Find it Difficult to Stay Motivated? - How You Can Stay Motivated to Lose Weight
Once you have made a decision, figured out your 'why', followed up with an attitude adjustment, and gathered a few fellow dieters around you for moral support - it is time to get started. At this point, you can follow some of the many tips on ways to stay motivated. Focus on a few that "speak" to you, make them part of your daily routine to keep you on track.
Goals
Know just what you are aiming for. Break long term goals into smaller, easier to attain goals. Avoid being overwhelmed by a number on a scale, and put plans in place for what can realistically be accomplished weekly. Maybe Week 1 it is getting in the habit of drinking 6 - 8 glasses of water a day. Week 2 could be about eating one raw vegetable every day in addition to drinking water. Build on success.
Journal
You'll need to be disciplined to pick up pen and paper - and to be completely honest with yourself. It might be quite an eye-opener in the beginning as you realize just how much you have been eating and how many negative health-related things you have been doing.
BUT - once you are in the habit, it becomes easier, and can be a real help to you, especially as you begin to write down all the good things you do! Keep track with pen and paper or on your computer. Include pictures that inspire you. Be sure to take your own 'before' photo - you will want to look back at how far you have come!
Team work!
Find a friend that has similar goals to partner with. Let your family and friends know you are determined to get this done, and you would appreciate either supportive comments - or no comments. Join an on-line group, learn healthy hints from a Facebook page, join a group at the gym, find someone you can call each day for motivation.
Add food
Focus on the new foods you will be able to add to your menu. With time you will learn why some foods are best avoided. Understanding what foods do to your body helps you to eat for the purpose of nourishing your body.
Increase activity levels
Does the word "exercise" make you cringe? Work on increasing how much you move through the day. Increased activity level will count as exercise if you have not been moving much at all. Park at the far end of the parking lot when you go shopping, play with the kids for 15 minutes before supper, walk the dog an extra block. As you lose weight, and enjoy increased energy levels, you might surprise yourself and find that exercise is something you want to do to stay on track and tone muscles.
Add variety
Hit a plateau? It doesn't mean you are unable to lose more weight. Change your exercise routine, or increase intensity. Always run? Alternate a half hour run with an afternoon of hiking, or try high intensity interval training. Be sure to alternate cardio days with weight lifting and toning days. Bringing different muscles into play can help give you the push you need to get to your next level of success.
Get up when you fall
Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day. Odds are it will happen. The trick is to get right back on track, and pick up the good habits again. It's what you do most of the time that will determine your eventual success, not a slip up here and there. Absolutely have to have a treat once in a while? Put it on the schedule - at the end of the week, allow yourself a little indulgence. Just avoid having a treat at every meal. Then, it is no longer a treat, but a bad habit.
Reward yourself
Acknowledge your accomplishments as you go. Put stickers on your calender for a quick visual of all your little successes. Maybe put money in a jar every time you work out, say no to a high sugar snack, eat an extra serving of vegetables. Use the money to buy a new (smaller sized) piece of clothing, a massage, a trip to the movie theater.
Many people find it helpful to incorporate various tips and hints to keep them going. Find a few that really work for you to help keep you on track. Change them around once in a while to keep things fresh and fun. Be sure to sign up for more tips to keep you motivated in our FREE REPORT!
Goals
Know just what you are aiming for. Break long term goals into smaller, easier to attain goals. Avoid being overwhelmed by a number on a scale, and put plans in place for what can realistically be accomplished weekly. Maybe Week 1 it is getting in the habit of drinking 6 - 8 glasses of water a day. Week 2 could be about eating one raw vegetable every day in addition to drinking water. Build on success.
Journal
You'll need to be disciplined to pick up pen and paper - and to be completely honest with yourself. It might be quite an eye-opener in the beginning as you realize just how much you have been eating and how many negative health-related things you have been doing.
BUT - once you are in the habit, it becomes easier, and can be a real help to you, especially as you begin to write down all the good things you do! Keep track with pen and paper or on your computer. Include pictures that inspire you. Be sure to take your own 'before' photo - you will want to look back at how far you have come!
Team work!
Find a friend that has similar goals to partner with. Let your family and friends know you are determined to get this done, and you would appreciate either supportive comments - or no comments. Join an on-line group, learn healthy hints from a Facebook page, join a group at the gym, find someone you can call each day for motivation.
Add food
Focus on the new foods you will be able to add to your menu. With time you will learn why some foods are best avoided. Understanding what foods do to your body helps you to eat for the purpose of nourishing your body.
Increase activity levels
Does the word "exercise" make you cringe? Work on increasing how much you move through the day. Increased activity level will count as exercise if you have not been moving much at all. Park at the far end of the parking lot when you go shopping, play with the kids for 15 minutes before supper, walk the dog an extra block. As you lose weight, and enjoy increased energy levels, you might surprise yourself and find that exercise is something you want to do to stay on track and tone muscles.
Add variety
Hit a plateau? It doesn't mean you are unable to lose more weight. Change your exercise routine, or increase intensity. Always run? Alternate a half hour run with an afternoon of hiking, or try high intensity interval training. Be sure to alternate cardio days with weight lifting and toning days. Bringing different muscles into play can help give you the push you need to get to your next level of success.
Get up when you fall
Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day. Odds are it will happen. The trick is to get right back on track, and pick up the good habits again. It's what you do most of the time that will determine your eventual success, not a slip up here and there. Absolutely have to have a treat once in a while? Put it on the schedule - at the end of the week, allow yourself a little indulgence. Just avoid having a treat at every meal. Then, it is no longer a treat, but a bad habit.
Reward yourself
Acknowledge your accomplishments as you go. Put stickers on your calender for a quick visual of all your little successes. Maybe put money in a jar every time you work out, say no to a high sugar snack, eat an extra serving of vegetables. Use the money to buy a new (smaller sized) piece of clothing, a massage, a trip to the movie theater.
Many people find it helpful to incorporate various tips and hints to keep them going. Find a few that really work for you to help keep you on track. Change them around once in a while to keep things fresh and fun. Be sure to sign up for more tips to keep you motivated in our FREE REPORT!
