Sometimes it can seem like impossible to start and stick with a healthy weight loss plan.
Often times, people simply lack the motivation to start or lose the motivation to continue. Fortunately, you can work on increasing motivation.
This article looks at 8 ways to motivate yourself to lose weight.
1. Ease of exercise
A lot of people (especially during New Years) are incredibly motivated to go to the gym and transform their bodies. This excitement drives them to jump straight into the depths.
Many beginners try to train 6 days a week and hit the gym for more than an hour per session.
This extreme schedule is ultimately unsustainable, especially when your initial motivation runs out. If you build up too much resistance in the beginning by doing an exercise program that you can't commit to, you'll have a hard time getting into the habit.
Remember that changing your body through exercise is not an end. You don't just get the body you want and give it up. If you want to keep your body, you need a lifestyle change.
Exercising and eating healthy should be part of your daily routine, so stick to a realistic schedule.
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2. Have realistic expectations about your transformations.
One of the reasons that many people leave the gym is that they start with unrealistic expectations. These expectations are often created by Instagram fitness models and late-night infomercials that promise instant results.
You need to have realistic expectations when you exercise if you want to avoid getting discouraged. Transforming your body doesn't happen overnight!
You are in a campaign, every workout and every meal gets you closer to your goals.
No workout makes much of a difference, but a lot of them done consistently and used over time will create amazing results. Remember that an oak was once a seed; stay committed for the long term.
3. Track your workouts and progress
If you want to stay motivated for the gym, you have to feel like you're progressing. It is often difficult for us to see our own progress just by looking in the mirror.
I advise you to follow your progress with the gym. You can do this by doing the following:
- Measure your body weight
- Take pictures of progress
- Track the weights you lift
- Monitor your cardiovascular health
- Check your body fat percentage
Once you see progress in any of these areas, even if they are modest, you will get a motivational push to return to the gym. The constant rolling back is what will make it a habit and create big changes.
4. Have intrinsic motivation for the gym
Intrinsic motivation is motivation that comes from within, extrinsic motivation is derived from external sources.
Some degree of extrinsic motivation is good if it gets you to the gym, but it won't be a powerful enough fuel to make you last. Trying to impress a girl or a boy is a good motivation for many people, however, what happens when you have your accident? You become complacent and go back to your old ways.
This is why your motivation to exercise and change your body must be inherently derived. You are doing this for yourself, not for someone else. People come and go in your life, but you will live the rest of your life with your body.
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5. Have a training program and stick to it
When trying to make exercise a habit or to motivate yourself, it is important to stick to a schedule.
Set the days and times you will be going to the gym and mark them on your calendar. Use the “Don't Break the Chain” technique popularized by Jerry Seinfeld.
Put a big cross on the days you exercise and don't break the pattern, stick with the pattern until you have made exercising a habit.
You will want to not exercise and a lot
6. Celebrate your successes
Losing weight is difficult, so celebrate all of your successes to stay motivated.
Give yourself credit when you reach a goal. Weight loss or social networking sites with community pages are great places to share your successes and get support. When you feel proud of yourself, your motivation increases (1 source of confidence).
Also, remember to celebrate behavior changes and not just hit a number on the scale.
For example, if you've reached your goal of exercising four days a week, take a bubble bath or plan a fun night out with friends.
In addition, you can further improve your motivation by rewarding yourself (1 source of confidence).
However, it is important to choose the right rewards. Avoid rewarding yourself with food. Also, avoid rewards that are so expensive you would never buy them, or so trivial that you allow yourself to have them anyway.
Here are some good examples of rewards:
- Getting a manicure
- Go to the cinema
- Buy a new running jersey
- Take a cooking class
7. Learn to love and appreciate your body
Research has repeatedly shown that people who dislike their bodies are less likely to lose weight .
Taking steps to improve your body image can help you lose more weight and maintain your weight loss.
Additionally, people with better body image are more likely to choose a diet they can stick to and try new activities that will help them reach their goals (18 Trusted Source).
The following activities can help improve your body image:
Exercise
- Appreciate what your body can do
- Do something for yourself, like a massage or a manicure.
- Surround yourself with positive people
- Stop comparing yourself to others, especially models.
- Wear clothes you love and that fit you
- Look in the mirror and say out loud the things you love about yourself
8. Find a model
Having a role model can help keep you motivated to lose weight. However, you need to choose the right kind of role model to stay motivated.
Hanging a photo of a supermodel on your fridge won't motivate you over time. Instead, find a role model that you can easily relate to.
Having a positive and understandable role model can help you stay motivated.
Maybe you know a friend who has lost a lot of weight and who can be your inspiration. You can also search for blogs or inspirational stories about people who have been successful in losing weight.
The Bottom line
Being motivated to lose weight is important for long term weight loss success.
People find different motivators, so it's important to find out what specifically motivates you.
Remember to give yourself flexibility and celebrate small successes along your weight loss journey. And don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
With the right tools and the right support, you can find and stay motivated to achieve your weight loss goals.
