What's Your Motivation & A Motivation Tip!

[MotherNaturals]

Hi Guys~

I was sitting around feeling fat looking at some pictures from a recent trip to New Hampshire to see my in-laws...and I decided to use those photos to make a motivational poster for my fridge door! I just wanted to pass this on and see what everyone else does to stay on track and keep their motivation. I decided to do this after a bout of self-pity and binging...I want to lose a ton of weight but when I get emotional, I eat. I am hoping this will help.

My poster will bhe in the faces gallery soon but I will try to describe it. I titled it and added an inspirational phrase. Then I arranged two recent pictures of myself, one with my hubby and one with my hubby and sun...in oth photos, everyone else looks great...I look fat. I also added a photo from when I weighed 118 and looked as good as I felt. In my personal collage I have a few before and afters of people from the Faces Gallery but did not include these in the poster I shared on the gallery. I also added some "Prizes" and Goal...165=Pastorelli watch 155=Faux Shearling Jacket from L.L.Bean 145=Pink Zircon Diamonique ring...those are my Prizes so far, none relate to food ro eating in any way. I usually make it food...when I hit 180, I will have an Eggnog Shake...not this time!

Please share. I ahve lost 19.5 on a raw foods diet and SBD. am learning to be a Vegetarian and use a Vegetarian (mostly) version of SBD...my book is on the way. But, I have lost weight before and I am using some of what I learned about myself to help keep me motivated! I just wanted to share.

I think this could be a great thread. Lets use this as a place to list our reasons for wanting to get healthy and it will be here when we get down or bing or screw up or even when we do well but don't feel very stong emotionally.

I wrote this poem...

Not The Girl In The Mirror

I'm not that girl in the mirror,
I'm thin and pretty inside.
I will look great in pictures someday,
When I see a camera I won't run and hide.

I will gain control of my eating,
I'll look great in that apron top.
I'll know I look as good as I feel,
I think I'll look pretty hot!

The rolls and the stretch marks,
are not who I am.
I may not be perfect at dieting,
but I will do the best that I can.

I will reward myself when I do well,
with a watch, a jacket or ring.
I will not reward myself with food,
but instead with a tangable thing.

I will chart my progress on this website,
I will be honest when I fail.
I will drink tons of water every day,
Only weekly I'll get on the scale.

I will look so pretty at Christmas,
I'll be thinner and smile ear to ear.
I'll say thank you to all of the compliments,
I'll try to believe what I hear!

I'll realize holidays aren't about eating,
but instead about family, laughter, and fun.
I will eat my South Beach Christmas Dinner,
Even if I'm the only one.

I will love myself for who I am today,
and realize without her I could never do it.
I will love the girl I am going to be,
but never forget the girl who went through it

As my weight is lost I will let go,
of the bad experiences and sadness I've felt.
I will way good-bye to the flab and the fat,
I will wear bootcut jeans and a belt!

I will look great in my undies,
I will feel as sexy as my hubby thinks I am.
I will look for mirrors to glance at,
I will stare at the reflection and say, "DAMN!"

But while I am a work in progress,
I'll keep my motivation clearer.
And realize every moment,
I Am Not The girl In The Mirror.
~Vanessa Aprilliano

Peace~Vanessa

[justmarvi]

This is an great idea Vanessa, I love the motivation idea and the good rewards and the poem is most awesome. You've done great and I think you'll get your rewards.

I search for things to motivate me and share them with you guys in the Tip of the Day Thread..... and it means a lot to me when someone shares and helps me stay motivated, thank you.

I have a picture taken in 1994 when I was thin that I look at for motivation and know that I can be that size again. I also have a couple of rings that I've refused to get resized. They now fit on my fingers when they didn't prior to me losing the weight that I have lost, but I'm hoping they will again fit on the "fingers they were made for". I also have a blouse and blazer that almost fit that I want to get back into just because, not that I want to wear them, it was just that they were special...and little, lol.

