10 reasons to never give in.

[Manditude]

I originally wrote and posted this in the Losing Fat section of the forum but I thought I'd post it here too, as it did good there I figured it might help a few people out here too.

I thought this would be good to write out, and hopefully contribute to if you can think of others.

Everyone, at some point or another, loses motivations or lacks it, let's reminds ourselves anything is achieveable.

1. Why? The one-worded question where all of this began. Whenever you lose focus or motivation, always bring yourself back to the very first time you asked this. Whatever reason you have, is great enough for you to keep going. Don't forget that.

2. You feel you're setting yourself up for failure. You're wrong. You've tried multiple diets which have had short term effects, but in the long run you've only ended up back at square one. This time is different, tell yourself that. Let your past mistakes be nothing but learning guidelines, everytime you try something different you're finding out something new about yourself, don't be put off from previous failure - welcome it then destroy it.

3. Stop focusing so much on the negatives. Bring out the positives and be proud of every achievement made, whether it be big or small the fact of the matter is everything you do affects your goal, so staying awake from the cheesecake, or dragging yourself to go for a run - it all pays off in the end.

4. There's going to be times when you feel progress is going nowhere, that you're eating foods you hate and exercising for long periods of time; and for what? I'm sure this question has ran through many peoples' minds, whether its because they're diet is off or they're stuck at a plateau, it doesn't matter - don't give up! Just because your hitting a hard point doesn't mean you can't soar through it, sit back, evaluate, change. It might take someone 3 months to achieve they're ideal body whilst it might take someone else 3 years. If it's in your heart then it's worth it.

5. Compare yourself against yourself, and no one else. You're not working with their body, you're working on yours, whilst it's good to have an idea of how you want to look, don't go competing with the fitness instructor at your gym. Compete against the person in the mirror because that's what important.

6. Understand. This isn't going to be easy, infact by far frustrating but believe in yourself and you will go far. Set goals that are realistic, not ridiculous. Patience is a virtue, and no matter how many days you wake up feeling sluggish I can bet if you drag your ass to go for a run you'll feel a million times better and refreshed afterwards. This isn't a quick fix, this is something you should adapt into as a lifestyle.

7. You're not alone. You have a huge support group, online or at home, there are plenty of other people trying to achieve the same goals as you, going through the same problems and dealing with the same experiences. Talking to someone always helps, there's a ton of useful information out there from a lot of well respected people. Don't be afraid to ask.

8. Have fun. Look at what you're doing and enjoy it, everytime you exercise you're changing your body. If you're bored of the treadmill jump off and go on the bike, rowing machine, anything. There's endless ways to make working out fun, it doesn't always have to be as grim as some people make out.

9. There's going to be people who won't support you, who'll try to convince you to binge drink out on a friday night or share half a pizza with them and to stop being so 'boring', and yes, it's hard to resist and have enough will power to say no, sometimes its a lonely road when you feel isolated in that manner, but that's what seperates you from them. You should still have a social life and enjoy yourself, have treats here and there, but don't feel forced into anything you don't want to do.

10. Be proud of who you are and what you're doing, of these steps you're taking and sacrifices you're making to become a healthier person. Not only should you be amazed by yourself, but you should remember the people you're inspiring around you. You should think about how you're going to feel once you've achieved your goal/look, and how others are going to look at you when you have. It takes a considerable amount of will power and determination to achieve something great, and to think about when you get to post your 'before and after' photo's which in turn motivates and inspires others to push harder.

If you set your mind to it, you CAN do it!
Never give up

[nakedsnake]

Great stuff!

9. There's going to be people who won't support you, who'll try to convince you to binge drink out on a friday night or share half a pizza with them and to stop being so 'boring', and yes, it's hard to resist and have enough will power to say no, sometimes its a lonely road when you feel isolated in that manner, but that's what seperates you from them. You should still have a social life and enjoy yourself, have treats here and there, but don't feel forced into anything you don't want to do.

I think I have the most trouble with this one, too many birthdays/holidays/get togethers make it difficult to stick to a diet. Once I get a little taste of the sweets or the pizza, I wanna eat the whole damn thing!

[localstommy]

Amazing, great post!!! Thumps up. Really helpfull.

Number 9 has the most impact. This journey ends up being us and only us. No one else. In every journey you always have to do it yourself.

[queenofswords]

Love this, thanks for posting.

[mendozaj0214]

repped,
i find #9 as well, i actually got told i live a boring life cause the only thing i do is sleep,eat,work and workout but i dont really care ha! Im happy of where I am at and thats all that matters.

[Naughtie]

Thats one real motivational post there. I just logged in to BB to read and get charged up by something like this. Thanks a ton gal

[Manditude]

You're welcome

[Rcoop]

Yeah #9 hits home the most, especially being 19 and all, but i've been skinny my whole life and it's never really held me back from anything, but it's not who i feel i am or want to be, if my social life takes a little downfall for a while, so be it.

[Manditude]

I think a lot of people can relate to #9, being that I'm young the majority of my friends drink and eat out too so when I'm dieting it becomes hard to resist but it's easy if you've got the will power which I think most people do.

