how do you get motivated?

before diets, during diets, and just after falling off the wagon i think about what it will feel like to be "skinny".  i dream about wearing clothes that look just as good as they do on the models in the magazines.  i dream about wearing heels for a whole evening without swearing my feet may be broken.  i think about the way i fit in chairs, crossing my legs like a "skinny" girl and running...

running... haha i know right?  but i do.  i dream about running.  not running away from someone or something but just running and it being effortless.  maybe i just desire to feel like i don't have to work so hard to be successful at that.  when i was down 100lbs i ran several 5k's and one 8k.  i was one of those people that would run 3 miles 4 to 5 times a week.  i felt unstoppable and very proud of myself - i have a father who runs marathons so the pressure to run in races for fun was definitely always present.  so i dream about going for a run and it feeling good and not like death and sheer pain from back to knees to ankles.

i read once that its more motivational to think about how you will feel when you're at your goal weight than thinking about what you will look like and the number of pounds you have to lose and all those other things that trip up your motivation.  i don't seem to have a problem thinking about how i would feel because i was well on my way to achieving my goal and i felt fabulous.  i can remember not having knee pain and back pain.  i can remember putting on clothes and not stretching them out first in order to have them "fit".  i can remember walking all over the city in heels with minimal pain.  for me it seems that focusing on getting to that point is a bit to ahead of myself.  my hope is to start thinking: if i exercise today and i eat right today i will feel really good at the end of the day and tomorrow.  to keep things more present will help keep myself from feeling overwhelmed by all that goes into dropping 160lbs.

i am still trying to ramp up my motivation to get going - yes i'm aware this is ridiculous i should just get going and let the motivation catch up with me but i'm doing this my way.  so....i got myself some workout clothes, i'm trying to minimize the snacking and fix myself more balanced meals and we're going to go with that for right now.

would love any thoughts about finding motivation...