Keeping focus/motivation?

Good Tuesday Morning, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful sleep, and are ready to start the day. I have a question for all of you.  I know that sometimes we have trouble keeping focus and motivation to lose weight.  With all of the fast-food places at every corner and hectic busy lives that sometimes force us to make unhealthy choices...I thought that I'd ask the proverbial question. Well...two actually... How do you maintain focus and motivation?  Are there any tricks or mini goals you set for yourself? Before I share mine, I would love to hear what has worked for you!

How do you maintain focus and motivation?  Are there any tricks or mini goals you set for yourself? My answer I think answers both questions. My focus, motivation and goals each day are based in balance.  How can I eat 2 servings of low fat dairy? 4-6 servings veggies?  1-2 pieces fruit? 2-5 servings of lean protein? Good fats? Good grains, stick to 1-3 servings daily?  And of course, how will I move and challenge my body this day. I take issue with your statement that fast food and unhealthy choices "force" us to do badly - no, no:  Bad Planning forces that!  Another related goal daily is not to indulge every hunger twinge. I hate them as much as the next guy, but again, I have finally realized that Hunger without a plan is what the problem is! Money may be the one reason that many people cannot stick to lean proteins especially - bariatric foods are expensive, but they are saving my waistline. I am on the run every workday, and those anchors are helping me.  Sure, a baked/grilled chicken breast is better, but it doesn't ride well in my briefcase!

Fast food no longer lures me.  I just really came to see and accept that such food is the antithesis to my goals of living a healthy lifestyle and losing weight.  I'd say I'm not tempted 98% of the time.  The other 2%, well 1% is the craving for the taste, so if I want a burger, I'll make it at home and the latter 1% is hunger and convenience.  I've learned to make sure I'm satiated with protein, fat and fiber so I don't get hungry between meals and I carry food with me most times so there's little need for the convenience.  If there is a need--I know what stores to go to for what I need.  Better a hard boiled egg or an apple or banana from a convenience store, than junk food. This directly plays into how I maintain focus and motivation.  Why give fast food power to keep me from my goals?  I see them as "evil" in the sense that they are just not worth my energy. Period. ETA:  my training schedule reinforces my commitment via accountability.  I am committed to a gym and a training schedule.  I came to know my exercise needs, i.e. that I need it done first in my day or I won't do it.  Knowing I'm putting all this money and effort on that front, I am not willing to compromise it with the wrong food choices.   Lastly, I know why I'm doing this and that motivation is strong.  I'm not willing to give that up for anything. It all comes full circle for me.

Well, after reading those two posts I'm ashamed to say...I love fast food!  I'm a fast food junky who will crave it to no end if I don't get my fix.  I could live off of McD's and Taco Bell.  I was never taught to not love it when I was a child, because we never had it.  So when I became a teenager I ate it all the time, and no one mentioned it to me on how bad it was.  Now with eating it at least twice a wee for years the habits hard to break, so I know what you mean.

I'm still learning, well...because I love it!  For me I have to totally stay off those streets.  If I know I'm going somewhere that day I literally think if there is a fast food place around that area.  Then I make sure I eat something before I leave.  That usually helps and it will make it to where I won't stop.  Keep a protein bar in your car, or a piece of fruit with you at all times.  Thing's like this is the only way I can keep away from these places.  COFFEE!ha  I will go get an americano or a skinny latte if I don't have anything else with me.  This usually keeps my hunger pains away until I get back home.  Plus this is an another addiction of mine. ;) 

With my love for fast food I think it's alright to eat it once in a while.  I'm still working on "when" I should be allowed to eat it.  Maybe you or others might have ideas for me also on this one.  But I try to limit it to once every two weeks atm.  Even with this, I try to stay away from the fried foods aka fries..etc.  I have no desire to eat them any more.

 Think I sort of got side tracked on this one...sorry.hehe  I'm still waking up.  I guess it all comes down to planning for me.  If I don't plan, those little places sometimes gets the best of me.

Don't get me wrong--I understand liking it.  I loved BK.  Give me a whopper and fries.  Best.  Well, I looked at what I liked about it.  For me it was the smokey flavor, the beef (I love beef) and their fries were best IMO.  But knowing that even one meal will keep from goal, I won't give that away to it.  Instead, I go home, grill up a steak or burger and get my fix that way.  Honestly, all it takes is changing the  habit and doing it a few times before you realize there's no reason for the old habit to "control" you.

Mmm steak, that sounds good.  Lol and it's only eight in the morning!  Guess I need to go eat breakfast.  I know what ya mean, and at one point in my life I thought that way.  If you can actually do it, and stay away from fast food then I think it's great!  And for all I know it might be the only way. But for me I'm trying another route, one I think is best for me at this time in my life.

