To find the motivation to lose weight

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I have always been a medium-ish size. Used to be an 8-10, now am a 12 after having DC and almost no time to go to the gym.
I am not careful to what I eat (I don’t eat much junk but eat big portions and snack a lot) and am struggling to find the motivation. I am only in my mid 30s so don’t want things to go downhill from now on but cannot get back into a better mindset. I used to workout regularly before DC so even though I still ate quite a lot, I managed to stay a size 10. Now I am much bigger and feel unhappy with the way I look (I know size 12 is not big but it’s mostly belly for me and I am also quite short).
What do you do to keep fit, how do you find motivation?

No real advice OP but I could have written this word for word, other than being on the short side

I used to be very motivated about my fitness, health and self care in general, really struggle now . Hoping for some good tips and sending solidarity

Me too. hate to say this but it gets harder as you get older. my fitness is good but i like wine and the odd desert. i alternate between wanting a nice life and being able to fit into my clothes comfortably.....Commenting for tips, which hopefully arent going to be the obvious eat more/move more which we all know about

Similar struggle and age and am on a medication which can cause weight gain. I do feel like I will be able to get back to gym in a few years but I'm still very tied down with kids for now.
Have recently gone back to the Fast 800 which I had good results with last time I tried. It's not ideal but nothing else seems to work currently.

Honestly the only time i felt about to really work on fitness was when i was so sick mentally it was a case of if i didnt have that to focus on i dont know where id be now.

Exercise is so good for mental health but how you get into that zone when youre well i dont know.

Here's the thing; most people aren't motivated to do anything either. If you wait for motivation to come you'll be waiting a long time. Just add small things in every day and create habits for yourself.
It's like waiting for motivation to brush your teeth - you know you've got to do it so you just do it and it feels weird not to. Probably as a kid though your parents kept nagging you to do it and eventually it formed into a habit.
James Clear's atomic habits is a good one to read if it triggers the start.

Honestly do it now - it really does get harder as you get older. I wish I could go back to my 30s and do more exercise and eat healthier! Aching joints, feeling tired, feeling uncomfortable in clothes are not nice. I'm doing something about it now because I want to enjoy my later years especially if I am lucky enough to have grandchildren some day.

when you get up in the morning, put your gym leggings on so you’re ready and don’t need to later find the motivation to “get ready”. Then get yourself a watch with a step counter on it and go for a walk
as early as you can.
it will put you in a good mindset for the rest of the day and you’ll get into the habit of checking your steps all the time (hopefully) and trying to get more in each day.

I don’t go to the gym but try and walk as much as I can and am in pretty good shape for my age. There are also some good YouTube work outs you can do at home. I’ve done Zumba , walk at home, Joe wicks. But I prefer to go outside and walk

Try Weight Watchers OP. It works! I went from being plus size to being at the smaller end of the size spectrum. You obviously wouldn’t have to lose to me to get back to the size that you are happy with but it’s easy enough to follow and with the digital only membership you’d not have to attend meetings if that is not for you. It helps with portion size and you can still have normal foods if you want you just have to plan your eating. I wish I had done it earlier! You also earn extra points for exercise including walking.

Lose as much as me that should say

I developed a chronic pain condition a few years ago and exercise is part of my self management. I generally feel better exercising regularly so I have no choice 😂

I go to a local leisure centre and feel motivated seeing the older people work out. My in laws are terribly unfit and have mobility issues, I don't want to struggle to get around when I'm older so I know strength work is key.

Can you start by building daily walking into your life or even 3 x 20 min walks per week listening to a podcast?

I'd also recommend looking for a fun fitness activity. I've gone back to ballet as an adult and absolutely love it. Is there anything you did as a child that you enjoyed? Dance, netball, ice skating? Even something like trying karate? I've also dabbled at tennis after my son started and met some lovely people.

Shift your mindset to "getting healthier" instead of "losing weight".

Do the workout to get stronger. You'll be more inclined to do it then rather than thinking "oh I need to get through this 30 mins to burn x amount of calories". Work out early in the day as well. I find it helps me make better food choices throughout the day.

Focus on eating food to nourish your body rather than restricting bad food.

Unfortunately there is no magic pill or anyone who can find the motivation for you. But once you get started, the endorphins will kick in, you'll feel lighter, have more energy, and that feeling will keep you going.

@loveacuddle1 it’s not so easy I’m afraid. I hve DC and work full time, often in the office and DH works shifts, I don’t have the freedom to put on gym clothes as I wake up and go for walks unfortunately. i do try and do 2 classes in the gym per week in the evening but it’s not always possible because of the above. I used to work out regularly 3-4 times a week pre DC

I have always loved walking and do so a lot in the weekends but I am not always able to do it on week days because of DC drop off/pick up, work and commute commitments. I love walking and can easily do many km without issues, I just don’t have the time to do it regularly anymore