What keeps you going?

There's always the temptation to cheat on your diet. I have been through several diets, all with varying results. The best one was when I was 15 and went from 12 stone 6 to 8 stone 2 and yet I can't for the life of me think of how I kept going.

So I'm starting this post so people can write what keeps them going.

My input is simply the most obvious. What you'll look like at the end.

But for me it's much easier as I have recently found a picture of myself when I was at the goal weight I wish to be now. So my suggestion is to find a picture, yourself or someone else who fits the size you want to end up as.

This has probably been suggested before, but I couldn't find any posts like it.

-Chia

Whenever I think of cheating, which I think is okay to do once in a while, I remember how I feel when I weigh myself the next morning.  That crappy feeling stays with me all day.  There's nothing like waking up, looking at the scale and seeing a lower number.  That is what keeps me motivated. 

My sister is on the South Beach diet and she gets a "free day."  Maybe give yourself something like that, not to go crazy overboard or anything, but gives you a release.  I have found giving myself a free day every few weeks does boost my metabolism and helps my weight loss the following week.  Now if only my family would quite coming to visit me!  I have been maintaining and loosing slightly, so I'm still doing good.  Even if you slip, and I have been slipping a lot, if you stick to it the majority of the time I think you will see your results.

 

A free day works well for me too.  To stop my cravings, I ask myself if its worth eating or drinking what ever it is to set me back a week.  I see it as time lost or wasted when I cancel a whole week of dieting and exercizing for a night of fun, or one meal.  The key is to use free days responsibly and not go overboard.  Eat smart and healthy but allow a few drinks, or dessert one night.  You know whatever you are craving!

i feel great when I stick to my diet, and really proud of myself. I know that that bowl of ice cream is SO not worth it-I've worked hard, and if I eat it, I'll feel like crap and want to eat more bad stuff and soon it will be a binge. Instead I'll have a teaspoon if I REALLY want it, close the fridge, and budget it into tomorrow's calories if I still want it

I've only just started it but I feel really motivated by the Weight Loss Meetup Group I just started here in Vancouver. The people are fab and we are really on the same wavelength and have the same objective.

It's basically a group where we meetup talk about our goals and we do the talking while walking, swimming, bowling, aquafitting and so forth.

It's so much more fun if you have someone to share your journey with.

People have told me "you're too fat" or "you dont need anymore sugar" or "why dont you do something about yourself", thats what keeps me going. To know that when I see them again, I will be healthy, and healthier than the people who said that (they werent so skinny and healthy themselves!) Just to be like "i did do something about it" and have them still sitting there, not excercising, eating wayyy too much junk.

My trainer has threatened "violence" against me if I start going backwards. Kidding (at least I'm *pretty* sure he is. Heh).

Seriously, I think it's mostly habit for me now, but continued results and downward movement on the scale keep me going. That, and I'd like to lose the one BP medication (down from 3) I'm still taking.

I made a mistake, my sister is not on the South Beach Diet, she's on the Body for Life, and they encourage smaller portions but eating every three hours.  We were comparing our diets and they are similar, but she doesn't count calories.  It works for her, she lost 7 lbs so far, and at that time so had I, but even on her "free day" I guess the guilt kicks in a little and she doesn't go overboard.  She came to visit me and I had to convince her we could drink two bottles of wine because it was her "free day!"  Hahaha!

I think the problem starts when that free day starts to feel too good and you go overboard, and then you give up the discipline.  I think that's what she was afraid of, but she is has really disciplined herself, as I think most people who even take that step to join this board are, so keep up the good work or go see spjesq's trainer, haha!