Okay - so we all get motivated and we are gung ho about losing our weight. We're going strong, nothing can stop us now, or can it? You finally hit the dreaded "I don't care attitude". You realize 3 months later, you've gained weight, your no longer exercising and your eating crap. You wonder, what happened? You were so excited and doing good, then you stopped? Well, you lost your motivation, otherwise known as MOJO.

So, I'm on a qwest, how do we keep our mojo going strong? I've been asking the experienced bandsters this question, what motivates you? What keeps you motivated? Here are some tips -

1) Have some goals and write them down! Make sure they are very clear and precise goals. Don't just say, I want to lose 50 lbs, ror 60 lbs. What are you going to do to hit that goal? Have some short term goals - and work toward your bigger goals.

2) Have some NSV goals. It's not all about weight, maybe you want to wear a size 10, or maybe you want to no longer touch the sides of the bathtub with your thighs when you are in it (one of my NSV goals).

3) Measure your success - thats right, get out the tape measure and measure! You will be amazed at the results (I've lost 8 inches off my hips - that to me is amazing!). Also, measure your success with pictures, take your picture every month, you might even take it nude, this is just for you to measure your success. Or take it in you undies, or bikini, however you want. Look at the before & after pics and check out Foodchamps - you can really see the difference in her tummy area, but if you just took the pic fully clothed, you wouldn't be able to see the results.

4) You have to be tough about the scales. Yes, this is hard to do, I know from experience. But, realize your body water weight changes all the time, some days its retaining some days it is now. So the best thing to do is measure your results weekly or monthly.

5) Look at your before pic often and then look at your latest pic, see how far you have come, don't stop now. Keep telling yourself this. Vision yourself smaller and fit and heathy.

6) Fake it until you make it......I'm talking about exercise. The dreaded word. I hated it, I faked it, went to the gym and walked slowly on the treadmill faking it, then after about 3 weeks, I started increasing the speed, and finally really started pushing myself, I made it....get it? Fake it until you make it! I promise, keep doing this and you will make it, but its hard in the beginning so push yourself to the gym or to go for a walk.

7) Keep track of what you eat, don't just say, I'm doing good, why am I not losing....if you keep track of EVERY bite you can look back on it and say "Wow, it must be the bite here and there of the M&m's i'm consuming, or that piece of candy I grab everyday off my desk etc. Keeping track of what we eat will keep us on the losing path, it will keep us motivated.

8) Buy yourself some new clothes! it will motivate you, promise. I bought myself a size smaller and now am wearing it. It motivates me to keep going smaller. We deserve to reward ourselves, so lets do it, but no with food!

9) Don't look at your flaws (I do it, its easy to do) look at your accomplishment and what you are doing - keep thinking about how much better you are going to look, this helps me stay motivated.

10) After you reach your goals, mark them off your list. It motivates me to keep checking off goals. It keeps me motivated!

Below are my goals I wrote back in December (see my first page of my journal) - So I'm going thru them and checking off what I have done -

1. I want back in my bikini! I haven't worn it since, well, 14 years ago.

Not yet - but working toward it

2. I want a fit body, not just healthy but toned, I want my atheletic shape back - the one way to do this is EXERCISE (note to self, get off the couch and MOVE) - I've started exercising, so I'm working toward this goal, I can see changes in my body and I feel better so 50/50 accomplished so far.

3. I want to buy sexy clothes again! and not only buy them, but be able to wear them and feel good in them. - I bought a few sexy shirts, and I will be wearing one next weekend. So, I'm going to say this goal has been reached!

4. I want to be able to bend down and tie my shoes without the breath being knocked out of me. - DONE!

5. I want to be able to get in the tub and not have my ASS take up the entire tub, side to side - oh this sucks. - DONE!

6. I want to be able to cross my legs. - DONE!

7. I want to be able to wear shorts without them riding up my crotch. - hmmmm, almost but not quite.

8. I want to be able to walk without my thighs rubbing each other and sweating in the summer and leaving that horrible heat rash! - still working on this one.

9. I want to be able to push food away and not feel the need to clean up the entire plate.- I say - DONE.

10. I don't want food to be my focus in life.- DONE!

11. I want my kids to be proud of me.

12. I want to feel beautiful again and not 40 & fat. - Working on this, but not quite there.

13. I want to be able to buy a low rise pair of jeans without my stomach hanging over. my current jeans go clear up to my belly button. - My most exciting goal of all that I reached! I bought my first pair last week and they look good!

14. I want to be able to have sex with my DH and not feel the need to "turn the lights off". - Well, almost.

15. I want to become where exercise is a part of my life, where I crave exercise like I crave chocolate.- Becoming more and more part of my life! OMG - I've reached this goal!

16. I want to inspire other people to lose weight. - I was just told the other day that I inspire them. So I am going to say DONE!

17. I want to become a personal trainer. - This is a long term goal of mine - so not there yet!

18. I want to buy attractive Teddies to wear instead of my sweatpants and tee shirts to bed. - I forgot about this goal, so I think next week after I complete my 6th week of BFL, I will by myself a new nightie, to celebrate my 1/2 mark with bfl.

19. I want to be proud of my weight, not ashamed. - almost, but not quite

20. I want people to be shocked that I am 40 because I look younger, not shocked because I am 40 and I look 50. - working on this, the more weight I lose, the younger I look.