Take the day off and keep seeing results with these expert tips for staying motivated while losing weight.
Give yourself a break
“The key to motivation to lose weight is similar to the [amount] of fuel in a car: you don’t need the motivation tank to be full to drive, you just need to keep it from running out. says Joshua C. Klapow, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and author of Living SMART: 5 Essential Skills to Change Your Health Habits Forever.
“I tell people not to waste precious time and energy staying highly motivated because that’s a natural rhythm. Most people see a drop in motivation as a sign of failure, but it’s not the case,” he said.
If you notice your motivation to lose weight wanes, take a break from your diet or exercise routine for one to three days, Klapow says. “The more people try to ‘catch’, the more elusive it becomes; by allowing it to take its natural course while having skills to change its habits (like a meal plan for the week), you will stay on track and your motivation levels will take their natural course.
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Examine yourself
Need an instant dose of motivation to lose weight? Take this quick healthy habits quiz. Although “diet” is the example, feel free to include the behavior you’re trying to maintain. “Answering these questions often helps boost motivation enough to remember why you started the diet in the first place,” Klapow says.
If I stop dieting, how will I feel in six months or a year?
If I stop dieting, what will my health be?
If I stop dieting, how will my family and friends be affected?
Choose an achievable goal
“Studies show that most dieters expect to lose up to four times what they can actually lose over a six-month period,” says Daniel C. Stettner, Ph.D., medical expert behavior at Northpointe Health Center in Berkley, Michigan. .
Think small: Expect to lose only 10% of your weight in six months and focus on maintaining it for over a year.
But be careful not to rely solely on numbers. “A number on the scale isn’t a goal, it’s a measure of success,” says Bonnie Goodman, a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based psychotherapist who specializes in behavioral therapy. Instead, focus on the behaviors you want to change: reduce your daily fat intake to less than 35%, or eliminate your soda or afternoon snack from the vending machine. Also consider setting goals unrelated to weight, such as running a 5K. The pounds you automatically lose in the process will seem like a bonus and may even act as a little weight loss booster.
Design your own plan
Instead of trying every new fad diet, create your own plan that fits your lifestyle. In theory, you only need to cut 150 calories a day to lose 15 pounds in a year, so start small for the best chance of staying motivated to lose weight.
“Small changes to your current eating style, like reducing portion sizes or preparing food differently, can add up to big results,” says Stettner.
Think about the foods you can and can’t live without (ahem, delicious chocolate recipes), then try to work your diet around them. If you’re a natural snacker, divide your daily calories into six or seven mini-meals to always feel like you’re eating a bite. Whatever you do, don’t give up your favorite foods. You will inevitably feel deprived, which will only strengthen your cravings and weaken your willpower.
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Then build your “business plan”
Any successful business needs a plan that outlines its mission and specific details on how to achieve it; without one, you have no idea where you start, where you’re going, or how you’ll get there, says Jenn Walters, a certified personal trainer and co-founder of Fit Bottomed Girls. Treat your goal as a business goal; If you were trying to accomplish something for a client, you probably wouldn’t start without a strategy. Losing weight is a three-part process: exercise and cutting calories are key, but your mindset can be the difference between success and failure.
Start by listing all the reasons you can think of to lose weight; In other words, write down your motivation to lose weight. Highlight those that include other people. Rewrite the list, omitting the highlighted items. Then inspect each of them for expressions such as “must” or “must”. Such words imply an obligation, not a desire; eventually, they will also invite instinct to rebel (and thus weaken your motivation to lose weight). Translate every “I must” into “I want”. If your reasons lose relevance, narrow the list again, until you find two or three of the most compelling motivations for achieving your goal.
Once you’ve determined exactly what you want to accomplish and your deadline, work backwards to create a monthly action plan with realistic and specific weight loss goals (like committing to eating healthy snacks).
Clean out your closet
If you’re having trouble staying motivated to lose weight, practice integrity in other areas of your life, suggests Andre Farnell, certified strength and conditioning trainer and owner of Better Body Expert. Clean out your closet (hello Marie Kondo!), pay your debts, keep your promises to friends, family, or colleagues. Practice keeping promises or commitments you’ve made in other areas of your life to reinforce your own subconscious belief that you’re capable of keeping the weight-loss promise you’ve made to yourself, Farnell says.
Stay away from comparisons
Pinning and posting images of super skinny models might seem like a good motivation to lose weight, but according to research, it’s more likely to hinder your progress. Scientists in the Netherlands divided women who wanted to lose weight into two groups: the first group received a food diary with pictures of skinny models on the cover and inside pages, and the second group received a diary with a neutral logo image at the bottom. before. While the neutral group lost weight, those who received the magazines strewn with pictures of models gained weight. (By the way, food journaling is a really effective weight loss tool.)