I am most thankful that my blood work is now great, that I feel great, have spring in my step and I also thankful I began exercising. Soon, I'll walk without my legs rubbing together.

Thanks for the share. Let's get to goal!

Marva

[redqueen]

Once, my motivation was to look and feel better...both are good goals! Then I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, recently had an attack of pancreatitis and had to have my gall bladder out!

Talk about your wake up call!! Now my motivation is to get healthy! Every day, when I see my fasting blood sugar trending toward normal, I see my motivation. I want to "live long and thrive", to quote my HMO's newest tag line! I believe that SBD is the right way for me to do that. For the first time, I can see myself adopting a healthy lifestyle, not planning a diet to lose and then returning to bad habits. There is "something" different this time. Can't quite put it into words, but it is there just the same. Sort of like the aha! moment when I realized that the man to whom I am now married, was the one I wanted for keeps! I just KNOW I am going to succeed!

I love your poster idea! It keeps your goal in front of you and your family. We can't do it without the support of those who care about us! Which is why I love this place...

Thanks for posting your idea! I'll probably use it myself!

[MotherNaturals]

[PIR8LUVR]

The smallest I have ever been in my adult life was when I was a junior in college. My long term goal is to get back in the neighborhood of that weight/size. Aside from becoming healthier, my motivation is the cruise my parents are taking my family on in April.

Several of my jeans from last year don't fit right now, and I refuse to buy any in a larger size. I will not buy any new pants or skirts until I lose some weight. That is my short-term motivation.

[MotherNaturals]

My motivational posters are up in a few places...DRINK SOME WATER! And then -10 and a picture or the watch I want and then -20 and a picture of the coat I want... It worked so far, I did really well today AND, my book came today! :-)

Peace~vanessa :-)

[justmarvi]

Good going!

The food list in the book has been updated and you might want to print this off and add it to it.

Food List Update Info....

[MotherNaturals]

Down 3.5 pounds since THURSDAY! 6.5 more and I get my Pastorelli Watch! :-)



UNDER 50 TO GO! YEAH! :-)

Peace~Vanessa :-)

[SBinCA]

Vanessa your poem is beautiful! I don't have any health issues, yet, so my main motivation is to get myself to a healthy weight before I have any.
My son is in his last year of college. When he started 3 years ago, I promised him that when he graduated, I'd be standing next to him at a healthy weight. Well, gee - been three years of NOTHING. I'm done fooling around, I'm done playing with numbers, points, exchanges, etc. and NOW DOWN TO SERIOUS BUSINESS!! Also have a 5 year old that just started kindergarten and I can barely fit my rear in those little chairs when I help out the teacher on Fridays.....
I have been at this WOE for 6 days and I really do feel good! It's not a struggle, it just seem so "natural"....Maybe it's just my time, LOL!

[MotherNaturals]

Peggy~

That's great! It really sounds like you're ready to make a life change~CONGRATS! :-) I lost 54 pounds in 2001 and it raelly does feel great. I vow not to gain it all back this time. It's funny how I kind of "topped out" at 193-195 both times. It's like my body just stopped and said, "you're short, you have anxiety and high BP, you're father died of a heart attack and your mother has diabetes~SMACK SMACK SMACK~Smarten UP or that could be you! :-) I hope it's "my time" too! :-) Good Luck and keep my posted on what keeps you motivated as you transform into the healthy and even more beautiful you that is going to be standing tehre at your son's graduation with your little one, in an outfit you chose becuase you just thought it would look damn good and not something you thought just wouldn't make you look too fat...that's what I always do at this point... Best Wishes!

Peace To You~Vanessa

[hostamomma]

Motivation? I suppose the machine that I sleep with so I will still be breathing in the morning is motivation! I have severe sleep apnea. A year ago I was waking up hundreds of times a night. They recorded it at 60-70 times an hour during REM sleep. I was unable to function. Would come home from work and fall asleep in a chair. I have been told that losing weight MIGHT help the apnea. I know my blood pressure is down. I can tell you that, between the machine and the diet, my health is 100 times better than a year ago!