5 Ways to Stay Motivated to Lose Weight
The most common New Year’s Resolution is “Lose Weight,” but so many people break the resolution that it’s become a joke. Losing weight is hard! Plus, slow results mean many people lose motivation to stay the course.
Staying motivated through a slog of counting calories, trips to the gym, and envying the daily donuts at the office is the main reason people give up on losing weight. Today, we’re talking about how to stay motivated through the ups and downs of the scale.
1. Set Small Goals
Look at weight loss like eating an elephant: one bite at a time. Instead of setting a goal to lose 100 pounds, set smaller goals, perhaps in 10-pound increments.
Achieving milestones along your journey gives you feedback that you’ve accomplished something, and looking back on your past success will help you stay the course when temptation comes. Tell yourself, “I’ve already accomplished three of my goals. I can keep doing this!” When you’ve already proven to yourself that you can accomplish something, it becomes easier to keep going.
2. Pick a Sustainable Diet Plan
It’s hard to be motivated to keep doing something distasteful, no matter who you are. Picking the wrong diet and exercise plan can be quite unpleasant.
Losing weight happens when you expend more calories than you take in. If you eat less than your body requires to function each day, you’ll lose weight. Many people add exercise into their weight loss plan, as it burns additional calories and improves their overall health.
Staying motivated means picking a food plan you can stick with. If you don’t like vegetables, don’t go vegan. Or, if you don’t eat a lot of meat or dislike fatty foods, a diet plan like keto won’t be sustainable for you. Many people simply track everything they eat and reduce the portion sizes of food they usually prepare. This plan may work best if you’re cooking for your family since you don’t have to make two meals.
3. Make Your Workout Rewarding
The second step, exercise, should also be sustainable. Pick things you enjoy doing, whether it’s walking outside with your dog or even walking on a treadmill while you watch your favorite show. If you like dancing, sign up for a group class. Don’t be afraid to try different things until you find something you enjoy. If you enjoy your workout activity, you’ll be more motivated to go.
4. Celebrate Non-Scale Victories
Not all weight loss victory comes with dropping pounds. Many people celebrate “non-scale victories” like fitting into a favorite pair of jeans, being able to ride a particular amusement park ride, or seeing changes in their face shape.
Set non-scale achievements to help stay motivated. Consider what you want your life to look like after you've lost weight and set small lifestyle victories along the way that reinforce your journey towards these goals.
5. Use Motivation Depot's Courses or Compass Club to Keep you Organized and Motivated
Successfully losing weight comes down to making a plan - and sticking to it. What better way to outline your plan than with our beautiful and inspiring monthly motivation tools & resources!
Tap into that fresh-exciting 'beginning-of-a-goal' feeling every 30-days!
Also, remember to join and check in regularly to our: Weight Loss Motivation Facebook Group
