New to Nerd Fitness - in need of motivation

[lovethyself]

Hey everyone!! I'm 26 yrs old, Female, from Connecticut and looking to lose some weight, eat healthy and tone my body. My friend mentioned this website to me and I have been checking it out and reading the rebellion emails I've been getting for the past week or so. I like the idea of turning this into a game and leveling up - I grew up with an older brother who played video games (I watched more often than played). I'm mentally motivated but not physically motivated - if that makes any sense. I'm looking to lose roughly 20-30 lbs, so its not a whole lot but will make my confidence level better and I'll feel better in my clothes.

 

In high school, I did competitive cheerleading and was in great shape (borderline 6 pack abs and 125lbs) without really having to work at it. I thoroughly enjoyed the conditioning and strength training that we did for cheerleading. Then I went off to college and the good ol' freshmen 15 got me and continued throughout college. I've been out of college, living on my own now for 4 years and decided I can't keep sitting on the couch doing nothing and resorting to ramen noodles (still thinking & acting like a college kid).

 

Now, I'm no dummy, similar to most people on this site I imagine, and I could list a hundred different ideas and ways to eat right and exercise. My issue is actually DOING the exercise part. I come up with great ideas to break down the work outs so I can't use the "I don't have time" excuse - I do have time, I don't do anything with my life outside of work - but getting myself to put forth the effort and accomplish these ideas is my brick wall.

 

I really want this healthy eating and fitness plan to work out and become second nature to me. I believe that I can get to the point where I'm "addicted" to fitness - but getting there seems to be the hardest part. I understand it won't happen overnight and that I can't change everything in one swoop. I'm not the best with creating & keeping habits/routines - I typically "wing it" through most of life, so far. I've been working on the idea of baby steps and acknowledging my efforts verbally to myself out loud. Examples: "Yay I had breakfast this morning" & "I think I'm full, let's save the rest for another meal" & "40 mins of walking was a breeze! I should do this more often"

 

Currently, I have been trying to select healthier food options and portions and focusing on eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, everyday. I tend to skip breakfast since I'm not a morning person which I understand is a terrible way to start any day in terms of metabolism. I am working to fix that by having breakfast options that I can grab as I head out the door for work. For lunch, I typically go to my work's cafeteria and do my best to select healthy options: deli sandwich, salads, entree items that have meat and veggies. For Dinner, I'm a mess - I barely have food in my fridge and cabinets and I typically get home from work and have zero brain power to do anything. Oh and I live across the street from a pizza place that also makes grinders and pasta. I'd say this pizza place is my archenemy - its too easy to call an order in, wait 20 mins, and walk across the street to pick it up.

 

I used to get to work and grab a mountain dew every morning as my substitute for coffee (and sometimes an afternoon pick me up) but over the last 2 weeks I have switched to water. I'm very aware that drinking water is a step in the correct direction for weight loss and overall health.

 

Exercising is a big brick wall - I want to get up and exercise, but I find infinite reasons to continue sitting on the couch. Whether those reasons are legitiment or lame excuses is open for discussion. I'd bet most are lame excuses that I bounce around in my brain long enough until they are semi-legitiment reasons. I live across the street from a wonderful trail (25 miles or so) that I have walked on 2 occassions. I found that I could walk 1 mile and turn around and walk that same mile back and it takes about 40 mins - depending on my pace. I'm sure I could walk further, but I wanted to start small and not overwhelm myself. Bodyweight exercises seem like the best way to get myself into a routine of working out - no equipment and no pricey gym membership rewuired - but again, getting myself to do the exercises is the hardest part for me.

 

 

 

Ok, now that I've rambled and told you all where I'm at - MOTIVATE ME!! I'll take any forms of motivation you can throw at me. I almost feel like having a person to check on me daily would help. Incessant reminders - creative ways to get excited about working out - Simple, quick healthy meals/recipes - exercise plans - super foods - any and all ideas will be considered and greatly appreciated.

