One of the hardest aspects of getting yourself into shape, is maintaining the motivation you need to achieve your weight loss goals. Just about anyone will lose some of their enthusiasm, a month or so into a weight loss program. I have learned a few things that keep me motivated and dedicated to achieving my goals. They have helped me tremendously and I think they will help you as well.
Here a just a few of the many things I do to motivate myself.
Weigh yourself once a week: I weigh myself at least a few times a week. In the beginning of your program once is plenty because you don't want to discourage yourself. The reason I weigh myself once a week is because it can be easy to look in the mirror and justify, in your head, that you aren't gaining any weight. If you look at a scale every week, you know for sure whether you need to make changes or not.
Keep a picture of the heavier version of yourself in plain sight: I have a picture of me at my son's baptism next to my bed. I was 20-25 pounds heavier in that picture than I currently am. This gives me a chance everyday to see what I don't want to slip back into. It reminds me why I lost weight and keeps me from sliding back into old habits. Also, it will just remind you of how far you have come and how much better you look now.
Visualize everyday: You should visualize everyday, how you want yourself to look. If you have achieved your goals then just imagine yourself doing some new things, in your new body. This really does help. I try to visualize myself everyday doing something that I plan on doing in the future. This can help with goals in any aspect of your life. I used to do this while running, when I first started my program. I would picture myself mentally, running and looking the way I wanted to look.
Set your sights farther and higher:
If you have already reached your ideal weight, then you should set some new goals or standards. If you don't, you will probably fall back into old habits. It is harder to maintain something, then to achieve something new. So if you have reached your ideal weight, then why not set a goal to add some muscle. Or maybe, set a goal to get absolutely ripped. In perfect shape, like you never imagined you could. Look high and far, set your goal and then reach it. Nothing will keep you more motivated then setting and achieving new goals.
Those are just a few of the ways that I use to keep myself motivated. There are thousands more. To find other motivating ideas just do some searching on the internet. You can find thousands of articles and websites dedicated to weight loss and health.
Being healthy and losing weight can change every area of your life. It is amazing, the possibilities we begin to see, after reaching an achievement such as weight loss. Don't lose the momentum. Keep it turned up and start using it to help you with other areas of your life. But most of all, never give up. There will always be obstacles in any thing you do in life. Just don't use them as excuses to hold you back from achieving the ultimate freedom you deserve.
Devolving the habit is hard. It is easy to rationalize not to go to the gym because of a busy day or to have a second desert aJust this oncea. Short term rewards are often more seductive than long term rewards.
Weighing yourself every day is a key part of keeping motivated. The scale gives you constant feedback on how youare doing, and the numbers donat lie. Knowing that youall have to weigh yourself tonight before bed might be the extra motivation you need to say no to that fatty dessert after dinner. When youare tempted to break (or bend) your diet, that can be your resolve to say no.
Second, you need to focus on a long term goal. A goal weight, a waist size - whatever will focus your mind. You want to remind yourself about your goal a couple of times a day. Once again you need to remind yourself of your long term goals so
Creating a visual reminder of your goal and putting it in a prominent location goes a long way to ingraining the goal in your mind. Writing down your goal weight and keeping it in your wallet is a good idea, because you will see it every time you reach inside. Hang a picture of the body type you want on the fridge so that it makes you think twice before helping yourself to some ice cream from the freezer. Hanging your ideal size outfit on your bedroom door means youall see it first thing in the morning when you wake up.
Also make sure that you have a few supportive confidants. Explain you plans and outline your goal. Encourage your friend to ask you about your progress regularly. Use peer pressure to your advantage. If you need to report your progress to your friends at regular intervals, you'll stick with your diet and exercise plan. You wouldn't want to let your friends down.
Keep your eyes on your long-term goal, and don't let yourself be distracted by short-term success. It could make you lose weight quickly, stop your diet, and regain your weight quickly. Focus on long-term weight loss. Being competitive with your weight loss could be positive, but if you obsess too much about how others look youall start to feel depressed and disappointed.
In short, you want to break down your big goal into smaller goals. You want to measure your progress daily. You want the support your friends to move towards that goal. Weight loss is one of those goals which can take a long time to see results so it is important to remind yourself what your goal is to gain the willpower to stick to your plan.
Both Jules Sims & Robert Kaufman are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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