Day 1: Find Your Real (Not Pretend) Motivation | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon

Welcome to Day 1 of the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon! Let the fun begin. πŸ™‚

We only have 10 minutes, so I’m going to get straight to today’s action task. This task will provide fuel to fire your motivation for the month ahead. I suggest you read through the steps first, then take 10 minutes to work through the steps.

And because we only have 10 minutes, you need to move fast, act quickly and stop over-thinking. Just throw yourself in. Ready?

What You Need:

Step 1

Remember theΒ 52 Weight Loss Missions sample you downloaded? If you haven’t already, please read pages 6, 7 and the top of page 8.

These pages talk about your genuine, fire-in-the-belly motivation for losing weight. Not why other people want you to lose weight. Not why you think you should lose weight. But the desire deep inside you. This is what we want to uncover.

Step 2

Write at least 20 endings to the sentence below. Write fast. Don’t censor yourself. Let your pen go where your critical, analytical mind might not let you.

I want to lose weight because…

Step 3

Now read back over your answers and pick one or to two that excite you.

Don’t be surprised if they aren’t the reasons you’ve been giving yourself for losing weight. If you’ve struggled to lose weight, then there’s a good chance your supposed reasons are not very powerful.

What you’ve just uncovered is a powerhouse of motivation. Let’s make sure we use it…

Step 4

Write the exciting reason(s) from Step 3 on some post-its, and put them in several places you’ll see them regularly, eg:

  • On your bathroom mirror
  • In your wallet
  • In your diary
  • On your computer
  • On the fridge door.

Let these reminders of your real motivation drive you over the next month.

Check in!

And you’re done! Be sure to leave your comment below to check in and stay accountable.

See you back here tomorrow.

Michele Connolly

Michele Connolly helps people move from procrastination to action. She believes that taking action on your priorities makes you a happier person. Michele is the founder of Get Organized Wizard and creator of tools for business, home, and personal organization. Her programs are used by tens of thousands of people worldwide.

566 thoughts on “Day 1: Find Your Real (Not Pretend) Motivation | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon

  1. Cheryl Simpson says:

    I’ve completed day 1. I thought 20 reasons was stretching, but it helped me to see some things. I am excited about day 2. I have been losing weight through keeping a food journal. I have enjoyed fitting into some clothes better, and it feels good. I have plateaued though. This, I hope, will un-stuck me.

  2. Cheryl Simpson says:

    I’ve completed day 1. I thought 20 reasons was stretching, but it helped me to see some things. I am excited about day 2. I have been losing weight through keeping a food journal. I have enjoyed fitting into some clothes better, and it feels good. I have plateaued though. This, I hope, will un-stuck me.

  3. Amy Gossett Bendall says:

    I want to lose weight so that I am not the FAT girl at the beach…. I know, I know, I am supposed to say so that I am healthy, live longer, good role model for my kids, lower my bp, but in reality…. I am tired and sad that I am the FAT girl at the beach every summer. I’m embarrassed and shamed that I have let my weight explode…. I am tired of being self conscious… I want to look and feel pretty again.

  4. Amy Gossett Bendall says:

    I want to lose weight so that I am not the FAT girl at the beach…. I know, I know, I am supposed to say so that I am healthy, live longer, good role model for my kids, lower my bp, but in reality…. I am tired and sad that I am the FAT girl at the beach every summer. I’m embarrassed and shamed that I have let my weight explode…. I am tired of being self conscious… I want to look and feel pretty again.

  5. Andi Shepherd says:

    So after reading through my list, the biggest reasons I have are to be able to wear all the cute skinny clothes I have in my closet. I love the way I feel and look in them. And the second reason is to be able to look good in pictures again. I used to love having pictures taken. Now I avoid it like the plague and delete any pictures that I think I look fat in. There are hardly any recent pictures of me. I so want to be able to take great pictures again and not worry that I am going to look awful in them.

  6. Andi Shepherd says:

    So after reading through my list, the biggest reasons I have are to be able to wear all the cute skinny clothes I have in my closet. I love the way I feel and look in them. And the second reason is to be able to look good in pictures again. I used to love having pictures taken. Now I avoid it like the plague and delete any pictures that I think I look fat in. There are hardly any recent pictures of me. I so want to be able to take great pictures again and not worry that I am going to look awful in them.

  7. Sheri Walker Fogleman says:

    I want to loose weight for my health I am 29 and have pre – diabetes and sleep apnea due to weight, I have 3 wonderful children and am engaged to be married in December, he doesn’t have any biological children and loves my children as his own and we would love to have one more together, so if I loose down to 160 I am going to have a tubal reversal surgery to celebrate I have 80 pounds to go.

  8. Sheri Walker Fogleman says:

    I want to loose weight for my health I am 29 and have pre – diabetes and sleep apnea due to weight, I have 3 wonderful children and am engaged to be married in December, he doesn’t have any biological children and loves my children as his own and we would love to have one more together, so if I loose down to 160 I am going to have a tubal reversal surgery to celebrate I have 80 pounds to go.

