Q&A Wednesday: How Can I Get Motivated?

I think for me, it’s always an ongoing process. A VERY SLOW ONE. And honestly I have not lost one pound since last year when I started thinking about all of this.

I started by just logging my food in Jan 2012. Not calorie counting, just basically writing a list of my meals for the day in a very general manner. Then in May I started run/walking a few times a week irregularly, no more than a mile or so. Then I started doing a short run/walk plus a few extra miles of walking. In the fall school started and I got off track a little, but I’d probably go out an run once a week or so – still, slow run/walking but maybe like 2 or 3 miles by now. Then the weather got cold and I started doing some workout DVDs indoors.

In the past 6 weeks it’s really kicked up the most. I found a workout DVD I really liked and did it religiously, 30 min/ 6 days a week for a month. I also started tracking my calories online.

Recently I got bored of the workout and have moved on to a different DVD, but I still get 4-6 workouts in a week and have lowered my calorie allowance a bit. Still haven’t lost a single pound, but I am motivated because I can tell I am becoming stronger and more energetic. (However, if I don’t see some weight come off in the next few weeks I am definitely going to be sad.)

Anyway, it seems like for me it’s been a super long, super slow process, and I haven’t even begun to lose weight yet. It seems like it’s going to take the rest of my life for anything to really happen – but I guess that’s how it’s supposed to be? I don’t know, but I suppose I am happy that I am no longer gaining 10-15 lbs. per year like before, so at least that’s something.

In December i got fed up from trying all these low calorie dieting and buying frozen meals instead of cooking. I also hurt myself during workouts not using correct form before December. Afterwards I really been focusing on clean eating as a vegetarian. The pounds has been slowly dropping and much happier. Lately I been cooking all these recipes from my vegetarian cookbook not relying on processed vegan stuff but instead cooking from scratch. Now for my exercise I was doing bikram yoga but now I am doing cardio bosu training class and trx classes along with yoga. Motivation for me was achieving to live this healthy lifestyle as a long term goal.

Self discipline would be the most important thing to consider. It would be difficult at first but when we think of weight loss as motivation, inspiration and also a challenge for us to become a more better person then I think it would be a good start. Plus, it will be a very long and rough road, but when it seems like you’re already on top then it will be all worth it. 🙂

Take things slow, there is no shortcuts here!

Erika, the motivation for me was I finally saw my side profile. I could not believe that it was actually me that was in the photo. I have complained about my lower back killing me. When I saw what I looked like from my side profile and really realized how much stomach weight that I was/am carrying on my lower back; I said enough. No more playing around for me. I have to be around for my husband and 3 children and be a better example to my 14 year old daughter. I loath working out, but I love the way I feel afterwards. Did I feel like doing it today! NOOOO! But I know that in order for me to reach my goals, I have to take this time for me and me only. Thanks for all that you do.