I was able to stay away from junk for about a year and a half, then I caved in.   But I did learn how to stay away from certain things there. But at this point in my life I feel like I want "balance", I don't feel like totally taking everything away.  I am more into learning moderation and stop eating when I am satisfied, then not eating it at all.  I'm into learning about choices, which one is better for you and trying to avoid the others. Grilled instead of fried, side salad or yogurt parfait instead of fries, etc.  I'm a binger, and a closet eater.  I will overload on foods like you wouldn't believe if I take them away. For me, this is how it is, and I'm just coming to realize that.  I want to be able to have choices, and learn how to walk away from them after just one bite.  That is what I'm aiming at. :)  And I can't wait  until I'm able to do that. 

OOOOh, I actually did it the other night.  I was so proud of myself, and no one here at home  understood it.  I was eating a piece of cake that my mom brought over.argghh!!  I caught myself staring at it and was thinking to myself...do I really want this or need this, or does it just taste good?  So I put it down after two bites and threw it away!!  I was so happy for myself.  I was walking on cloud nine all night from it.  I know silly, but to me it was everything.  I'm looking at it like a disease, like an addiction.  I can't take away food, I love food, and I like variety, so I need to learn how to make good choices, and learn when to say enough.  

 

Good questions.... one of mine is really easy :) Move yourself to an island (I live in Alaska) where there is a population of say 3 thousand people... to small for ANY fast food chain to be bothered with our corners:) LOL We have NO.... ZILCH.... NONE!     We have a restaurant that makes burgers/fries etc., but when you have to pay almost $10 for one... that can really turn you off on them :)  I think I go to that place every other year- maybe ONCE in 1.5 to 2 years :) Motivation.... my SCALE is a great help to me. Once I see it going DOWN... it has a real challenge affect on me. It's almost as though I'm challenging MYSELF! It has become almost like a n addiction to see it LOWER each week!   Also, coming HERE to chat with others like me... they are a HUGE motivation for me :) First off I set my 10 % mini goal with WW, then I set several other small (mini-mini:) goals for myself... then the holidays grabbed me for a couple weeks- I gained 3-4 pounds back and am now working at my goal of loosing another 10-15 pounds by March 1 when we take our first Disney vacation with our two youngest kiddo's. 

I thank you all for your comments and sharing your motivation and focus. I totally agree that coming here and hearing inspirational posts and people who set goals each week. What I've done, is tried to limit my fast food intake to 1-2 times a week, I try NOT to give into the convenience, but sometimes I treat myself to something SMALL.  I was only saying that there are so many fast food places around that influence a craving, especially if you smell something like McDonald's or A&W. I'm very careful with what I eat and how much I eat.  I try to stick to my 22 points a day with WW, and incorporate my exercise routine at night, and slowly the pounds are coming off.  My cravings for fast food have diminished, but I will occasionally have Taco Bell, and only have one burrito, Fresco style at least, and nothing that would add too much fat. The motivation factor is that I do NOT want to be back up to 240lbs.  That was my heaviest weight.  I don't even want to think about how unhealthy that was and how I was hurting my heart.  I no longer get winded doing the simplest things like walking up the two small flights of stairs I have at home. We have an exercise bike that has been in the kitchen for the Christmas holidays that I had asked my parents to wheel back out for me and I am planning to do 1 hour of biking a day.  It feels like my legs are full of jelly but it's so worth it. I'm so happy that we have a scale at home, and I am a BIT obsessed with weighing myself.  I do so maybe about 10-15 times a day...and I find that there is a 1-2 pound difference when I weigh myself with clothes than without.  Of course, the door's always closed for that. The confidence factor in being able to go to a store and find a pair of jeans, dress, or a shirt that I like and I can actually fit into a decent size.  I don't have to shop at the PLUS size clothing stores anymore, and I am so grateful for the motivation that has given me...to NOT be able to fit into my old pants anymore. So that's motivating me to keep losing!  I encourage everyone to keep motivated...you've all done well and I'm sure you're not far from your goals.  Keep up the awesome work!

I have to add an AMEN to much of Neecee's post..especially the part about making choices and thinking about how to get the bod moving. Maintaining focus and motivation: I want to get back into the workforce so badly that I can taste it.  I look around and see in other women the woman I want to be.. and even though just one french fry won't prevent that from happening, I think of all the french fries that got me into this mess to begin with.  I want to feel good about myself.. and I want to feel 45 years old.... not 75.   I was so ashamed of myself that I wouldn't even go to the store for the longest time.  I don't want to feel like that anymore.  I'm tired of walking with my head down. I'm probably never going to work for myself again.. and I know in order to get my foot in the door somewhere that I need the window dressing. I got some serious work to do. Fast food doesn't turn me on, but a nice piece of filet mignon does.. and when I want it, I have it.  I look at my time at the gym as entertainment rather than work.. and for me (I don't have a job and I don't know anyone up here) that feels like going to a good concert or something.  I get a rush from it. Mini goals and tricks: Well, my mini goal i****ting 180 lbs.  I was like a size 12/13 at that weight.. but of course, I was bodybuilding big time.  My REAL goal is that leather outfit my daughter picked up in Italy in a size 9 that she's only worn once.  I know a 9 isn't realistic.. but I can dream....  310/232/180 <-- and the beat goes on!