You do not need a full tank of fuel to drive it. You just have to prevent the tank from running empty in order for the car to keep moving.
If you start to notice that you are losing your last bit of motivation to keep on exercising regularly or to stay committed to your diet program, step back and give yourself a two-day break at most. According to Joshua C. Klapow, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the more you catch on with your motivation, the more elusive it gets.
Assuming that you have taken a break from your weight loss routine, how do you jump back in and keep yourself moving forward? Follow the weight loss motivation tips below to help you get back on track and finally hit your goal.
Make A List
List down all the reasons why you need to exercise, eat healthy and lose weight. Ask yourself, what are you losing weight for?
Is it because you want to lower your risk of getting a heart attack? Or perhaps you want to fit in a wedding dress for your upcoming special day? Write specific reasons why losing weight is important to you and revisit them once more every week until you have hit your target.
Set Goals That Go Beyond The Scale
Losing 6 pounds in 2 weeks sounds like an achievable goal. However, even clear goals like this can become vague when you start to keep track of your scale every single day. What you need to do is set smaller daily goals that go beyond the numbers on your scale.
For example, list down that you will only eat a bowl of salad and half a cup of vanilla ice cream for dinner. Narrowing down your goals by specifying them in a daily “to-do” list will help you stay focused. Always remember that becoming healthy does not only reflect on your scale. Your daily health decisions are part of it too.
Be Patient
Everybody dreads that weight loss “plateau”. At some point in your weight loss program, there will be a time when your body just can’t seem to get rid of any weight any more. When this happens to you, just stay patient. If you keep going and apply the necessary tweak in your diet and exercise routine, you will eventually start seeing results again.
Don’t Be A Perfectionist
There are times that you will have minor slip offs, specially with your diet. You might eat an extra slice of pie, or indulge over another bowl of ice cream. Just remember that nobody is perfect. Whatever you indulge on, do not be too hard on yourself as this can ruin your motivation.
The next time you stumble on a hurdle like this, try to think about the reason why you lost focus. Your weight loss journey is not just about losing excess weight, it is also gaining more knowledge on how to become healthy.
Surround Yourself With Everything Healthy
Make an effort to grocery shop weekly and purchase fresh produces for your meals. Stock your fridge with healthy foods and eliminate processed meals. Encourage yourself to eat more fruits by preparing a basket on top of your counter where you can easily grab an apple or orange when you feel hungry.
Acknowledge What You Are Doing
Lastly, acknowledge what you are doing. Do not hide away your workout clothes, shoes or equipment. Keep them in sight and possibly near your door even if it clutters your home. Doing so will serve as a constant reminder that staying healthy and exercising regularly is not just a one-time-whim, but it is already a part of your everyday life.
It is easy to lose motivation and quickly turn to negativity when you face a challenge like losing a significant amount of weight.
If you find yourself uninspired, list down all of the good things that you have achieved so far. Shift your focus on self appreciation rather than pessimism. Losing weight can be a long battle. So commend yourself for doing a good job at every chance you get and keep moving forward one step at a time.