Fri, Apr-04-03, 07:46
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Lowcarb since 7/2002
Posts: 5,991
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Plan: Atkins
Stats: 360/232/180
BF:BMI 53.2/34.3/?
Progress: 71%
Location: U.S.: Mid-Atlantic
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Welcome to the forum.
Staying motivated is often an issue for those of us who have so much to lose. I try not to focus on how far I have come, but instead set short-terms goals that are easier to meet. My current short-term goal is to hit the 100 pounds lost mark -- I have 24 more pounds to go to get there. It's much easier for me to think about losing 24 pounds than to think about how far I have to go after I get there. I've already lost 76 pounds, I know I can lose another 24.
The other thing that keeps me motivated is focusing on the fact that I want to live to see my two teenage kids grow up and have kids of their own. I know that my excess weight can kill me, so that is a powerful motivator.
I think that as you start losing and people start noticing (which takes a while for those of us with a lot to lose -- I lost 35 pounds before anyone noticed -- you're smaller so they will probably start noticing sooner), all those compliments also provide motivation to keep going. It's hard to see the day-to-day changes resulting from losing a pound or two a week (which is the rate at which I lose), but they do add up.
In addition, the noticeable improvements in my health and well being also help keep me motivated. When I started this way of eating, I was so fat I was starting to lose my mobility. Now I can walk for hours and my back and knees no longer hurt. That is a powerful motivator.
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