[micov]

Wow, thanks a lot manditude! This is a great post you've made

[Gabriel01]

Originally Posted by Manditude

I think a lot of people can relate to #9, being that I'm young the majority of my friends drink and eat out too so when I'm dieting it becomes hard to resist but it's easy if you've got the will power which I think most people do.

I have a feeling i have seen you some where. are you from AUS ?

[Raw_and_vital]

Nice post! Really nice post!

[davecassin]

Originally Posted by Naughtie

Thats one real motivational post there. I just logged in to BB to read and get charged up by something like this. Thanks a ton gal

Really appreciate it!

#9 really hit it home for me!

[aka1234]

number 9 seems the toughest!

[Throwdown515]

inspiring post, repped!

[SoCalSurf]

Very cool post.

I know a couple people I need to share it with. Thank you.

[trance__dreamer]

Originally Posted by Manditude

I originally wrote and posted this in the Losing Fat section of the forum but I thought I'd post it here too, as it did good there I figured it might help a few people out here too.

I thought this would be good to write out, and hopefully contribute to if you can think of others.

Everyone, at some point or another, loses motivations or lacks it, let's reminds ourselves anything is achieveable.

1. Why? The one-worded question where all of this began. Whenever you lose focus or motivation, always bring yourself back to the very first time you asked this. Whatever reason you have, is great enough for you to keep going. Don't forget that.

2. You feel you're setting yourself up for failure. You're wrong. You've tried multiple diets which have had short term effects, but in the long run you've only ended up back at square one. This time is different, tell yourself that. Let your past mistakes be nothing but learning guidelines, everytime you try something different you're finding out something new about yourself, don't be put off from previous failure - welcome it then destroy it.

3. Stop focusing so much on the negatives. Bring out the positives and be proud of every achievement made, whether it be big or small the fact of the matter is everything you do affects your goal, so staying awake from the cheesecake, or dragging yourself to go for a run - it all pays off in the end.

4. There's going to be times when you feel progress is going nowhere, that you're eating foods you hate and exercising for long periods of time; and for what? I'm sure this question has ran through many peoples' minds, whether its because they're diet is off or they're stuck at a plateau, it doesn't matter - don't give up! Just because your hitting a hard point doesn't mean you can't soar through it, sit back, evaluate, change. It might take someone 3 months to achieve they're ideal body whilst it might take someone else 3 years. If it's in your heart then it's worth it.

5. Compare yourself against yourself, and no one else. You're not working with their body, you're working on yours, whilst it's good to have an idea of how you want to look, don't go competing with the fitness instructor at your gym. Compete against the person in the mirror because that's what important.

6. Understand. This isn't going to be easy, infact by far frustrating but believe in yourself and you will go far. Set goals that are realistic, not ridiculous. Patience is a virtue, and no matter how many days you wake up feeling sluggish I can bet if you drag your ass to go for a run you'll feel a million times better and refreshed afterwards. This isn't a quick fix, this is something you should adapt into as a lifestyle.

7. You're not alone. You have a huge support group, online or at home, there are plenty of other people trying to achieve the same goals as you, going through the same problems and dealing with the same experiences. Talking to someone always helps, there's a ton of useful information out there from a lot of well respected people. Don't be afraid to ask.

8. Have fun. Look at what you're doing and enjoy it, everytime you exercise you're changing your body. If you're bored of the treadmill jump off and go on the bike, rowing machine, anything. There's endless ways to make working out fun, it doesn't always have to be as grim as some people make out.

9. There's going to be people who won't support you, who'll try to convince you to binge drink out on a friday night or share half a pizza with them and to stop being so 'boring', and yes, it's hard to resist and have enough will power to say no, sometimes its a lonely road when you feel isolated in that manner, but that's what seperates you from them. You should still have a social life and enjoy yourself, have treats here and there, but don't feel forced into anything you don't want to do.

10. Be proud of who you are and what you're doing, of these steps you're taking and sacrifices you're making to become a healthier person. Not only should you be amazed by yourself, but you should remember the people you're inspiring around you. You should think about how you're going to feel once you've achieved your goal/look, and how others are going to look at you when you have. It takes a considerable amount of will power and determination to achieve something great, and to think about when you get to post your 'before and after' photo's which in turn motivates and inspires others to push harder.

If you set your mind to it, you CAN do it!
Never give up

this post made me tear up like crazy; really put everything into perspective & is making me even more excited about becomming a personal trainer. yay! =)

[Dan O Mac]

Amazing post Mandy! It's evident you put a lot of thought into these and I'm sure everyone can take something from them .

Like most, #9 really hit me. People like to question what they don't understand, but what matters most is that you can look in the mirror and see someone who lives their life on their own terms. Let the haters hate, they likely go home wishing they had a modicum of the self-determination you have.

And #10 is spot-on as well. Nothing worth achieving is going to be easy, and we're all human and will have moments of weakness. That's where your goal comes into play. Visualize where you were when you began, how far you've come, and what it'll be like when you reach your goal. Wield that expectation like a weapon!

