I can't seem to stay motivated.  I will try my best for a brief period of time and if I don't see any progress I go back to my old ways.  It's terrible.  I have been fighting this battle for 12 years.  Any solid suggestions??

Hi MyYear2008, 

Thanks for writing and welcome to alli.  Don't feel alone in the struggle to overcome the weight battle!  It effects so many individuals.... The good news is that you are aware of it, and know that it is an area that you are going to have to commit to and work hard at! It is a decision that only you can make and one that only you can make happen. 

Being "motivated" is not going to be enough... having the "will-power" isn't enough. We ALL fall off of the wagon. You're going to have to find out and search the core issues that are keeping you from believing you are worth losing the weight and being the best you can be.  It's not what you're "eating" but what is "eating you."  

You have to find the "whats, whys, whos and hows" of the situation." Then you'll be able to identify the underlying problem and make a plan of action through a healthy diet and exercise that you can commit to. 

On that note, do go ahead and take steps toward a healthy living plan that you can practically walk out each day. With the help of alli and a good support system like the message boards, you should be able to make positive progress. 

Best in luck, 

Kelli

 MyYear2008,

Kelli is so right but I have been where you are and that is you are in this space where it is hard to see or understand how it relates to you.  I remember reading Dr. Phil's book on weight loss and it does the soul searching, etc. and I made it to chap. 2 and could not for the life of me figure out what to write.  So ... I stopped reading it.  I have been in therapy a long time learning about who I am, what happened along the way, what influenced me, what I lacked to make it so and just what we do each day that makes a difference in our lives.  I watch the Biggest Loser because I learn many tips but also how I can push my body.  Look at how hard they push their bodies.  If I am not sweating like they are, then I must not be working hard enough.  They feel the pain and so do I as my body starts to ache. They talk about constantly that until you can deal with what is inside of you that has accumulated all these years it will be a constant battle.  As Julian says, "they come in a bag of garbage."  As the pain comes out of them, you see them change not only in weight but in who they have become because they have been able to concur some of the pain. 

So where do you start?  How do you keep motivated?  If you watch the Biggest Loser, they are a group of people that help and urge each other on.  They are in pain, they don't want to do another push up but they have trainers that get in their faces and egg them on.  You have wonderful forums out there who will help push you.  I don't know your age but I have found that doesn't seem to matter because it is all about you.  Trina is in the 50's forum and says it like it is but is one of the most compassionate people.  There are many others in that group that cheer you on every day.  I have never been in a better forum.  The people in this forum communicate like they could be in the same room with you sometimes.  It isn't about age.  Find a group that stays close, easily brings you into the group and where you are not ever considered an outsider because you haven't always been there.  Who jokes, laughs and feels your pain.  Every day you check in to do your meals, journal and activities then that is the time to also keep in touch with the forums.  I always see what is being said by the specialists and I always check in with the 50's and once in awhile I go to see what is happening in the other forums.  In the 40's there is a chat about people that have dogs.  Great way to get out and be forced to exercise.

Getting through the first week is hard because if that loss is not what you expected you may just say the heck with it.  That is really easy to do but losing weight is not easy.  Exercise is not easy.  Life is not meant to be easy.  Stay with it and if you lose a pound, you should feel proud of yourself because that is one pound less than what you were.  I have been on Alli for 4 1/2 weeks and have lost 6.5#.  It feels like forever sometimes and I read about how others are losing big numbers but do you know when I got on the scale this morning and I finally went down a pound and it was the lowest I had been in years, I went "yes" and did a little jig because I was so excited that I was at a number I waited for. 

Alli works, forums work, specialists are awesome, so the only one that does not work is you if you do nothing about it.  You will not find complaining, whining but the opposite. 

Come on and join us.  Your excitement won't last every day to keep you motivated but if you lose that one pound you hadn't lost, how much more motivation do you need.  It is all about "YOU" and no one else. 

Please keep in touch.  There are so many of us that care.

Sue

 Hi Sue,

I just wanted to tell you how deeply your post impressed me.  You have mastered the art of believing in yourself, and trust me when I tell you that you have already overcome the most difficult part of the weight loss battle.  So much of what you said in your post was motivating and encouraging, and most important, true.  Knowing you have a group of supporters cheering you on in this journey and understanding the pain that can go along with it helps, but at the end of the day, how far you go is only up to you and you alone.  The power to make the right choices, the poower to exercise and eat right, the power to motivate yourself and others is in your hands.  Use it well.

Keep up the awesome work, and congratulations on your weight loss.

Good Luck,

Paul

 Paul,

Thank you for your comments.  That was really nice of you to comment on them.

I had hoped that myyear2008 would reply so that I could try to stay with her and keep her motivated.  I will check a few of the forums to see if she popped into any of them.

Sue

 My year 2008

Hi and welcome.  All I can do is tell you to do it for you.  No other reason.  You have to let yourself be worth it.  A lot of times we put ourselves on the back burner becaus eour kids need us, our spouses need us, our jobs need us ( are you noticing a theme here) but when it comes time for us to do for ourselves we do not have any energy left over.  For me motivation is not enough.  One day I am up and want to succeed and charge right ahead and then the next I am so busy and tired I don't know what to do.  I know that when I make myslef exercise i feel great not only because I did it but because of how it physically made me feel but I can just as easily say I'm too tired and miss one session that turns into two or three or four and then I feel guilty and have no motivation except I have to do it for me.  No one can make us eat right or exercise it would be so great if they could but it's up to us.  And its a matter of how much you want it.  I know everyone says they want to lose weight but there comes a time when you just want it so bad nothing else get in your way.  I always think of this evening years ago when some friends of mine and I got together playing cards and we were popping m&m's and popcorn along with chips and pop and just complaining about how we wanted to be able tolose weight.  But not one of us really wanted to at that time or we would have had snacks that were better for us.

I hope this helps and good luck hope to hear from you again.

 RebekahM,

Well put!  I don't think it could be said any better.

Good Luck,

Paul