Posted by Michelle Butler Jan 22 2012, 10:00 pm in bad habits, eating healthy, exercise, fitness, food diary, Michelle Butler, Michelle Mondays, motivation
I can’t seem to find my motivation. I know what I should be doing to pursue my health and fitness goals, but I just can’t seem to do them. To make things worse, baked goods (half the time baked by me!) and other not-wise-food choices keep calling my name, and I answer their cry. I still feel like I’m in a good place in my life and very happy. Yes, there are things that can stress me out or bring me down, but overall I’m doing really well, and I know that. I just can’t seem to stop eating too much or work out consistently.
What do you when you just can’t find the motivation to do what you need to do? I can name so many things that should motivate me. The (increasing) number on the scale. Almost no clothes that fit me comfortably or flatteringly anymore. The realization that my weight gain in the last 6 months or so have made me feel bad physically and mentally.
I thought January 1 would be when I would turn my backsliding around. I wrote down what I ate, as Tawny mentioned was so helpful Thursday, the beginning of this month but I got very lax about that after a bad weigh in or two. I’ve gone to the gym a couple of times, but I know I need to do that consistently so that I can get and enjoy the full benefits of exercise. I’ve attended every Tuesday night Weight Watchers meeting this month, but they’re doing very little for me. I even started playing Words with Friends at my last one. Yes, the newish group leader is not as good as my beloved former leader Melvin, but that’s no excuse for rudeness. I’m still blogging here, but I’m feeling like a fake right now.
I have found my motivation for brief moments this month, but it doesn’t last. I did have a little bit of a new year’s bump. When I was at the gym, I tried to find out more about a new year’s challenge, but there was no trainer there to answer my questions. I haven’t tried to find one to talk to since the initial idea. The fabulous boyfriend sent me a link to an inspiring video on YouTube from a guy who had lost 120 pounds in one year, went from very obese to ironman and claims running saved him. It was a very moving and motivating piece that made me cry. It didn’t get me to the gym though this weekend. It was cold, icy and dark. I read one-and-a-half inspirational novels this weekend, and that reminded me of so many important lessons I’ve learned the last few years.
I know Sally says you just have to keep on keepin’ on. It’s all about perseverance. Endurance. Not quitting. But, I don’t even feel like I’m treading water right now. I’m sinking an inch or so each week as I get fatter and fatter.
Yes, this may be getting a bit melodramatic, and hormones may be at work, but I just can’t find my motivation. What do I need to do? Do I need to just do what I need to do and the motivation will come while I’m doing the work? I know I’ve written many pieces about my struggles here. Do I need to reread them? Do I need to reread some of my triumphant pieces?
The beloved Melvin, Weight Watchers group leader extraordinaire who unfortunately stopped doing that last spring and mentioned above, would always challenge you to name the one thing you are going to do to succeed in your upcoming week when you were struggling. The last time he challenged me, I said I would track, aka keep a food diary, honestly and work out for stress reduction. I know I need to get back there, but it seems a bit daunting right now. Will doing that for a week help me find my motivation again?
Where do you find your motivation? What do you do when you can’t find it anywhere?
Posted by Trish Milburn Sep 22 2011, 12:01 am in bad habits, eating healthy, food, Trish Milburn
Sweets are my downfall. There, I’ve said it. Over the past couple of months, I’ve made a lot of changes to my diet to try to improve my cholesterol and triglyceride levels. And at first I did really well at steering clear of the sweets. But I have an confession — in the past few [...]
Posted by Trish Milburn Jun 7 2011, 12:01 am in bad habits, calories, eating healthy, exercise, food diary, Trish Milburn
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been on several deadlines and I’m going to admit right here and now that I’ve backslid on my health and fitness goals. I wasn’t tracking calories and wasn’t getting in my two hours of exercise each day, and consequently my weight has crept up a few pounds. The [...]
Posted by Trish Milburn May 10 2011, 12:01 am in bad habits, calories, exercise, food, food diary, goals, Trish Milburn, weight loss
We’re five months into this year, so now is a good time to assess how we’re doing in our Healthy Writer journeys. Here are five questions to ponder. I look forward to seeing your answers. 1. What resolution/goal have you kept up without fail this year? I gave up Coca-Cola at the end of last [...]
Posted by Trish Milburn Apr 5 2011, 12:07 am in bad habits, confidence, Expectations, positive thinking, Trish Milburn
I’m going with a short post today, but it’s something I’ve been saving in my “Healthy Writer ideas” file for awhile. And considering I spent yesterday half ready to jump into the bathtub in the interior bathroom should the roof start peeling off and without power for seven hours, today just seemed like a short [...]
Posted by Trish Milburn Mar 22 2011, 8:34 am in bad habits, calories, eating healthy, exercise, food diary, Trish Milburn, weight loss
Last month, I had a good bit of success with my weight-loss goals by being diligent about tracking my calories and keeping them within a certain range and by two hours of daily exercise. This month has been less successful so far because I haven’t been as diligent. It’s been more of an up-and-down month. [...]
Posted by Trish Milburn Jan 11 2011, 12:01 am in bad habits, eating healthy, food, Trish Milburn
I’ve mentioned several times how big of a sweet tooth I have, but I also have to admit that I love salty stuff as well. Chips are evil. I think the people who make them know you can’t eat just one…or two…or three. They’re banking on us suddenly looking down and noticing in horror that [...]
Posted by Trish Milburn Dec 29 2010, 12:01 am in bad habits, calories, eating healthy, Trish Milburn
Yesterday, I was reading an article online from Men’s Health about why we’re all so much fatter than we used to be. Two out of three of us are overweight or obese. That’s just sad. According to the CDC, in my lifetime men have increased their calorie consumption by 7 percent. Women, a whopping 18 [...]
Posted by Michelle Butler Nov 1 2010, 1:06 am in bad habits, cooking, eating healthy, Holidays, inspiration, Michelle Butler, Michelle Mondays, weight loss
You may recall some of my previous complaints about how little weight I’ve lost this year. I was my lowest weight of the year on March 30th (33.2 pounds down). Since then, I’ve stayed in a six-pound range between 33.2 and 27 pounds down. I started the year at 26 pounds down, so I have [...]
Posted by Sally Kilpatrick Oct 15 2010, 12:01 am in bad habits, Sally Kilpatrick
I am so happy to be here on Healthy Writers as a new member! I, like so many others, have had a few points in life of being very physically fit, several periods of being active, and even more periods of being a couch potato. Kinda like now. So, today’s question is: what does it [...]
