Need help finding motivation to eat right

I’m working out plenty, but have NO motivation to keep to a healthy diet. I don’t get it. I try to eat healthy, but when I eat healthy, I have no desire to eat the food and usually end up binging enough to kill my day. Any ideas on what to do? I’m getting my water intake, and it’s not every meal, but it’s enough meals that it’s negating my workout progress. I know how to eat good, but I’m just lacking any desire to make those right choices even though I’m working out 5+ days a week, and making great progress (training for a 10k & Sprint Triathlon). Heck, even the events I’m training for aren’t motivation. I’m spiraling and feeling so frustrated that I can’t seem to get a handle on that part of my health.

You say you aren’t motivated to eat right, even though you know how. You also aren’t motivated by your training. And yet you know how important it is, and sound like you recognize that this is a problem. Out of curiousity, are you lacking motivation on other aspects of your life? What you’ve described sounds a lot like depression, and a lack of desire and motivation is the #1 symptom.

dianebl might be right that you should talk to your doctor about possibly being depressed. Meanwhile, on the practical side, don’t try to overhaul your entire diet at once. In fact, I don’t even like the word “diet,” because it implies temporary changes and including and excluding certain foods. According to your food log you have 2500 to 2800 Calories a day to fit in (nearly twice as many as I have, LOL!) I know a lot of people on this site talk about eating “clean” and so forth, but that implies you can eat “dirty.” I don’t believe there are “good” foods and “bad” foods. Or that you can eat “good” and eat “bad.” That puts too much guilt into the equation, and you beat yourself up when you make food choices you regret later. Eat the foods you enjoy; but measure or weigh your portions and log everything. Make small changes in your food choices, maybe one change a week. If you’re craving a certain item, have it—just make it a small portion, log it and leave it. If you deny yourself, you may obsess over it until when you do eat it, you will eat much more of it than you really wanted. Check out the food logs of users like “TheAng” or “PamelaH” or “flutinkat”. They eat real food, not “diet” food. One is veggie, one likes fast food, one eats a large variety of food types. Yet all 3 have long-term success in weight loss. There is no one “right” way to do it.

@esheldon76, ultimately motivation comes from within so there is little anyone can do to externally motivate you. With that said, try going on auto-pilot. Remove all trigger/binge foods from your home. Write out your meal plan for the entire week and simply eat what’s on the list.
No options. You eat it whether or not you want it.

I’ve had some of my clients do this and while they moan and groan about it, it works. After a week or two you actually start to lose the cravings for your trigger foods and the process becomes much easier.

Susan
www.CatapultFitnessBlog.com

What Susannyny said.. I have a lot of motivation right now to eat all the healthy food in the world and work out because my motivation is from the inside. Granted it would be nice to have someone give me a pat on the back…the true test is when I’m done with my journey if it will effect what i want it to..

I find that when I eat fast food or junk food, it’s because I don’t have a meal planned/already cooked, or I’m not enchanted with what’s planned or made. Do you cook? You say you have no desire to eat the healthy food you plan on eating. Maybe it’s because your healthy food isn’t very appetizing/interesting?

Don’t think of it as “healthy” food or food you’re “supposed” to eat. Try to find recipes that look amazing (when cooking for yourself, as long as they’re not deep-friend or dessert, I’d say you’re good), and you’ll want to eat them instead of the junk. If you’re looking for something appetizing, my favorite cook books are Emeril’s At the Grill (good even if you cook everything in a pan or in the stove) and How it all Vegan!.

Thanks for the complement LilyRowan!
I agree with what’s been said. Nothing we can say or do will really provide the motivation you are looking for. You have to find that one thing in you that will guide you in making the right choices. It is a process. Small changes over time add up to big ones. Remember, no one is perfect. We all just strive to make the best choicese we can everyday.
I agree with Femme_n_Fit, you have to make food that you like. No matter how healthy it is if it tastes like crap no one is going to want to eat it. For example, I can’t stand tomatoes. I like the sauce but the thought of eating a whole tomato makes me ill. Don’t know why, sounds weird I know. I also know how good they are for you. I am still not going to eat one. You need to figure out what foods you do like and if they aren’t healthy, how to make them healthier. How it All Vegan is an excellent book. If you’re not interested in vegetarian fair, I would suggest picking up a copy of Clean Eating Magazine. I have a subscription and cook from it a lot. The food is fantastic.
Pamela

www.ThrivePersonalFitness.com