I need to find a way to motivate myself to eat healthier, have more energy and get off my behind and workout.?

Question

I am seeing a nutritionist...some weeks are good and some are just bad. I have a terrible craving for soda and chocolate, that seems impossible to give up (long term), I have done it short term but never permanently. I've worked out before and never lost any weight and get very easily disappointed and give up. I've never had a lot of energy. I normally need a minimum of 8-9 hours of sleep just to be productive. The only "diet" anything that ever worked was a prescription medication called "Ionamin" it worked like a miracle. I had just the right amount of energy and I lost weight (30 pounds), with no side effects! But then my doctor said he had to take me off because it was only a temporary medication and I gained it right back. I've been going to the nutritionist ever since but it's just not working. I don't know what to do. I'm happy when I eat what I want, but then I'm not happy when I see the results of what I ate a week later. PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

How to Stay Motivated (Short Term)

Here's some tips to help you get motivated to get to the gym in the short term. This list is not all inclusive but it does have some things you can use to keep yourself going to the gym long after the New Year's crowed has quit.

Set Small Goals:

Sometimes it much easier to think of getting around the next corner then it is to look at the big picture. When I hiked Yosemite's Half-Dome, I used many small goals to keep me going. Rather then look at my final objective all the time, I used land markers to keep me going from one point to another. A technique you can use at the gym. Set weekly goals (1 lb a week) rather then looking at what you want to accomplish a year from now.

Photos:

Pictures can be very inspirational! Regardless of what you think of those magazines, having a picture to look at is helpful in letting your mind capture an image of what you want. Once your mind has the image, you will start to take actions in life to accomplish that. I recall when I wanted my first motorcycle, I used visualizaton techniques. I kept looking at the pictures over and over each night. Eventually I got my motorcycle! This worked for getting a new car, a house and just about everything else. Once I could visualize what I wanted, my mind helped take actions to set my body in motion.

Music:

A classic motivator. Personally it distracts me. But for many, their favorite mix jam is just what they need to get into the zone and feel amped up. If you like music and it doesn't bother you at all, then consider it for an extra boost when you don't feel like working out. Music can easily put you into the mood.

Workout Partners:

The best motivation is somebody else with a like goal that wants to accomplish what you want as well. When you feel down and out and not really into it, this person might pull you along. When you can't get that last rep out, they are there to give you a spot. It's so much easier to have a training partner you can trust that motivates you. If they are a little competitive that might not hurt either. You can both use each other's energy to push yourself. When you are accountable for something, it's harder to back out.

Classes:

Many people want to workout but feel without structure, they just get lost and bored. Being in a class can really help focus in on your goals with structured objectives in mind. If you don't like working out alone, a class might be an idea option. Especially when you don't know where to being and you like the idea of instruction.

Personal Trainer:

A times they get a bad rap, but if you find a good one, then paying for a mentor is precisely what you need. Shelling out $70 or more for a package of training sessions can really motivate you to keep going. They are also your paid training partner. They can help push you and adjust your program for progressive resistance and growth. Not only are you accountable (spending money) but a good personal trainer can help design you a program and nutritional plan that meets your needs. Everybody should have a personal trainer at some point. Their watchful eye on your exercise form is critical as well. Not all personal trainers are worth their weight in gold so be aware and find somebody you like and trust.

New Routines:

One of my favorite motivational techniques is to try something new. When your routine becomes boring and stagnent, there's nothing like trying new stuff to spice it up and keep you interested. You are engaging in fitness for life. That doesn't mean you have to do the same old boring routine for the rest of your life! Having a new plan of action can keep you mentally fresh and your body challenged.

These are just some of the techniques you can use to keep yourself motivated in the short term. How to make it to the gym day in and day out no matter what the weather is like or how you feel (unless you are sick of course).

Answer 2

If you fully understand how diet and exercise work, maybe you'd be more successful. There is no secret to losing weight, you burn more calories than you take in. And since you don't feel energetic, exercise is one of the best ways to re-energize.

Remember muscle weighs heavier than fat so when you first started exercising you might not lose weight but inches on your body. As long as you see you're shrinking in size, it's working, weight loss will come later. As to food, you must retain a balanced diet while cutting down on calaries. It is because if your diet is missing any nutrient your body needs, including starch and fat, your body naturally develops a craving for more food because it's missing somethng and you'd never feel satisfied. The important thing is you know what to cut out from your diet, i.e. fat, sugar, processed foods etc., and never skip a meal.

If you want to get a good and recuperative night sleep, watch what you eat before you go to bed. If you go to bed with a stomach full of undisgested food, you body is not resting even if your eyes and brain are shut down, that is why even after 7-8 hours of sleep, you still feel tired or sleepy. Just remember red meat, fried foods, nuts etc. take much longer time to digest than fruit and vegetables. That is why breakfast is very important to a successful diet because you won't overeat at dinner.

