Mary asked me how I stayed motivated and I had to think about it to figure it out. I am interested to hear how everyone else motivates themselves so I thought I would post about it and ask for responses.
Losing weight is something that is very easy theoretically. Calorific expenditure simply needs to be greater than calorific intake over a period of time. Easy!
So why is it actually quite difficult? Why do we have so much other 'stuff' to wade through? When did I start eating when I am bored/tired/sad/stressed? And why did I start using food this way?
I don't have all those answers yet but I have clarified my 4 main motivators; health, memory, vanityand boredom.
Health - I love feeling healthy and fit. I want to live a long life, I want to have a strong immune system so that I don't catch every little bug that's going around and so that I can fight off the illnesses and infections that I do catch. I want my heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and brain to be functioning well. I don't want to be old before my time. I need to take care of myself. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating well and exercising are going to keep me healthy.
Memory - I remember what it feels like to be healthy and fit. To run, jump, cycle, swim, hike, etc. I long to feel that way away again.
Vanity - This is also a strong motivation for me. I have a closet full of clothes that are too tight and I hate that. I don't like the way I look right now. I looked better 6mths ago than I do right now (!) and I really want to get back to feeling and looking like myself and not this person who looks back at me when I look in the mirror.
This is a tricky one though because although it motivates me, it also wears me down. I feel bad about how I look and about how my clothes don't fit and if I am not careful I feel hopeless and miserable and weary of it all. I constantly have to remind myself to pay less attention to this or I will shun exercise in favour of slothing on the couch, and I will start eating to improve my mood. And that won't get me closer to where I want to be.
Boredom - This is a big one. I've had weight to lose since C was born almost 2 1/2 years ago and I am so over it. It is dull, dull, dull. I just want to be done with the bit where I 'lose weight' and I want to get on with the bit where I 'maintain my weight' and can live without thinking about it. Being bored with it all motivates me to get on with it and just get it done.
What motivates you?
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3 comments:
You have absolutely hit the nail on the head with all those reasons ...
The overwhelming thing for me is my inability to stick to a weight loss programme - through sheer boredom usually - and like you I want to be the correct weight NOW not in six months time - and it is the discipline required for those six months that does my head in..
Oh Duyv - you have nailed it totally.
This:
I feel bad about how I look and about how my clothes don't fit and if I am not careful I feel hopeless and miserable and weary of it all. I constantly have to remind myself to pay less attention to this or I will shun exercise in favour of slothing on the couch, and I will start eating to improve my mood. And that won't get me closer to where I want to be.
is me TOTALLY.
I feel I'm close to the being bored with it enough that it motivates me, but I keep slipping backwards.Every.single.day.
You know, if I were brave I would simply walk down to the ocean pool and swim there every morning. But the ocean pool for laps kinda freaks me out. The bits in the water, seaweed, the freezing nature of the temperature ... insert other excuses here.
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