or some clothes fitting loser .. it just makes me want it that much more..

I also love looking at all the Before & after pics ...

[LadyBethny]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

My motivation is all sorts of things. I love this feeling, the energy, the zest for life and feeling "Janie" again. Feels better than anything "off plan" could taste.

I also appreciate the real simple things that losing the weight brings with it - like we talked about in another post on the board, being able to paint your toe nails, moving through a crowded room with ease - stuff like that!

My family and friends - their reaction and support have been a huge motivator. Its so cool to see people you haven't seen for a while and their shock at the difference!!

I also have a personal goal - I am going to a convention in June next year and we have our photos taken with the actors and I want my photo with Alex O'Loughlin (Moonlight, Oyster Farmer) to be cool. I want to be able to wear jeans and a trendy teeshirt and look like its what I have always worn!!!! He is my favourite actor and its important to me that I take the opportunity to have my photo taken with him and for me to be the "curvy" girl not the "fat" girl!!!

Clothes - another huge motivator!

Most of all, this board, the stories, pics and support and appreciation of everyone - always gives me determination!

Janie x

[not2late]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

My motivation is death. On both sides of my family, diabetes and heart disease are rampant. I have relatives who have dropped dead of strokes, heart attacks, and who have had complications of Type 2 diabetes.

All of these medical conditions are preventable with diet and exercise. But my relatives don't do that. They choose to live on medications that end up killing their livers or kidneys or both. They try to lose weight and/or exercise, but they aren't motivated because they think what's the use when they can swallow a pill or two or three to control their diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, etc. So whenever they go on diet, they fail because deep-down they don't care about themselves and/or they want to prove that diets don't work.

So that's my motivation: I don't want to die like almost everyone else in the family. I don't want to be on dozens of pills daily. I don't want to be hospitalized so much that the nurses, attendants, techs and everyone else in the hospital know me on a first name basis. I don't want any of that.

In short, I don't want to die any sooner than I have to and I refuse to commit suicide by not being healthy.

[Chef Kevin]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

I agree with not2late, I play the blood sugar game.

I have to test 2x per day. I do not shoot insulin, but I take metformin 1000mg 2x per day.

So seeing that number twice a day is a great motivator for me. I keep it right around 100 and I know I am doing things right.

[Lisa]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

Desi...thanks for sharing! Truly an inspiration!


It didn't take long this week to find my motivation to keep going. I found a picture of me 45 pounds heavier...in a bikini that I took as a "before" picture when I was trying to restart my Aktins journey 2 years ago. Oh, I must have been a brave soul. That picture is motivating me all over the place this week....food, exercise, time with my family, etc.

[kimbat06]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

My motivation is wanting to experience the unexperienced. I've never been at a healthy weight... I don't think I've been 150 ish since I was in middle school (maybe even elementary?) to be honest. My new clothes actually FITTING decently, the scale going down every few days, and the compliments keep me going as well. I can hardly stand to look at my before pictures anymore... ugh they're so bad! Which keeps me motivated since I DO NOT want to look like that again!

[Chicklady]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

As time goes on, I frequently find myself farrrr from motivated. What keeps me going is remembering the last time around. I was at goal. I could STILL be at goal. But I blew it. I gained it all back and then some, and motivation or not, I'm not going through that again.

I also take advantage of any low carb prducts available that keep me from feeling deprived. This is almost a complete turn around from when I first started and refused to "touch that stuff" I know from experience that that "everyone else can have it- woe is me" attitude can be a bear if it gets a hold of me.

[Debie]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

Pictures...those are a real eye opener! Creative recipes help me. Biggest loser episodes...knowing that those people can do it spurs me on. Last but not least...my husband telling me my butt is looking small

[ttdriver]

Re: How do YOU keep your motivation up?

January 19 will be my 7th Atkinsversary. Amazing when you consider I initially gave this plan 2 WEEKS.

How do I stay motivated? I have ALOT of pictures of myself pre-Atkins and I keep them very handy as a reminder that I am a "krispy kreme donut away from looking like that again."

Carb addiction is NEVER CURED; regardless of how long you've followed LC or how successful you've been; go back to eating what made you fat/miserable and guess what will happen.

There's no finish line here; even after you reach that elusive "goal" ... you simply must remain vigilant and dedicated, with both the way you eat and your exercise.

My motivation is no longer weight loss; I've achieved all the weight loss I'm going to achieve ... what motivates me now is KEEPING IT OFF FOR GOOD and becoming as healthy and fit as I can be at age 53.

I can't say enough about what Atkins/exercise has done for me. That in and of itself is motivation enough.

Betty