My motivation is that I am fed up of carrying the excess weight and both of my parents are having a lot of health problems and I don't want to go down that road. What's a few days of fasting compared to fitting great in my clothes and then I'll have the luxury of indulging in foods I find tempting -- in moderation.

Amarande:
Here is a litany of motivations:
1) Lifespan, you will live longer if you lose weight and eat healthy.
2) Quality of life, you will be healthier for the longer life.
3) Others opinions of you, people are more motivated, inspires and generally attracted to thinner people(not fair, but true)
4) Disease, the fatter you are, the more diseases you are likely to get.

Now, to motivation, do 2 things:
1) Picture yourself 5 years from now, living as you are, gaining more weight as you have over the last few years and getting more and more diseased. Think of all the bad things that happen or could happen. Get a really good picture in your head.(if you cry, you did good)
2) Picture yourself 5 years from now, at your perfect weight, healthy happy and finding opportunities you never even thought of, new relationships, doing things you love and things you never could have tried in your present condition. Living a long, healthy, happy life of joy and contribution.
3) keep these opposing pictures in your head and every day say "which person do I need to be, and how will I get there?"

Good luck
I know you will triumph!

I really initally wanted to do a long strait strict fast. But it just wasnt happening either. So I just am listening to my own body and doing what works for me and weightloss:

Eat three days
Food one day (not overeating for my weight & counting cals)
Repeat till goal weight

I found this the other day and it helped me:

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Train-Your-Brain-to-Lose-Weight&id=1226601


I also stuck post it notes on the fridge in a square formation of all the pounds I have to lose. When I lose one pound I take one pound off. Seeing it shrink and my numbers shrink along with my clothing being to baggy..I just think..Almost there...cant quit now.

A simple question I ask myself when faced with temptation:
Do you want to go back to square one and start all over again?

And now I must find another pair of motivational pants. Buying a cheap pair of jeans or pants too tight and pulling them on during a fast really helps me see real world efforts in a second.