Why People Quit
Wednesday January 4, 2012
I found the first pic & copied it & of course forgot to get the credit before I realized I did not have it & can't remember where I found this.... DOH! I do this way too often since I love reading motivational quotes.
Anyway, it really hit with me because when people ask me about my motivation, I always say for one thing, I never want to go back where I was when I was heavy - not only how I looked but how it felt.
When people ask me about the stress or depression or anger type eating, for me, I say to myself, I AM NOT GOING TO LET THAT PERSON OR THAT JOB OR THAT SITUATION RUIN ALL THE HARD WORK I HAVE DONE TO GET TO THIS POINT.
Yes, I know it is easier said than done.... BUT when you think about it, why are you going to let some person, whether a friend, family member, stranger or even a bad job take control of your life & how far you have come in your efforts to lose weight or whatever it is you have set out to do for yourself.
The quote above, I hear it often on TV, in articles, from people. People are so focused on how far they have to go that they forget the present - how much they have done already. I don't care if it is just a couple pounds - it is a couple pounds less than the other day. If it is 10 or 20 pounds & you still want to lose 40 more pounds - focus on how far you have come! Focus on how much better you feel & how much more you can do & yes, the NSV's - non scale victories. It is not always about the scale or the pounds!
Now I know that this is not the only reason people quit. It is complicated, as they say..... BUT I do hear it often... something to think about.
How many of you have said that sentence in the first part of the quote above? Are you still saying or thinking it - how far there is to go? Can you focus on how far you have come? How much better you feel OR WILL FEEL? What a great example you are OR WILL BE for your family & kids AND YOURSELF!
Please share your thoughts and also any NSV's for those that need to see that it is not all about the scale!
Also, please share why you have quit in the past if you are willing to do so...
Categories: Motivation/Support, Fitness, Weight Loss, Awareness, Inspiration, Inspirational Quotes, Health, Tips, Challenges, Acceptance
Tags: NSV Weight Loss weight loss maintenance weight loss plateaus fitness health Believing believe in yourself Be Your Best Self challenges acceptance accountability accomplishments awareness motivation support tips
In my case quitting was just an easy thing to do. It was not something I contemplated, it just happened. It did not require an effort. It was enough to lose focus for a while to go back to old, comfortable ways.
Keeping active and eating right requires a lot of attention and work but I like my lifestyle enough to be willing to put in the effort. It is not always easy especially when stress is high but the alternative would only add to that stress and I do not need more of that for sure.
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Ewa, it IS HARD!!! Yes, it does require attention & work but SO WORTH IT!!!
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This time I did not quit and I have NO INTENTIONS on quitting anytime soon!
My health is at risk no measly sugars and bad eating habits are going to make it worse. I've come way to far almost 4 years on maintenance!
Love this post, will be sharing it with some folks!
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Sheri - you have it down now! No reason to backward!
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Ive quit many things BUT only after sitting with myself in quiet moments and being honest.
am I afraid?
is it merely hard and I do not wanna rise to the challenge?
or is it 100% authentically NOT for me?
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Yes, Carla - I am like you in terms of things I do to workout & such - not for me, don't enjoy it & things like that... some things I don't do because I love lifting weights so much that I am not willing to give up that time to do something else...
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Quitting diets is a complex issue. I quit for a variety of reasons from fear of failure to frustration with the diet itself. I like the second graphic you put up - it's very true.
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Diane - yes, agree, that is why I mentioned it is complex but I think some of it is this - looking to far out to the future instead of focusing on the now...
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I have a close friend who is in excellent shape, works out every morning and eats clean 365 days a week. When people ask her how she does it she says, "Because having to lose 50-100 lbs sounds so much harder than doing what I do." I completely understand, it is hard to imagine working out every day and seeing you're only down a pound or two each week and thinking about all the other pounds to go instead of what you achieved that week.
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Karen - 365 days a year I guess than weeks.. anyway - GREAT way of looking at it!
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Many if the most successful people I know, when it comes to fitness, notice the slide into fatness very early and do something about it before it becomes overwhelming!
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Yes, Dr. J - that is you & me & we need to spread the word!
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When I was younger, I used to "quit" because I would get off track for a few days and then despondently feel "what's the use?" But now I don't think about quitting -- despite whatever challenges life throws at me. I don't aim for perfection anymore, so I may slip a bit from time to time, but I will never quit.
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Marsial - that is it!!! Don't aim for perfection & never give up!
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I just remembered something. This should not be used as an excuse but maybe an explanation why for many the battle is so overwhelmingly difficult.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?_r=1&hpw
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Thx Ewa!
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Anyhow, just know that your post today was all money to me and this
would have been my comment:
Looking at how far we have to go is often like putting a land mine in
your path. And I am guilty of it, even now as I write, just look at my
blog post today. There it tells everyone that as of today I have 98.2
more pounds to lose on my goal, wow that is a LOT.
While it is good I note it, because it indictaes I have a goal set, I
need to qualify it as a LONG term goal. And then NOT focus on it.
Instead my focus should be on shorter term goals. Not short term goals
like lose 5 pounds in January, nope... but on MICRO goals like what I
am doing from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. today...
My micro goal for this morning, while at work do not eat anything
except what I have planned, take the stairs twice, and drink 34 ounces
of water (I have a 17 oz bottle).
After that I will set a micro goal for lunch, to eat no more than 400
calories of balanced nutrients (sounds appetizing I know, the
challenge of this goal is to wade through the cafeteria and succeed).
After that, I will set a micro goal for the afternoon which will
likely be while at work eat the planned healthy snack, drink 34 ounces
of water and take the stairs 3 times.
Today I MUST exercise, so after work my micro goal after work will be
to make the YMCA happy to see me.
And so on... a day may contain 10 or more micro goals.
Focus with intensity on the mirco goal in front of you this minute,
and when successfully complete, that is when you think about and shift
focus to the next; not before.
Focus on the MICRO, not the macro.
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LOVE this Patrick & thank you for emailing so I could post - stupid GoDaddy & not letting people comment!
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I have quit in the past because I did not make myself a priority. I had an intense fear of failure. If someone got sick, a stressful time cropped up at home, something derailed, boom. I quit...because I always used food as a self soother, and "situations" were a cop out excuse. ALSO, I didn't try to find exercise that I enjoyed at all. I've been getting outdoors more and started kickboxing and the stress relief I've found as a result is GREATLY replacing the desire to stress eat.
NSV: I've battled depression off an on for years and I've said, and believe: exercise is the single best antidepressant I've ever taken. It's guaranteed effective..and QUICK acting.
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Julie - thx so much for sharing!!!!! I totally get that fear of failure - it hits me outside the fitness life.... but don't let others or situations ruin what is good for you. You are too important! YES to kickboxing!!!
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