What Keeps You Motivated

jewey4 · Jul 15, 2004

Hello all,
I would love to know what all of you do to keep motivated with your goals. I need some help here! I have a definite goal (would like to lose that last 15 pounds) but it's so hard to keep up with it. I've found activities that I enjoy but after work, I'm always so tempted to relax or make excuses. What inspires you?

scuba-punk · Jul 15, 2004

For me it was not being able to do something that I really wanted to do. If you're anything like me (heaven help you if you are), it takes a daily promise to myself to keep at it and not quit on myself. Short list of things that motivate me:

1) Front, back and side pictures of me in a pair of swim trunks. Take these pictures every couple of months to get a reality check on your progress.

2) Write down the answer to these questions and read them every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep (from Body-for-Life by Bill Phillips):
- Have you made the decision to change?
- What are your reasons for making the decision to change?
- When you look at yourself, do you honestly like what you see?
- How do you feel deep down inside?
- How do you really feel about yourself?
- Are you confident, energetic and strong?
- Do you often wonder if you're on the right path?
- What are the pros and cons of continuing in the direction you're going?
- Would you like to create a better future?

3) Punching a new hole in my belt every month

In order to get, and stay, motivated, I have to have something to lose. For me to have remained in the poor physical condition that I was in, I would have ended up with diabetes, heart disease, or who knows what else. But what really kicked me in the arse was the thought of having to quit diving because I would be endangering myself and those who dive with me every time I go for a dive. That was my motivation. Seems kind of trivial, but right here, right now, that's more than I care to lose. Hope that helps.

-Frank

ArcticDiver · Jul 20, 2004

Motivatators?

-I'm living my lifestyle for ME!
-I want Quality in my life, and know whatever I do will reflect over the next 20 years.
-I'm living my lifestyle for good health and productivity, not for others or how I look.
-I want to be strong enough and have enough endurance to do anything I wish.
-I enjoy the feeling of control I get from eating and exercising and working to my standards instead of accepting those others in society accept.
-I enjoy giving the food industrythe figurative finger when I don't follow their fads and advertising.
-I enjoy not being a part of the herd that follows the food/diet industry.

In other words my main motivator is knowing that due to the way I eat and exercise I am giving myself the best chance of leading a productive, satisfying and perhaps even a long life.

jewey4 · Jul 21, 2004

Thanks for your responses. Definitely some good advice there.
A couple months ago I had surgery and couldn't exercise for a few weeks, so because I had to discontinue my routine, I STAYED inactive for a couple months simply out of laziness. It's always so hard to get back into the swing of things after stopping. But I've started back up and am starting to remember how great it feels after a workout- which often times, can be one of the greatest motivations. Like ArcticDiver wrote, its health that should be foremost. I've been doing it mainly for the sake of vanity pounds- which I still want to lose, but I tend to slack off more when that is put first in priority.

Scuba-punk, I like your questions- those would be great, not just in the morning, but to have them readily available when I really just don't want to exercise after work.

paolov · Jul 21, 2004

would you believe i lost 2 inches since May until today?

My doctor had me House COnfined for 1 1/2 months. and i had to eaT eat and eat alots of carbo and sweets , no medicines. That made me go round all over.

after the doctor gave me the go signal to resume my lifes activity, i started on food volume reduction and the only excersices i do is PILATES, MAT Pilates to be exact.

In two months i have lost 2 inches

) and to think i just do 5 to 10 mins of Mat Pilates and just leg raises and its variations.

gt2003 · Jul 21, 2004

My most recent motivation is my 7 yr old child. He is a victim (for lack of a better word, and no, he's really not a victim, I know) of todays society. He loves to sit around and watch movies, eat and play video games. I finally came to the conclusion unless I was the responsible parent that he would never get the exercise he needs. Most of the food in the house is fairly healthy but portion control and lack of exercise are my 2 main concerns for him. I'm limited on helping with portion control during the day but I am conscientious of what we cook, how we cook it and how much he eats at night. I'm not too restrictive since he is so young and still developing, I just kind of keep an eye on him. I mainly watch for big time excesses My wife and I have also been walking 3-4 days a week. We take him with us and he usually rides his bike about 2 miles or so while we walk. He is notorious for complaining when we tell him its time to go but he really enjoys it once he is out riding. My wife is not much of the exerciser but has also enjoyed the walking which in turn is another motivator for me. I do find that it is much easier exercising with someone. They tend to be motivated when you aren't. Good luck with your program. Weigh in's tomorrow. Maybe I've lost. See y'all, Greg

jonnythan · Jul 21, 2004

My Excel spreadsheet. Every calorie I eat, every workout session, and every day's weight goes into it. If I mess up, I'll have to look at it every day from now on.

That's motivation enough for me.

plcmd · Jul 21, 2004

scuba-punk:
For me it was not being able to do something that I really wanted to do. If you're anything like me (heaven help you if you are), it takes a daily promise to myself to keep at it and not quit on myself. Short list of things that motivate me:

1) Front, back and side pictures of me in a pair of swim trunks. Take these pictures every couple of months to get a reality check on your progress.

2) Write down the answer to these questions and read them every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep (from Body-for-Life by Bill Phillips):
- Have you made the decision to change?
- What are your reasons for making the decision to change?
- When you look at yourself, do you honestly like what you see?
- How do you feel deep down inside?
- How do you really feel about yourself?
- Are you confident, energetic and strong?
- Do you often wonder if you're on the right path?
- What are the pros and cons of continuing in the direction you're going?
- Would you like to create a better future?

3) Punching a new hole in my belt every month

In order to get, and stay, motivated, I have to have something to lose. For me to have remained in the poor physical condition that I was in, I would have ended up with diabetes, heart disease, or who knows what else. But what really kicked me in the arse was the thought of having to quit diving because I would be endangering myself and those who dive with me every time I go for a dive. That was my motivation. Seems kind of trivial, but right here, right now, that's more than I care to lose. Hope that helps.

-Frank

Body For Life is an EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT decision. My wife and I are on the Body for life program, except that it is not a program. It actually is a better lifestyle. It's not hard to do. Common sense. Gotta love those free days.

scuba-punk · Jul 23, 2004

plcmd, you're right. It truly is a change for the rest of your life. It really isn't that hard and once the eating and exercising became habit (about 3 or 4 weeks), it's just become part of my everyday life. My wife has been doing it with me and she's lost about 20 pounds and I've lost about 35. I know that I've made posts about it before, but I would have never thought it possible that I would have any athletic prowess, but in 2 months, I'm going to be entering in my first sprint distance triathlon. I've been kinda going easy on the weight training (actually none in the past month), but the training schedule I am following is 6 days a week of cardio (2 bike, 2 run, 2 swim). I do miss it, but it's only for 2 more months. I figure after the race, I'll return to probably 2 days of weight training and 3 days of cardio a week.

I've realised that it wasn't that I didn't have the time to train my body for diving, it's that I didn't have the energy. If you make time to work out/train/whatever you want to call it, you find time and energy in abundance to do everything else.

Just my 2psi,
-Frank

murphdivers286 · Jul 24, 2004

I simply look in the mirror with what ever I'm going to eat that is not on my diet and say, "Is it worth it?".

Just force yourself to do it. You will feel better when it is over!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Keeps You Motivated

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