Researchers say the images of role models put women off by creating unrealistic self-standards. Looking at photos of much thinner women while logging their food intake may have made them feel like they could never achieve that look, so they gave up trying. Instead of comparing yourself to unrealistic models, stay inspired by posting photos of yourself in your best health for a serious dose of weight loss inspiration.
Focus on a feeling
Too often we get frustrated focusing on a specific number on the scale, or even on a task we need to do to reach our goal (like exercise), which is a pretty quick way to kill your enthusiasm, says Simon Rego, Ph.D., director of psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
Focus on your mood after eating a healthy meal or how you feel after a good workout: Motivation to lose weight doesn’t always have to come before activity, says Rego. “If you focus on how you feel every time you exercise, you’ll get all the calorie-burning benefits, as well as the reinforcement of remembering how good you felt doing it, which should increase your motivation to do more.”
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Plant a carrot in half
Rewarding yourself for reaching your goals is a great idea, but somebusinesses can take months or even years to achieve, so you might lose your breath before you even get close. Instead of waiting to get to the big finish line to reward yourself for your weight loss, plan something really amazing once you’re halfway there (like a trip to that spa in the Bahamas, and focus on traveling once in a while). way). suggests Susan Bartell, Psy.D., psychologist and motivational speaker. You’ll be less likely to throw in the towel when the going gets tough around this midpoint.
“Rewards reinforce positive behaviors, but only if they’re meaningful,” says Goodman. “When you reach a milestone in your weight loss or exercise program, treat yourself to something that celebrates the particular goal you’ve reached and helps you move forward.”
If you don’t want to wait until halftime to give yourself a high-five to maintain your motivation to lose weight, start small. Running an extra mile a week on the treadmill? Invest in a pair of high-end running shoes after a month. Or once you’ve reached a significant weight threshold, treat yourself to a new pair of tights.
Act like”
Don’t wait to “lose weight” to take that vacation, visit that old friend, or try that dance class; Live your goals now and enjoy them along the way, says Certified Health and Lifestyle Coach Stephanie Merchant. Imagine that you are already at your ideal weight. (Here’s how to know if/when you’re there.) How are you feeling? What would you eat? What would you drink? How would your day be? What are you putting off until you reach that goal? Plan it now and shift your mindset from “punishment mode” to reward and empowerment to stay motivated to lose weight, she says.
Hang your motivation next to the mirror
Showcasing a special piece from your wardrobe is a great source of daily weight loss inspiration. Choose something you want to wear and hang it near your mirror. “I visualize myself wearing it and think how good it will feel,” says Marie-Pier Ouellet, a student in Montreal, Canada. Since this is an item you already own or plan to use, it’s much less likely to be an unrealistic goal (compared to, say, this photo of Gisele Bundchen in a bikini) and it will help boost your motivation to lose weight and keep it off. .going to the gym. .
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Give yourself some tough love
Yes, imagining yourself with your physical goal can be motivating, but for some people, imagining what might happen to you if you don’t lose weight can be even more inspiring.
“I ask my clients what their life will be like in five, 10, or even 20 years if they stay on the same path they’re on right now,” says Matthew Richter-Sand, Air Force veteran, personal trainer and founder of NXFit. “I make them imagine how bad they’re going to feel and how much they’ve missed out on in life — it’s absolutely essential that they be honest with themselves right now. It’s too easy to sugarcoat things and to pretend that everything is fine. That’s not okay!”
To be competitive
When it comes to losing weight, a little competition goes a long way. According to a study published in the journal Obesity, the social influence of team weight loss competitions can help you lose up to 20% more weight than doing it alone. What’s even more interesting is that team captains lose more weight than team members, which researchers say is likely due to their position and participation in group competition. . So the next time you’re wondering how to stay motivated to lose weight, don’t forget to recruit a group of friends or colleagues and lead your team to victory!
Clarify your “why”
If you really want to stay motivated to lose weight, the first thing you need to do is figure out what really motivates you, says Anne Dranitsaris, Ph.D., author of Who Are You Meant to Be? For example, if your family inspires you, focus on how exercise will help you stay in your children’s lives well into old age, she says.
Go the extra mile and get your family involved: play with the kids, hit the gym with your partner, cook healthy meals for the week ahead together on the weekends. “To change your behavioral patterns, you must first recognize your patterns and why they exist. If you can redirect that healthy motivation to lose weight into a new action, your goal will automatically seem more compelling and achievable.” (Just take it from these super awesome women, many of whom credit their families with tons of weight loss encouragement and inspiration.)
Uncover emotional barriers
Sadness and anger are two of the most common reasons people overeat, but food doesn’t calm either. Your diary can provide valuable insight into what can cause you to binge occasionally. Once you begin to assess your food triggers, you will be able to develop more effective strategies for dealing with the underlying emotions. Also keep in mind that simply committing to a diet can bring its own set of challenges.