 

Please help me become a fitness fanatic! At least then I can say I do something besides go to work and sit at a desk on meetings all day. lol

[sylph]

Everyone has their own thing that works for them. All I can tell you is what works for me.

 

For me, motivation didn't come until I'd already built the habit. It had to become automatic. Only THEN did i start to get motivated to keep at it. Sounds really backward, right? Yeah.

 

Anyway, ways to build habits (or remind yourself to do things):

• Habit RPG is an app that lots of folks around here like.
• Put a simple reminder in your phone so that at 5p every day (or whatever) you have something telling you to go for a walk.
• Schedule it into your calendar so you have structured time set aside. ('I can't watch this Castle marathon where I've already seen each episode 5 times because right now is my time scheduled for dinner prep')
• Post it notes on your trigger spots--if you always snack on the couch, a simple "Drink More Water" in your line of vision at that point can start to build the seed
• Hard Hat Challenge http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/09/03/the-30-day-hard-hat-challenge/ Get a calendar and a sharpie or some stickers or whatever and go to town.

 

Ultimately though, we can give you a bunch of tools--motivation has to come from you.

[JPrev]

Forget about motivation and focus on discipline.  Motivation is not what will get you off the couch and doing what you need to do.  People who are fit did not get there because they were motivated 100% of the time: they got there because they did the motions, even when they didn't want to.  It's a purely mental thing.

 

So!  Build your discipline by picking small habit goals to start.  Make them nonnegotiable.  Maybe start with something in relation to what you eat, or exercising a certain amount of times per week.  Like Sylph, my motivation didn't come until I had a story I was already proud of.  Working out went from the bane of my existence to something I wanted to do to protect my results, and now it's something I genuinely enjoy because I like seeing what I can do today as opposed to yesterday.

 

Of course, I still have days when I'd rather stay on the couch and watch TV.  And I do.  After I work out.

[Elastigirl]

Forget about motivation and focus on discipline.  Motivation is not what will get you off the couch and doing what you need to do.  People who are fit did not get there because they were motivated 100% of the time: they got there because they did the motions, even when they didn't want to.  It's a purely mental thing.

 

So!  Build your discipline by picking small habit goals to start.  Make them nonnegotiable.  Maybe start with something in relation to what you eat, or exercising a certain amount of times per week.  Like Sylph, my motivation didn't come until I had a story I was already proud of.  Working out went from the bane of my existence to something I wanted to do to protect my results, and now it's something I genuinely enjoy because I like seeing what I can do today as opposed to yesterday.

 

Of course, I still have days when I'd rather stay on the couch and watch TV.  And I do.  After I work out.

This. Which I think you have done a great start at. Subbing water for Mt Dew is a great step. For exercise, pick something you think looks like you want to do, and schedule it in. Your small steps is great, just aim for 20 minutes , 3 x a week. And then I'd work on dinner. Make yourself a goal of cooking a meal at least 2 times a week, and then work up from there. From your post, you sound like you know what to do, don't worry about doing it all in one go, just build up your habits slowly and you'll get there. I don't think you need the motivation, you all already starting. You just need to realize that new habits and changing bad habits takes a bit of time, and it isn't going to happen overnight, and be proud of your self for the changes you are making

[JulesPaxton]

The problem is...the most compelling motivation comes from within!

 

It seems like you recognize that you aren't where you want to be, which is great. That means you need to do one of two things: 1) keep doing the same thing, but realize nothing will change or 2) make some positive changes. The end. And it has to be based on if you're satisfied - not other people. No amount of Pinspiration Fitspiration will get me moving if I'm in a "screw off, I'm having pizza" mood, but remembering that I'm doing this for ME will do it.

 

I like Steve's intro to Paleo article because his rebuttal to "But I can't give up my bagel!" is: 

 

Okay then, don’t try the Paleo Diet! Simple as that.

