Motivation...

I was messaged this morning with a friend asking how they get their motivation back...so thought theres a post in the making :)

So one thing that has worked for me is to "enjoy" the journey. Ive mentioned before...back in 2009 i plateaud out at 130 kilos for about 7 months. I felt i was eating correctly...i was training with fiona 3 times a week...but still i was doing this lil fluctuation of a kilo or two and never getting under 130 kilos and maintaining it. At the time i was unable to settle on a eating plan going from ww to calorie counting to slim at the gym....i think i even tried lite n easy...but nothing was working. Then in mid 2009...i knew i was missing "something"....to not be losing i knew something wasnt right....and thats when i started to read up on nutrition and exercise. I didnt know what i was looking for but decided if i became more educated....maybe i would figure out what i needed to change. And by doing that i decided i was going to view my journey as my "hobby" not just a task that simply needed to be done...but it was gonna be my "passion". Pretty much straight away i signed up for google alerts....and any email newsletters on a healthy lifestyle i signed up for. I kept my eye out for groups and pages on facebook that fitted into this criteria. Ultimately this process didnt suddenly get the weight loss going (that happened when i read Jillians book and discoverred "calorie cycling") but reading stuff on nutrition....i actually discoverred that i really had a genuine interest in nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.

Something i wish i had figured out long ago in my journey was just to be happy with where im at. Yanno I would be at the point where I had lost 30, 40 or 50 kilos or more....but instead of celebrating that i would be always like "i hate how fat i am"...."i hate my hips" etc etc yes i am a lot smaller now....do i see myself as i really am? Yeh prolly not...i still think i look rather big...(and i just think maybe thats a mental thing...and one day my brain will catchup i hope) and while its hard even know to acknowledge that im doing good...cos if im doing good i mite even have to suggest im successful at this....and being mediocre etc is easier...but...im getting off track....celebrate whatever losses you have had....whether your 200 grams down or 100 kilos down....your still better off then you were yesterday and tomorrow you will be better off then you are today if you stick at it.

Variety - focus on a variety of foods! I even dont think having the occassional "bad" food as a bad thing. If you are on track and eating well and then on a special occassion go out....and dont go nuts but also dont necessarily stick to your calories....but eat a meal you thoroughly enjoy....which is different to what you normally eat...i think your body thanks you. Its good for you mentally....you spent that occassion....that hour or two....not having to think about calories or points...you have shocked your body and it will be thinking what on earth is this i am digesting....and it falls into why calorie cycling works...the key is to ensure you get back on to track and certainly dont do it every week....but for special occassions i dont see the harm in it. I am going out for dinner next weekend (to celebrate my 5 years of healthy living) and i plan to have whatever main meal takes my fancy and possibly even a glass of wine....yanno it wont kill me....and it wont lead to a 2 kilo gain....in fact i suspect it will be good for my weight loss journey. Also on a day to day basis dont eat the same thing every day...eat a variety of healthy foods....the occassional treat food that fits into your calories/points....and dont guilt it! Enjoy that moment!!!

I would also really suggest you try and read inspirational stories. There are a trillion journals out there....read a batch of my blog list on the side of the journal....go to google and search "weight loss journals"....find some books ("fat chance", "believe it, be it" "confessions of a reformed dieter")

Mostly find the joy in this journey...it can be joyful....from the very first week....yes it can also be frustrating and hard work....but switching your mindset to enjoy it....will lead to success....viewing it as a chore you "have to do" i dont believe will lead to success.