“Fear of change is an especially formidable enemy,” says Jeffrey Wilbert, Ph.D., author of Fattitudes: Beat Self-Defeat and Win Your War with Weight. “Changing your lifestyle involves taking a risk, and it can lead to insecurity.”
As your body changes, the way others perceive you also changes, which can be confusing. The best way to combat any type of fear is to face it head on. Remember that every change you make brings you closer to becoming a bolder, more confident woman. Now that’s serious diet motivation.
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Get rid of the daily weigh-in
The scale can be a useful tool for measuring your progress, but many people have a habit of weighing themselves too often. “While some research shows that people manage (maintain) their weight better by weighing themselves daily, the same cannot be said for weight loss,” says Nicole Nichols, editor and fitness expert at SparkPeople.com . “Daily weigh-ins, or multiple weigh-ins a day, will only sap your motivation to lose weight with a roller coaster of emotions and may cause you to panic over temporary increases in the scale that have nothing to do with it. do with body mass or body fat.” “, she says.
Instead, Nichols recommends stepping on the scale once a week, or even every two weeks, to better track your progress. And in the meantime, paying attention to these no-scale wins can provide some serious weight-loss inspiration.)
Instagram every day
You know what they say: a picture is worth a thousand words. Try tracking your progress by creating a weight loss journal on Instagram. Daily photos after, say, a big workout or during a healthy meal can help you document changes in your body that you might not otherwise notice, and that the scale won’t necessarily show. Not a social media fan? There is no problem. Instead of posting images to a platform, keep them to yourself and scroll through them when you need a little weight loss inspiration.
Silence your inner critic
Unfortunately, many people have a bad habit of using self-criticism as an inspirational tool, especially when it comes to motivation to lose weight, but this not only isn’t encouraging, it could sabotage your efforts. , explains Vanessa Scotto, life coach. specializing in behavior change. “When we go into self-critical mode, we’re actually engaging the part of our brain that’s tied to our survival fight-and-flight reflex,” she says. This increases the secretion of cortisol (the “stress hormone”), which in turn triggers cravings for fatty and sugary foods.
The next time you find yourself in critical mode, put your hand on your heart. Just holding it there and taking a few deep breaths can help shift your physiological state, calm negativity, and allow you to look in the mirror and have a new experience, she says.
Surround yourself with health
Organize your home to reflect the new you, suggests Tara Zimliki, personal trainer and bootcamp instructor. Stock and organize the fridge with healthy, prepared foods in see-through containers, display fruit in beautiful bowls on counters, get a shoe rack to display your sneakers right by the front door, keep dirty clothes out of exercise etc. reflecting your diet and weight loss intentions can help you stay on track, she says.
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Transform your smartphone
With more free weight loss apps available than ever before, instant weight loss and diet motivation are just a click away. Whether you can’t muster the urge to cook (try a healthy eating app like BigOven to find recipes based on what you already have in your pantry), you need a little help ( download Fitocracy to team up with a friend), or if you’re just looking for a new way to get on the go (try Zombies, Run!), there’s a great app to help you stay motivated to lose weight on the go.
Recruit gift givers
Rewarding yourself with gifts along the way is great in theory, but difficult in practice — your schedule is already packed! Make it more fun and realistic by involving your friends.
“One of the best ideas I’ve heard came from a member of SparkPeople.com,” says Nichols. “He gave several of his friends $20 each to buy him a surprise gift, wrap it and all. Then, for every 10 pounds he lost, he would open one of the gifts his friends had bought for a really fun and surprising rewards along the way “of your journey”.
Set goals beyond the scale
Even if you do everything right, there will be times when the scale won’t move or the weight won’t seem to come down as fast as it should. Don’t be put off! Measure your progress in other ways, says Nichols. Set fitness goals (run or swim further, stick to your daily or weekly routine) and celebrate each of those small victories, she says. “Or set goals for healthy eating, like making lunch for work every day or drinking 64 ounces of water a day, and celebrate achieving those goals.” Celebrating these new milestones is a great way to stay motivated to lose weight and stay inspired to stick with your program, even on days (or weeks) when the scale doesn’t seem to reflect your progress.
Cultivate compassion
If you’re feeling really uninspired or particularly depressed about your body, try focusing on appreciating yourself, Scotto suggests. Instead of blaming yourself for not losing a pound this week, be grateful for how your body moves and all it does for you (you did a week of training, didn’t you? not ?). Shift your focus from your appearance to your functioning, cultivating gratitude for your senses, your limbs, your ability to dance, walk and run, she says. (And while there’s no one answer for how to stay motivated to lose weight, keeping a gratitude journal can help.)
This Strange Purple Cocktail Removes 3lbs Every 4 Days!
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