  9. Joan Harder VanSelous says:

    Reading some of the other posts, and what I wrote myself, I see the word ‘selfish’ come up a lot. What an obstacle! No wonder we can’t lose the weight if we feel like doing so is, or that our reasons are somehow ‘selfish’.
    A lot of my sentences were very negative. Yes, I want to feel pretty, and sexy, and young….but I also want to stop feeling ashamed and depressed and self-hatred.
    Okay, we’ve got a big job ahead of us Ladies (& Gentlemen). Let’s do this thing!

  10. Joan Harder VanSelous says:

    Reading some of the other posts, and what I wrote myself, I see the word ‘selfish’ come up a lot. What an obstacle! No wonder we can’t lose the weight if we feel like doing so is, or that our reasons are somehow ‘selfish’.
    A lot of my sentences were very negative. Yes, I want to feel pretty, and sexy, and young….but I also want to stop feeling ashamed and depressed and self-hatred.
    Okay, we’ve got a big job ahead of us Ladies (& Gentlemen). Let’s do this thing!

  11. Seana Rochelle Kono says:

    Here are my main 4 reasons:
    1. I want to feel confident in my body.
    2. I want to fit into my wardrobe of pretty clothes I can no longer wear.
    3. I want to t look good naked/ in a bikini.
    4. I want to feel pretty.
    I made some post-its for myself and have a picture of what I looked like just a couple years ago that I am going to put in my bathroom… plus I think I’ll put one in my purse πŸ™‚

    I appreciate today’s activity… I think it was good for all of us to realize what all of us REALLY WANTED. πŸ™‚

  12. Seana Rochelle Kono says:

    Here are my main 4 reasons:
    1. I want to feel confident in my body.
    2. I want to fit into my wardrobe of pretty clothes I can no longer wear.
    3. I want to t look good naked/ in a bikini.
    4. I want to feel pretty.
    I made some post-its for myself and have a picture of what I looked like just a couple years ago that I am going to put in my bathroom… plus I think I’ll put one in my purse πŸ™‚

    I appreciate today’s activity… I think it was good for all of us to realize what all of us REALLY WANTED. πŸ™‚

  13. Tawnie Beamon says:

    I want to lose weight because I am tired of being fat. I want to walk past a mirror or my reflection and see the person I feel I am on the inside. I also want to live a long healthy life and set an example for my children. I want them to see they can accomplish anything in life and achieve all of their goals even if they’ve failed a time or two. If you keep trying and never give up! Oh yeah…..this muffin top and big belly is not cute. πŸ˜‰ lol

  14. Tawnie Beamon says:

    I want to lose weight because I am tired of being fat. I want to walk past a mirror or my reflection and see the person I feel I am on the inside. I also want to live a long healthy life and set an example for my children. I want them to see they can accomplish anything in life and achieve all of their goals even if they’ve failed a time or two. If you keep trying and never give up! Oh yeah…..this muffin top and big belly is not cute. πŸ˜‰ lol

  15. Carol Ohnemus says:

    I want to lose weight to feel better physically and to feel better about myself emotionally/spiritually. I’m tired of struggling with my weight and I know the longer this goes on, the greater toll it is going to take on my health as I age (I’m 50, so far with no major health problems, but know that I’m playing with fire if I let this continue). The vain part of me wants to get my body back so I can wear fun and youthful clothes again. This weight has weighed me down in so many other areas of my life and I’m so tired of dealing with it -it’s just time to do something.

  16. Carol Ohnemus says:

    I want to lose weight to feel better physically and to feel better about myself emotionally/spiritually. I’m tired of struggling with my weight and I know the longer this goes on, the greater toll it is going to take on my health as I age (I’m 50, so far with no major health problems, but know that I’m playing with fire if I let this continue). The vain part of me wants to get my body back so I can wear fun and youthful clothes again. This weight has weighed me down in so many other areas of my life and I’m so tired of dealing with it -it’s just time to do something.

  17. Nikki Stephens says:

    This was actually quite depressing to do! I’m normally quite happy about my life and how I look, but actually sitting down and questioning it meant I had to face some not-so-pleasant-thoughts.

    It basically boils down to: vanity and health (the 2 of them swap priorities so I’m claiming both of them!). I don’t want to always be “the fat one”. Sure, I don’t mind being bigger than others, but I could certainly benefit with losing a couple of stone.

  18. Nikki Stephens says:

    This was actually quite depressing to do! I’m normally quite happy about my life and how I look, but actually sitting down and questioning it meant I had to face some not-so-pleasant-thoughts.

    It basically boils down to: vanity and health (the 2 of them swap priorities so I’m claiming both of them!). I don’t want to always be “the fat one”. Sure, I don’t mind being bigger than others, but I could certainly benefit with losing a couple of stone.

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