Tuesday, January 25, 2011

On Motivation - HELP!!

I just took a virtual stroll down memory lane with my blog. It's just over ten months old already - wow! Where does the time go? I've realized that I have taken off and put on the same 10-15 pounds for most of 2010 and now into 2011 (going down the scale now). This fact is quite fascinating to me. Looking over my blog posts, I see a consistent theme of two steps forward, one step back, sometimes one step forward, two steps back. I think the most difficult thing for me is that I have great self-esteem, and only I would perceive this as a problem - haha! The reason this is a problem is that it keeps me from being motivated from losing weight; I feel good and I'm still cute (self-esteem/narcissism, potato potahto). I don't feel like an overweight person, no one treats me like an overweight person - probably because a lot of us are carrying an extra 10-15 pounds anyway, not that I'm judging - and so I just do my thing. What is my thing? Cooking and baking... AND eating. I happen to love running as well, but not as much as cooking, baking and eating apparently.

What can I say? I do my best. I'm down 7.2 pounds (again) and while I'm happy about that, I also am concerned that when things get busy again in a few weeks with work and German class, that I will, once again, fall of the wagon of eating healthfully and regular exercise. I'm working on week four of my new lifestyle regimen and making a habit of eating well and exercising 5-6 days a week.  Will I keep it up when the going gets tough?  History says, "NO!!" but I want to break this cycle.

What do you do to stay motivated, especially for those of you who have a good sense of self and great self-esteem and are healthy even with extra weight? I'm all eyes (since I'm reading) for what you do to stay motivated.

5 comments:

  1. You have to look at it a couple of ways. You have a challenging, busy life and you have a great family. Assuming there are no medical issues, you just have to sit back and decide do you really care or not?

    I'm down 20 lbs since July, just by cutting back on portions and truly eating only what I really need. We go on bike rides, sure, and walks, but I can't even commit to the running.
    On the other hand, I'm not interested in getting back to a tiny size (another 20 lbs would be about it for me). I want to be healthy, but in terms of a size or a number, it's not about that. Eating healthier, feeling better, and having more energy (which only works so well when you're stressed with kids at home...) those are more my goals.

    The only suggestion I'd have if it truly bugs you is to look into the boot camps--there are great ones in Simi and elsewhere. They start at the crack of dawn (before the boys would even be up), and by getting the exercise in early in the morning, it's out of the way.

    Another friend got a personal trainer and posts weekly updates on FB. The public support and humiliation were he to "fail" are enough to keep him on track. If that works, *shrug* so be it.

    They say it takes several times to become an "ex-smoker." However, everyone needs to eat. And some people live to eat. So keep trying. You'll be successful--you ARE successful now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think it's all about how YOU want to look, not how you think everyone else wants you to look. And to be healthy. As Mom has said a million times, you have to want to do it. Otherwise it'll never happen. You have to make it a lifestyle change and stick to it. I know you can do it if that's what you really want. But why stress yourself out if where you're at, you're happy with?

    What I do (when not pregnant) is just live my life. I go to the gym 5-6 days a week and I eat generally healthy. But I don't deny myself baking and eating what I bake. But when my stomach says, "Enough!" I stop.

    Plus, Mom's big motto: "How will I feel 5 minutes after eating this," always sticks in the back of my head.

    You can do it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Angel: No boot-camps for this gal. Crack of dawn? Um, no thank you. I am NOT a morning person. I wouldn't know what any of my numbers are (BP, cholesterol, etc.) because I haven't had a physical in years. Why? No money and no insurance. However, I do know how I feel and that's usually pretty great. I'm pretty in tune with how different kinds of foods affect my body, so I know which ones I should eat in moderation: dairy and carbs, I'm looking at you! I rarely get sick and if I get sick, it's usually pretty minor.

    @Cassie: I DO want to do it. I just wish it were a little easier. I'm not stressed out about where I'm at or where I want to be, I just want it to be so and now... I'm so American! Ha!

    I've dodged some food bullets, but I've given into others (and the whole "how will I feel 5 minutes after eating it?" did not even apply). I feel good, though, that even though I fell off the wagon a couple of times in the last three weeks, that I was still able to lose 7.2 pounds. That is very encouraging. I'm not completely deprived, either, because I am giving myself one day (Sundays) to eat things I really want. The great thing is that I'm already feeling on those days like, "Meh, I don't think I really want that." I'm changing, just more slowly than I would like.

    I have a hard time cutting myself some slack. I'm a perfectionist, so if I don't do things the way I think I should do them ideally, I tend to give in to temptation and give up. However, I am super proud of myself for last night. I had every intention of working out all day, but things got busy, Gabriel was home sick from school, blah blah blah. After Gabriel went to bed, I was sure that I was going to just throw in the towel and forget exercising, but the little voice inside my head said, "Come on, it's just 30 minutes - you can do it." And I did. I did 30-minutes of yoga with weights. My legs were shaking by the last set of lunge reps, but I did it and damn, did that feel good to sweat.

    ReplyDelete
  4. @Angel: And good for you about the 20 pounds! It's such and individual thing and if you're healthy with or without those pounds, then great. I'm just assuming I am and I know that's dangerous, but I know how I feel, too.

    I also live with an extremely dedicated fitness-driven and health-conscious person, so he can either be really encouraging or downright annoying depending on MY mood - ha! I am extremely stubborn and will dig my heels in when I want to - good and bad. I am also extremely competitive, so you'd think I'd want to do everything in my power to compete with him and show him he's wrong, but some days that's just too Herculean of a task for me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You can do it. I believe in you. :) Be confident in yourself and you WILL succeed.

    ReplyDelete