On track and HONEST!!

Someone recently asked me the question :What was your motivation to start in the first place & what were some of the key things that kept you on track & honest??

The motivation to start I would have to say was purely vain. I saw pictures of myself and had a heart attack!! I was HUGE!! I would like to say it was for health reasons etc... but nope - it was mainly the photo's which had me heading down the weight-loss road!! Hahaha...

Of course, there were other things like - feeling really low because I was so big; not being able to walk up stairs properly etc...

In terms of the things which kept me on track and honest.... I have written a post on 'motivation' which kind of overlaps with this topic (so take a look at that one too). But I would have to say the short answer to this question is "other like minded people". The main difference I can pinpoint between this year and the other times I have tried to loose weight is support from people. My husband has been really supportive with minding the kids so I can go to the gym - he has even been referred to as a gym widow. LOL.



Trav (my husband) and Ethan, Zac and Kaleb
(my 3 boys!!)

 My friends have been great listening to me and encouraging me - some even coming on walks or coming swimming with me. (A great opportunity to catch up with someone doing something not revolving around a coffee shop!!)

BUT I have to say the key people who have kept me on track and honest have been those I have met along the way. . both at the gym and also through the "Biggest Looser club" online and now the "12 week body transformation". Mostly this is because they are on the same journey as me - have the same eating/exercising issues as me - and need just as much support as me to get to where they want to be!!

 

Anne and I joke about 'confessing' to each other when we eat things we shouldn't have or feel disappointed in ourselves after a training session. This is fantastic because we are both after the same thing - leaner, fitter, lighter, stronger etc.... and because of this we can say to each other - "well, it's a new day today: work hard, do your best, forget about it - but don't do it again!!"

It's the same with the online forums. I have and am developing some good friendships through these things!! They are great!! Again, it's a bunch of people all after the same thing - many of whom have been where you are and understand how hard it is!! All have had different experiences and are happy to share their words of wisdom to get you through whatever issue you are having..

For example: I got this off the 12WBT wall on facebook - It's great!! LOVE IT!!

I have also cut and pasted a few replies to a post where someone was wondering what was wrong with them - all their motivation had gone out the window.

I've found one of the most valuable things for me is developing a routine.  So that it doesn't matter if you could be bothered or feel motivated.  Who is motivated to do laundry or even gives thought to brushing our teeth etc.  we do these things because they have to be done but also because they are routine.

If you have a routine and you just do your exercise routine, whether you want to or not, over time you will build a habit and you will find the swings away from motivation fewer and farther between and less intense and thus easier to overcome.  But you have to do the hard yards initially in order for it to get easier in the long term.

Plan your week ahead and schedule in every workout. Plan every meal.
If you are prepared for the week ahead it will be a successful one.
Don’t ‘wait’ for your mindset to come. Just get out there and exercise. Stick to your 1200 cals. You can do this. Take action and the mindset will follow in due course.

How good are these replies!! Great advice and hopefully they in themselves provided the person with enough 'motivation' to get up and keep pressing on!!

So - the answer to the question: "What has kept me on track and honest?" Other than things like the scales (which will let me know pretty quickly if I eat too much) - the main answer I think is lots of support from LIKE - MINDED PEOPLE!!