Answer 3

Hello. There's no reason you should enjoy what you like to eat and lose weight in the process. If you like soda go diet. It has an after taste, but its better than taking on empty calories. There also the nutrition bars that come in chocolate. They cost more than you average bar, but you can either stick to that or you can learn how to slow down buying them because of the price. As far as food is concern, eat. In the morning have a big breakfast (you'll work that off through out the day) a snack at 10:30 (fruit) lunch and another snack at 3:00 (more fruit) try not to have dinner no later than 7:00 and a late night snack if you wish (fruit). You can go to a gym or try to work out at the house after work. If its not after work or b 4 you go to work, mostly it won't happen. Eat more in the morning than at night, cuz u can work it out through the day. Work at least 3 times a week. Alternate days within the weeks and you'll be OK. How when you eat, try not to eat fried foods, very little if you must not a lot of potatoes, bread, (white food) and you'll be OK. If you want chips go light. Try and stay away from sugar, it goes to your thighs

Answer 4

All a cat really wants is loads of strokes, brushing, A CLEAN BOX (get an auto-cleaning litter box so it's always pristine), and a bit of wet food for breakfast and kibble for supper. Don't over feed and any nutritionally sound, low ash diet is good. Go with what your cat loves too. They eat it all the time, must get boring, try using assorted brands for variety of both taste and nutrient composition. Get a really tall cat post, preferably with a tree house or platform for perching. Lots of cat nip toys dangling from the cat post for encouragement to scratch there. Rub the post with loose catnip if they scratch the furniture. Don't yell, just put the cat on the post and after a few repeats they'll get the message. Good luck and congrats on being a good step-Dad.

Answer 5

First its important to find out what is really bothering you and why you are using food to do more than nourish your body. Take the time to find that out, make peace with your body and the weight will stop being an issue because you will be feeding you body for health. Also, think about how you want to do physically as you get older - the extra weight will make things difficult if not impossible to do because of the added health issues that come with carrying extra weight. Put yourself first and your health first and you will make the right decision - trust yourself to treat yourself right for the long haul.

Answer 6

I feel you on the chocolate thing. Try buying Godiva dark chocolate squares. Chocolate isnt bad for you in very small quanities. Have one square whenever you have a craving. Also, check out this website www.hungrygirl.com and search chocolate, they a few low cal chocolate recipies. I already really like Quaker bite sized chocolate rice cakes. If you stick to only one serving, it's only 60 cal for 7 rice cakes and it gives me a chocolate fix.

As for the soda thing, switch to diet. There are tons of 0 cal sodas now.

Answer 7

personally, i find it very hard to change or eat healthy overnight.

motivate yourself by taking it slowly and constantly thinking long-term. cut down on your meals and spread them out throughout the day. throw in an apple for a snack or yogurt just to hold you off for your lunch or dinner.

overtime, you will start losing drastic weight just by doing that and naturally you will want to eat healthier little by little.

it's very hard to change overnight, but the chances of rebounding are very high that way. it's possible, short term wise.

Answer 8

Here's what I did:
First I quit drinking diet pop. And I made myself LOVE drinking water. (I drink 16 glasses a day now) At first I made it into a game to see how much I could drink, but now my body craves it and I don't drink anything else (I like to eat to much to waste my calories on drinks, lol)
So Just start out telling yourself to drink 8 glasses a day. You could even chug it if you want. Whatever you gotta do to get it down, after a few days though you will start feeling better automatically if you cut out the diet pop and add in the water. Infact I bet you have NO IDEA how dehydrated your body really is! Your skin should start looking better too. (Just younger, more of a "glow"...mine did anyways)
So after you do that for about a week then you will feel better and you can start adding fruits and veggies to your diet. Go ahead and eat whatever you want (ya know eat like you usually do...don't go crazy with it!) But add in 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. YOU MUST DO THIS! It's very important! And you can also start talking vitamins this week too. (if you want)
Eventually you will get so used to making the veggies a priority that you will want to eat them (and you really will start to crave them, and no I'm not crazy! you REALLY WILL)
After that you can start excersizing. Don't do it to lose weight, though! Do it too make yourself feel better!!!! Excersize will make you feel better (even though at first it will make you tired and sore) For some reason when I would try and lose weight to look better I would never do it! Even though I DID WANT to look better.... but when I decided to excersize so I could sleep better and feel better, then it was easy for me. I made it into a game too, to see how much more I can push myself each day. THAT'S HOW YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF! Don't make goals, just do as much as you can each day! And you will be shocked at how much more you really could do than you thought you could!
I know I wrote allot...But just remember to take baby steps and each week you will be feeling better and better I promise! The weight loss will just be an added bonus. :)
I really hope you decide to do this. Or atleast stop drinking pop! You will never know how much better such a simple thing like drinking water can make you feel! It's crazy to me! And it was also crazy to me how after about 4 days I didn't even want to drink pop anymore! AND keep in mind I thought I would NEVER give up drinking POP!