[rite2bcreative]

lol i hate to be a copy cat.. but #9 is definitley the one that hits home with me. im vegan and so i get enough people criticising my lifestyle at parties because i dont eat the pizza or cake.. or people calling me high maintenance because its hard to find things to eat at restaurants. thats only escalated since ive cleaned up my diet. sometimes it is hard to deal with, but my main focus has always been and always will be myself.

[LoafLegacy]

I was about to come into this forum and make a thread about me looking in the mirror and getting frustrated. Working so hard and feeling dissappointed when not noticing immediate payoffs.

After reading through these points I wanna slap myself for even thinking about sitting here and sulking instead of feeling good about the gains I DID make I was focusing on why I wasn't reaching a long term goal in short term time.

Thank you for the thread! I feel better

[Manditude]

Originally Posted by Gabriel01

I have a feeling i have seen you some where. are you from AUS ?

No, I'm not!

Originally Posted by Throwdown515

inspiring post, repped!

Originally Posted by SoCalSurf

Very cool post.

I know a couple people I need to share it with. Thank you.

Welcome as always

Originally Posted by trance__dreamer

this post made me tear up like crazy; really put everything into perspective & is making me even more excited about becomming a personal trainer. yay! =)

Aww, so glad my post could be of any inspiration, I smiled

Originally Posted by Dan O Mac

Amazing post Mandy! It's evident you put a lot of thought into these and I'm sure everyone can take something from them .

Like most, #9 really hit me. People like to question what they don't understand, but what matters most is that you can look in the mirror and see someone who lives their life on their own terms. Let the haters hate, they likely go home wishing they had a modicum of the self-determination you have.

And #10 is spot-on as well. Nothing worth achieving is going to be easy, and we're all human and will have moments of weakness. That's where your goal comes into play. Visualize where you were when you began, how far you've come, and what it'll be like when you reach your goal. Wield that expectation like a weapon!

Dan! Awesome contribution, completely agree

Originally Posted by LoafLegacy

I was about to come into this forum and make a thread about me looking in the mirror and getting frustrated. Working so hard and feeling dissappointed when not noticing immediate payoffs.

After reading through these points I wanna slap myself for even thinking about sitting here and sulking instead of feeling good about the gains I DID make I was focusing on why I wasn't reaching a long term goal in short term time.

Thank you for the thread! I feel better

Again, I smiled, I'm glad it helped and made you notice your appearance for it's changes as opposed to looking in the mirror and not being satisfied with the slow-progression.

[Dan O Mac]

Bumping this back up to the first page. Tonnes of views, so I'm sure people are finding it useful.

[AlphaBrass01]

I agree with making it fun! Too many people make working out into WORK! Yeah, it's hard, but I love it. If I didn't, I honestly wouldn't do it, at least not like I do now.

[Gabriel01]

Originally Posted by Manditude

If you set your mind to it, you CAN do it!

This quote right there, its nailed to the point and it sums it all up.

I truly admire your post. Very informative and you are well open minded one how you put a fine detail of information together and passing it on to others.

That is indeed rewarding as i am certain it will help others

God bless you!

[Manditude]

Originally Posted by Gabriel01

This quote right there, its nailed to the point and it sums it all up.

I truly admire your post. Very informative and you are well open minded one how you put a fine detail of information together and passing it on to others.

That is indeed rewarding as i am certain it will help others

God bless you!

That's lovely to read, I'm glad it inspired you and others.

[Mr.Crack]

Marvellous words! It really could help to me and other.

[fat_to_fit1]

To expound on Manditude's post, which is excellent, I have to emphasize visualization. This topic may not be new to some of you, but completely unheard of to others.

Visualization is when you can see your "ideal self" in your mind. Regardless of what your goals may be, losing fat, building muscle etc., by using your mind to view your body as it would be if everything were perfect, the body will follow and make it a reality.

Try this exercise:

1. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Relax your muscles from your fingertips to your your toes. In your mind, imagine you were looking in the mirror. Here you will see yourself as you presently are.

2. From here, imagine your "perfect self" starting to take shape. Begin to use your mind to morph the image of your "present self" with that of your "perfect self". Here you will see your abs becoming more defined, your arms harder and more muscular, your back muscles starting to pop when you flex, etc.

3. Continue doing this until your mirror image resembles your "perfect self". Imagine how great and full you will feel having accomplished your goals and living your dream. The feeling you have will, over time, become one that you can turn-on when you are at the gym, writing your meals down, weighing yourself, etc. The power of the mind is so great that you will actually be able to "will" your ideal body to you.

I know that this may seen a bit deep for some people, but believe me it works. I used this method to lose over 165 pounds and I continue to use it as I continue on my fitness journey.

Complete this short exercise each night before going to bed, and each morning upon rising. Over time, it will become second nature and I promise you'll be pleased with the results.

J.Z.

[shamroc617]

niceee post... def repped... always could use the extra motivation. much appreciated

[CJM1123]

Great post. Im goin threw a rough patch right now, and its def inspired me to keep fighting.

Thanks

[NickMat]

Excellent post. I will never quit.