Motivate Yourself to Continue Weight Loss

Losing weight consistently ranks as one of the most commonly made and broken resolutions. What’s more, there’s research from numerous sources showing many people fail to stick to their diets or achieve their weight loss goals. If this is what you are currently dealing with, you can turn things around by motivating yourself to continue with your weight loss efforts. Here’s how.

Know Why You Want to Lose Weight

Have you taken the time to determine your reasons for wanting to lose weight? If “no” is the answer, this could be why your initial efforts failed. You’ll be more likely to be motivated if you have a clear reason for wanting to shed excess pounds. For some people, compelling, motivational reasons include:

• Wanting to keep up with children or grandchildren
• Controlling or preventing diabetes or other health issues related to excess weight
• Improving self-confidence

Keep Your Expectations Realistic

Expecting to see results quickly can result in frustration and the decision to just stop trying. After some initial rapid weight loss after surgery, your weight loss rate will begin to taper down. Get your motivation back by setting smaller goals you know you’ll likely achieve, and take comfort in knowing that losing just 5-10 percent of your body fat can contribute to better blood sugar control, lower cholesterol levels, and fewer instances of joint pain.

Find a Continued Weight Loss Approach That’s Right for You

If your initial weight loss attempt involved a highly restrictive diet or one that included overly demanding exercises, this is likely why your initial efforts failed. Find the motivation you need to continue weight loss by choosing a plan that includes:

• Foods and forms of exercise you find enjoyable
• Reduced portion sizes instead of a long list of restrictions
• Reasonable flexibility with diet and exercise guidelines

Keep a Weight Loss Journal

Another common reason people attempting to lose weight take a break from their efforts is because of a perceived lack of progress. If you keep a journal, however, you’ll be able to track your progress and clearly see how you’ve improved over time. This provides added motivation to stay the course.

Celebrate Your Little Victories

Once you start achieving your weight loss goals again, take time to celebrate so you’ll be motivated to stick with what’s working for you. While you’ll want to avoid rewarding yourself with food, there are many other appealing ways to celebrate your successes, like treating yourself to a spa day, new clothes, or a movie night with friends.

Speaking of friends, it can be helpful to have a friend to exercise with as you work towards your weight loss goals. This way you can motivate one another. Also, don’t forget to change habits that may have contributed to your weight gain. For instance, if stress normally has you turning to food, make an effort to find non-food-related ways to deal with stress, such as deep breathing, meditation, or going for a walk to get some fresh air.