Your New Year Resolution was to drop “X” number of pounds, but you’re nowhere near that. In fact, the thought of stepping on the bathroom scale makes you want to throw up your hands and simply indulge in a carton of Rocky Road ice cream.
Don’t do it.
Yes, losing weight is a rocky road in itself. But remember that it’s a road first, which means there is an end in sight. You can reach your destination with a little weight loss motivation.
If you’re struggling to motivate yourself to lose weight, here’s a guide on how you can find your weight loss motivation.
Let’s dig in! (And no, we’re not talking about the ice cream here, either.)
Weight Loss Motivation: Discover Your Why
Need a little motivation to lose weight? Start by figuring out what is driving you to shed those extra pounds in the first place.
For instance, maybe you’d like to slim down so that you can feel more energetic.
Or maybe you’d like to lose weight to decrease your cholesterol levels, wear skinny jeans finally or simply to enjoy a longer healthier life.
Whatever your “why” is, remind yourself of it each day. The stronger your reason for getting up early in the morning to exercise, or choosing veggies over donuts, the more motivation you’ll feel on a daily basis. Put a reminder in your phone or create a screen saver with a visual cue that will remind you of your Why every time you look at it.
Surround Yourself with Support
You know how they say that it takes a village to raise a child? Well, the same goes for losing weight. You can’t start out on your weight-loss journey alone — at least not if you want to finish it.
Find a positive, supportive community that will root for you so that you don’t feel so isolated. After all, it’s easy to feel lonely if you’re the only one passing on sweet treats at work or with your friends.
So, where do you go about finding this community? You can find this community online, create your own Whatsapp group of friends or even just have one weight loss buddy you talk to or txt with each day. You could even hire your own health coach.
Having a support system in place is critical so that you can more easily stay the course even when you face setbacks or challenges.
Affirm Yourself Daily
Although losing weight is certainly a physical battle, it is just as much a mental and emotional one.
So, before you begin trying to lose weight, develop your own mantra — one that you will recite each day to motivate yourself. Here are some examples:
- “I deserve good self-care. Eating well is an important part of this.”
- “I’ll make smart, healthy decisions today.”
- “I love my body and want to take good care of it”
- “I prioritize my self-care each and every day”
Just be sure that whatever mantra you select, it’s one to which you feel completely connected. This is critical because it may be the juice you need to get going on days when you feel low or simply don’t feel like doing what you know you ought to do for your body.
Quit Making Excuses
It’s easy — almost too easy — to find excuses not to work out and eat healthily.
You’re too tired.
You’re too busy.
I had a hard day so I deserve a “treat” today as my reward
The reality, though, is that there isn’t a better time than the present to stop making excuses and just do it, as Nike would say. This is just that part of your brain trying to justify a good reason to go off track.
Every choice and every moment is up to you. It is within your power to make yourself healthier and happier. Don’t allow another opportunity to fall through the cracks.
Create a Routine
One of the best ways to motivate yourself to lose weight is to create a routine that is easy for you.
Create a habit of planning and even preparing your healthy meals for the week on Sunday so that when the busy week starts, you have one fewer thing on your plate.
With healthy foods already prepared, there’s no excuse to order in due to a lack of time to cook.
The more you practice your routine, the more second nature it will become for you — and that’s huge. This means you actually have less decisions to make each day about your food and new healthy habits. You will just be operating on autopilot making it easier to stick to your weight loss plan.
Your future success has a lot to do with how consistent you are each step of the way on your way to the finish line.
Reward Yourself
This is one of the most important things you can do for yourself as you try to lose weight.
It’s human nature to crave positive reinforcement. Therefore, give yourself some healthy rewards when you attain your mini goals.
Notice that the operative word here is “healthy.”
In other words, don’t go binging on junk food and ice cream for a day. Instead, treat yourself to a nice pedicure. Or spring for a brand-new cookware set — one that will make cooking healthier meals much more enjoyable.
Enjoy home spa day, put up a do not disturb sign and indulge in your favourite “spa” type treatments you can do for yourself at home, including candles, music and essential oils for a relaxing environment.
Don’t Try to Be Perfect
If you’re seeking perfection in your weight-loss journey, you’re only setting yourself up for failure.
Realize that you’ll feel like a queen or king some days while feeling like a sloth other days.
That’s okay.
Accept the fact that you might achieve your goals around four-fifths of the time. You’re not a robot, nor were you ever intended to be, so cut yourself some slack. Just do your best — you’ll eventually reach your weight-loss destination.
It’s not too late if you have not met your goal to lose weight in 2022. You can take the recommendations in this blog to turn things around and get back on track.
But if you feel you need help with your weight loss journey and you are tired of trying to do it on your own, then book a complimentary assessment call so I can see what you need and if my program is right for you.
I offer a top-of-the-line weight-loss program that is proven to help people, especially those over 40 years old, to lose weight time and time again….. and keep it off.
My doctor-supervised program involves the use of anti-inflammatory foods, intermittent fasting and a 4 phase approach that promotes detoxification, targets more fat burn and stabilizes your body’s metabolism. You also receive personalized coaching and supervision throughout the program to help you maintain a high level of motivation and commitment.
All this results in faster weight loss, improved health and a stable new body set point along with well developed new healthier habits, making it easier to keep the weight off.
Get in touch with me for more weight loss motivation and guidance on how to become a thinner and healthier version of your current self.