God.

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THRU CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME

I have this mantra/motto particularly due to the people who sit there and whine about how life is treating them...I do believe in self-prophecy as well as the Lord so my motto is this:  POSITIVE THINKING BRINGS POSITIVE RESULTS.

It helped me to FINALLY quit smoking - this Monday will be 6 weeks :) Now back to the weight - I lost 75 lbs before so I can get back to where I was!

I like to think I am a strong person but I to have these days or weeks.  My mantra is "stay focused on the larger goal" I will do this, I will do this!  I have a Dream Board that I am in the middle of creating.  This will be my visual sounding board!  You are what you think!  Listening to audio daily with positive mentors has helped me. Here is what helps me keep pushing for my goals.  I am doing this again this month and starting today.  It's free goal setting. http://www.30daypush.com/.

I have been finding it very difficult to get motivated. I am a wife and mother of 3 and last year I was doing so good with working out everyday no matter what and eating healthy. We had a sudden illness with my brother in law and he was in critical condition for months. It's been 11 months and he is still here and is home, but has a long road ahead of him. That being said I lost all my motivation. I was losing my motivation to begin with bc I was not able to lose a pound or an inch no matter what I did. My doctors did not understand what the problem was and they still don't. I have had test after test run and nothing has come up. I still try and eat healthy, but working out....ummmm no. I suffer from depression and anxiety as well as several stomach problems. I am not ashamed to admit that I am on medication and I still have days where I am so depressed I can't get out of it. I fight to make it through the day for my kids. I am in therapy as well to try and help. Iam looking for motivation, but can't find it besides my kids. I can't go to a gym bc of money and my anxiety won't allow me. I have tried it and can't handle it. I don't have anyone that wants to workout with me bc they are to busy or tired as well as me. I have no energy at all and literally could fall asleep in the afternoon but I can't bc Im a mom! Watching Ali's workout I am getting motivated and I signed up for the Walgreens walk to keep me on track. Today is a new day and I hope I can do it.

Jen... I'm so sorry you're going through this...

First...congratulations on your bother still being with you.

cortisol levels will completely hold on to body fat. You are under a LOT of stress. I would venture to guess that this is an issue. Stress can also lead to the stomach issues.

*I* am hypothyroid and would also venture to guess this could be your issue as well. Unfortunately many doctors run off an old thyroid level. Your TSH level should be between .3 and 3.0 ( many doctors will let you get as high as 5.5.... at 5.5 I was losing hair and depressed to the point of sleeping all day).

Another thing is that medicine for depression can also add to the weight issues.... but that's a small price to pay to be there for your babies.

I can't afford the gym either. So I use our cable On Demand and run through every exercise program I can. Start with small ones ( 20 minutes or so) and work your way up.  If don't have cable You can EBAY work out DVDs for very reasonable prices. I highly suggest Jillian's work outs.... they're straight forward, simple, but highly effective.

I've lost 35 pounds in the last two and a half years... doesn't sound like a lot... but I don't count calories. Please know that the first four to five months I was exercising I really didn't lose weight at all... I'd go down five pounds to right back up again. I look at it as my body finding its place...... treat exercise as you would brushing your teeth. You don't always see the real results ( right away).... but it's the right thing to do for your body and health. Also.... it WILL help with the depression... The first 5 to 10 minutes of any workout is the hardest for me. Once I get through the first two circuits, I'm golden.

I HAVE switched to healthy whole foods ( which can also make a huge difference in your health and moods).

Chin up mama.... take care of you too.

Honestly i have no idea what keeps me going. I have always been over weight since like 7yrs old. As i got older i gained more pounds and i was very upset. I noticed my blood pressure was getting high, i would get tired easy during high school sport practices, i new i wasnt happy, but i didnt do anything about it. Everytime i came home from school i would grab chips, cookies, pop fruit roll ups, go downstairs watch tv and eat. i was flipping through channels and i kept seeing all these celebs that were skinny and in shape. I kept asking myself i wish i looked like that. I would work out two days, then never keep going. i would tell myself yep this is the day im going to start but i never did. Then i came across the biggest loser and i saw those ppl, i thought to myself if i keep this up eating and watching tv ill end up like them, i was getting tired of saying i wish this i wish that but i never really started to work out i just kept eating. Also my younger sister got really sick last yr. (aplastic anemia) and we thought she was going to die. she ened up in the hospital for months and she needed a bone marrow transplant, i was the donor, than she ended up with cancer and thankfully she made it through and is living life like a 15 yr old should so far, she still could have problems . Even though she didnt have diabetes or wasnt over weight, what she went through made me relize how short your life can be, how the unexpected can show up and change your life. so i dont know if all of this is what keeps me going. im 18 know and im running 1-2 miles on the treadmill every day and lifting things like that, i feel great i put in my music and im good. im afraid if i take one day off i wont keep going. i wish i had something to motivate me but i don't know what it is, even when im tired from college and finals, studying and just want to sleep i just know i have to work out today and i do.

An accountability partner who I respect. 

In my case, Dave Latourette. 

He's in CA and/ but he sends programs by e.mail, so you can get trained by Dave no matter when you live. 

http://traintoendure.dreamhosters.com/new/about/

PAy no attention to the beautiful super models...!