Please help me get motivated!

[reggiebean]

I moved here almost two years ago, and I've consistently gained weight since being here. I lived a very active lifestyle back home, but since moving here, I work from home, and rarely leave the house unless running errands, and even then, it's only for a short time. I'm working about 15 hrs a day at the minute, so don't have a lot of time for going out for a stroll or going to the gym.

I'm started both C25K and a couple of workout DVD's, but I never stay with them for more than a week or so.

I'm disgusted at how big I've gotten (this is the biggest that I've ever been, and I'm officially overweight now) and I have quite a big conference coming up in the States next month, where I'll be on stage quite a bit. There will be quite a few photos and videos taken as well, and I refuse to look like a fat tub there!

I need to get motivated, but just need some help... Tips, advice, etc., are all greatly appreciated! xx

I've posted tonight about needing to lose weight, a poster suggested having a look at MyFitnessPal, it might be a handy tool for you if you're at home working and you can track your progress with your upcoming conference in mind. It's hard to motivate yourself to exercise alone, could you join a class? It would be a good opportunity to get out of the house, I know if I'm at home for hours on end I'm tempted to snack. Don't feel disgusted with yourself, try to think that you've gone a bit off-track but are going to put it right. Good Luck.

Jubelteen yes, it's the snacking at home bit that is killing me right now. I'll have a look at that MyFitnessPal, cheers!

Alongside using mfp, visualise yourself on stage at that conference, looking how you want to look - every time you are tempted to eat something you know you shouldn't and every time you make excuses in your mind for not getting your trainers on and making half an hour or so for exercise.

That you on stage that you picture in your mind (trim, happy, confident - not worrying about how your clothes fit or how you look on camera) is the one you are choosing to be and it takes a bit of dedication but you can definitely do it .

You can't snack on things you don't have.
So don't buy them..!
I know I have zero self control when it comes to food, so I don't have anything in the house I can snack on (apart from carrots!)

If you are used to a structured day, what about putting a 'meeting' in your calendar 3 times a week for an hour to go for a walk/to the gym/for a run?

You'll have to get into the mindset that it is as unmissable as a doctors appointment or meeting or anything else that would be in your calendar and use the 'reminder' function as well!

As well as visualisation, I'm going to try keeping in mind how fed up and uncomfortable I feel trying to squeeze myself into my too small clothes and keep thinking how nice it will be when they are looser again.
It's hard keeping snacks out of the house if you have to cater for the rest of the family. I buy things which I don't like - Penguin biscuits and Monster Munch, wouldn't be tempted to eat them even if I was desperate.

The visualisation is a great idea, I'm definitely going to start doing that when faced with a bag of Doritos and an empty house!!

Cheers ladies!! xx

I know what you mean Jubelteen, I am lucky enough to have regular babysitting so go out quite regularly, love getting dressed up and feeling great, last Friday we did this but a week or two of overindulgence was showing on the love handle front, put me in a really bad mood for the first half an hour , it seems inane but it doesn't put you in a positive frame of mind when your clothes feel too tight!