If you’re happy with how you look, your energy levels are good all day, and you don’t see any room for improvement, then keep doing what you’re doing – I won’t force you to eat like this.  However, if you’ve been struggling with weight loss, have no energy throughout the day, need eight cups of coffee, hate counting calories, and want to start turning your life around today, why not give it a shot for 30 days?

 

 

Yeah...point taken. 

 

The biggest thing for me was making the appropriate changes in my diet. Only THEN did the exercise follow. I had/have a severe "locked to the couch/floor/bed" problem too, and once I started fueling myself with better stuff and not just pizza, I felt more energetic. I wanted to be that active person I used to be. I think make the changes (a little at a time) and everything else will follow.

 

Also, what kind of fitness fanatic are you looking to be? I loved organized sports and I know if I had a practice to go to, getting out wouldn't be a problem. Running, on the other hand....eesh..

[Shello]

Have you considered joining the 6 week challenge?  It's still pretty close to the start.  You just need to pick a few SMALL changes you are willing to make now and stick with for 6 weeks.  You get lots of support from others who constantly check on you (accountability) and help you with any stumbling blocks you come across.  It's a good way to break down your goals.  Instead of focusing on everything at once or losing the 20-30 pounds now, you can start with building habits.  Replace sode with water for 6 weeks, flip off your archenemy every day as you come home  and vow to destroy them (even if you still occasionally order pizza) or take a detour to get there so you are walking for the 20 minutes you are waiting for your food. 

 

Think small and just start some habits, then add more habits later. 

[aeshnidae]

I also have a job where it's easy to remain chained to my desk all day. I've taken a lot more walks since getting a Fitbit, so maybe that's something to consider. The restroom is 2 floors down from my office, so I got a Fitbit One to track stairs climbed as well as steps taken. Now I also walk around the perimeter of my building each time I take a restroom break (which is fairly often, since I also refill my water bottle each time). Collecting data points - from the Fitbit, from my heart rate monitor that I wear while working out, from my log of strength training, from RunKeeper, from MyFitnessPal - feeds my addiction to fitness and nutrition. 

 

It really does take me about a month to acquire a new habit, and it's all too easy to fall out of good habits, so I hit the gym first thing in the morning, Monday through Friday. Even if I decide to take a rest day, I still physically enter the gym before going to work. I went on vacation earlier this month, and even though my family thought I was nuts, I went for a jog and did a body weight workout every morning to stay in the habit of exercising. I have always hated GOING to the gym, but I usually really like BEING AT the gym, and I always love HAVING GONE TO the gym. =)

 

For nutrition, have you tried breakfast smoothies? I am not a breakfast eater during the week, and in fact I do all of my workouts in a fasted state, but then I have to eat something when I get to work. I either have 2 hard boiled egg whites (I like yolks in general, but not hard boiled) and a piece of fruit, or I have a protein shake (Jay Robb vanilla whey protein and So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk, which is 45 calories for 8 oz), or I fire up my NutriBullet and have a green smoothie (huge handful of spinach, which you won't taste, half an apple or pear, a small amount of frozen pineapple chunks and/or strawberries, a small amount of frozen blueberries, half a peeled cucumber, half a lime, a mix of coconut water and plain water, and sometimes some nuts or chia seeds or protein powder). I have a small refrigerator in my office; at my last job, we had a regular sized shared refrigerator. If I have a green smoothie, I make it at home and bring it to work in an insulated bottle, so it's still cold after the gym. I buy fresh spinach in bulk and then freeze it in gallon-sized freezer-safe Ziplocks; between the frozen spinach, frozen pineapple, frozen blueberries, and refrigerated everything else (including Chia seeds, they keep longer in the fridge), it's a very well chilled drink! 

[Lalie Fanyarendil]

Exercise on the couch! Or, beside the couch, because couches are pretty squishy. Most of the exercises in the BBWW don't require much space. (Just the walking lunges.) Pick one item to do during a commercial break. It's a start, right?

 

On the occasion that I sit down to watch a movie without some kind of crafting project in my hands, I stretch.