Motivation?

What does everyone do to motivate themselves to get fit and lose weight?

I have a picture on my desktop that I created - it's a list of all the benefits of losing weight and getting fit.  I added in 3 pics of fit women I found on the net - a small butt in a pair of jeans, a flat stomach, and toned arms.

Today I put my camera on the tripod and filmed myself working out in my skimpy workout outfit.  It a'int a pretty sight!!        I plan this as the 'before' video and want an 'after' video that I can bear to look at.

I just remind myself of the bigger picture.  Yesterday I was on the treadmill, and I was struggling with the last 5 minutes of the run.  So, I thought back to my friend who ran an entire marathon, and realized that five minutes was nothing, and I could do it.  That, and I try to fast-forward.  Sure, I may enjoy whatever glass(es) of wine today, but in a year, if all that extra wine has packed on the pounds, I really wouldn't enjoy it.

That, and I flat out won't buy bigger clothing.

1. be patient with yourself . losing weight is not easy . you want to keep your body in balance . so best is to do it slowly. no rush

2. get a training buddy. can be a mate/ husband. go walking everyday . start walking for 20 min and gradually increase to an hr. take ur dog with u if you have one. ipod would work as well.

3. buy training dvds...
4. put a picture on the fridge sayiong : im not eating junk!!!!

5. get support at home/ friends
6. dont get obssessed by weight / scales. remember muscles weighs more than fat does and that fat has got bigger volume than muscles.

7. mind over matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find if i sign up for runs (doing a 10k run in May), it gets me going to the gym to train for them because i dont want to be rubbish when i do them.. and i also get to raise money for charity 

I used to watch Alias while I was working out--I wanted to kick butt like Sydney Britow!

For motivational purposes, I think it's really important to focus on what you've accomplished instead of what you still need to do.  I bought myself a high quality scale and started doing weekly weigh-ins last fall.  I'd never done this before, because what I really cared about was whether my clothing fit, not how much I weighed.  I knew it might take months to get my jeans fitting correctly, while I might plausibly lose a pound in a week.  It helped me keep going to know that the exercise was working!  Of course, around the holidays when I started over-eating, I got a very good sense quite quickly of how that was affecting my progress (I didn't gain, but I also didn't lose for most of November and December. . .)

I always walk first.  It doesn't really seem like exercise...just walking in the park with a book on tape.  But by the time I get back, I'm more in the mood to lift weights, do situps or whatever.  Without walking, I find it impossible to go from a lethargic standstill to doing pushups.

Yes, I agree.  Going for a walk gets you out of the house into the fresh air.  Just taking these small steps are the best was to keep your motivation.

I subscribe to several podcasts and have uploaded motivating songs onto my ipod to help cheer me on.  Here's a list of great songs I love:

Empowering songs
• “32 Flavors” by Ani Di Franco
• “Better People” by Xavier Rudd
• “Better Than” by John Butler Trio
• “Dancing Nancies” by Dave Matthews
• “Dum Diddly” by Black Eyed Peas
• “Good Excuse” by John Butler Trio
• “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
• “Move By Yourself” by Donovan Frankenreiter
• “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall
• “The One Who Loves You the Most” by Brett Dennen
• “There’s Hope” by India.Arie
• “These Are The Days” by 10,000 Maniacs
• “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield
• “Walk On” by U2
• “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and The Waves
• “What?” by Antigone Rising
• “Yes I Will” by Michael Franti

Good Mood songs
• “Beautiful Day” by U2
• “Better Together” by Jack Johnson
• “Broken” by Jack Johnson
• “Coracao Vagabundo” by SambaDa
• “Don’t Panic” by Coldplay
• “Extraordinary Thing” by KD Lang
• “Float On” Modest Mouse
• “See The World” by Gomez
• “So Long Sweet Misery” by Brett Dennen
• “Star Mile” by Joshua Radin
• “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
• “We’re All In This Together” by Ben Lee
• “Wildflowers” by Tom Petty

Kick-ass songs
• “Back in Black” by AC/DC
• “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” by KT Tunstall
• “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf
• “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen
• “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
• “Fighter” by Christine Aguilera
• “Hella Good” by No Doubt
• “Killing in the Name Of” by Rage Against the Machine
• “Lose Yourself” by Eminem
• “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra
• “We Will Rock You” by Queen

Enjoy and keep up the good work!

Oh, I love the list of songs!  I need to start listening to music while I workout.  I usually watch a DVD of a TV show to keep myself entertained, but there's no reason not to put it on closed captioning and have the ipod churning out the tunes!

I never weigh myself, but I do have a pair of trousers that I own.  They only come out once in a blue moon because they are tatty.  If I can get them on - I am happy.  If I can't then I know I need to be good for a while, then try them on again in a months time.

I never beat myself up about it tho..

Currently - They don't fit!!! Best crack open the carrot sticks!