Help me stay motivated!

Arrrgggg! I have over 30Kg to lose and I've been good at getting on my treadmill more days than not. I've been pretty sore since starting - my feet are playing up (I think I need to see a podiatrist) and are really painful... and at nights my legs and stomach KILL... so much so I'm not sleeping well. I know I'm not overdoing it, I'm just fat LOL! But this pain is not making me want to get back on the treadmill! The only thing that gets me on is how great I feel when I get off...

And, to top it all off, I've been at it for about 3 weeks and the scales at work showed a 1Kg loss in the first week... then the 3rd week I'd put it all back on again! :doh: I know muscle weighs more than fat but give me a break!

So... can anyone give me some motivation? Especially in this crappy heat?

Would it help if you had some music that you really loved to whack on really really loudly to get you pumped up to exercise?? I tend to be a bit unmotivated with housework, especially if I'm not in the mood and I find it helps if I put on some music I can sing and dance along with...don't know if that will help or not?!?
Make sure you have a good pair of joggers too, if you haven't already, go to somewhere like the athletes foot or a proper sports shop and get fitted correctly for a pair of running shoes, having the right shoes to provide support where you need it will make a world of difference. i used to do lots of cross country running when I was younger, back at school, I did have orthotics but could never wear them when running as they would give me bad blisters, so I a correctly fitting pair of shoes was best. As for the heat..when do you exercise? If you can get up and do it early in the morning before it gets too hot, even when everyone is still in bed! Then jump in a nice cool shower and feel nice and refreshed and ready to start the day. Maybe vary your routine too, instead of jumping on the treadmill day in and day out, can you go for a long walk around your suburb or in a nice park somewhere? Change of scenery also does wonders!

Posted twice...

Thanks SS. I do have music - love my Ipod!

I actually do all my training downstairs where it is much much cooler... but still hot! I do try and exercise in the am but if I have work (I'm on my feet aaaaaaaallllllll day at work), I tend to leave it until after dinner when DD is in bed. This morning I have the day off so jumped on...
We do go for walks around the area on weekends but I'm so pressed for time during the week I tend to stick to my treadmill, skipping rope, and boxing. But the treadmill is just so boring!

I think I do need new runners... and a trip to the podiatrist!

Thanks for listening to my whinge though ;)

Park a fan right in front of your treadmill, better still get one of those ice fans or a portable aircon so that you get rewarded with a blast of cool air everytime you walk! LOL

Also, can you tape your favorite telly show/buy a boxed DVD set and *only* watch it when you're walking?

I'm currently reading "Does this clutter make my butt look fat" and one of the things Peter Walsh recommends is focussing on goals that are not quantitative. Think about how losing weight will change your life. So instead of saying I want to loose xKg, say something like, My goal is to be able to walk up the hill to the shops with the kids without puffing, or My goal is to be able to ride my bike by next summer, or I'm aiming to feel stronger and more energised every day when I wake up. Relate it to the real-life benefits you want, kwim?

Also, don't just think about the podiatrist, just do it. I'm booking in next month (once I've got my gallstones sorted) because I've realised that the pain in my feet stops me from exercising later in the day when I best have the time/energy to do it. Also might be worth seeing a physio for a couple of sessions, if you're really hurting around the midrift, you might need some GENTLE rehabilitative core-strengthening exercises. Having a baby can really wreak havoc on your middle.

Good luck, I admire your enthusiasm and drive!! :cheer:!

First of all - try and avoid saying "I have 30kg to lose". Instead why don't you say something like "I would like to lose 10kg over the next 3 months". It makes the goals smaller and more realistic instead of feeling like the goal is so far off.

I have found my motivation to be events. I have a wedding in February which I have the PERFECT dress for - and my motivation is to fit into that dress! In May we have our big race day and I want to be able to buy a new size 12 dress. In September I am going to the US and by then I would like to be my ultimate size 10.

Little goals!!!

I also agree with getting a fan to sit in front of your treadmill. Go and see a podiatrist!! And take it slow - no need to push yourself to the point where you are hurting.

Also - take measurements!! You may find that whilst you have put on weight some weeks, you have probably lost cm's which is the most important part!!

Thanks MD. You're right, I should stop focusing on the quantative and more on the quality.

I WISH I could watch telly whilst I'm on the tready... but we purposely don't have down there :( might have to change that ;) We're getting a new fan for your bedroom so I might move the old one downstairs - good thinking!

That book sounds interesting - where did you get it from? Good luck with your surgery - remember to not push it for the first few days afterward and give yourself time to heal. I had mine out in 2007 and am so glad!

It's Peter Walsh who does the clutter clearing on Oprah, he's actually an Aussie. I think I found it at Big W from memory. Ask for it at your library.