How do you stay motivated to lose weight?

Answer 1

Personally:
What i do is that i keep a picture of the "fat" me on the fridge so that I can see myslef whenever I go to the kitchen to eat. Second i keep trying the clothes that do not fit anymore as a motivation.

Professional opinion:
Here are 12 tips to give your eat-right, move-more efforts greater endurance.
1. Eliminate Excuses "Even if you're not a morning person, schedule exercise for first thing in the morning," suggests Martica Heaner, M.A., a New York-based exercise physiologist and author of Cross-Training for Dummies. "The later you wait to exercise, the more reasons you'll have for not doing it." Sally White, Ph.D., dean and professor at the College of Education at Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and an expert on motivation and exercise, agrees. "Keep gym clothes everywhere -- in the car, at work -- so there's never a reason not to go." So what do you need to do? Sleep in your sports bra? Lay your workout clothes out on the bed the night before? Ask a buddy to call and remind you to get moving? Figure out what works -- then do it.

2. Kid Around Of course, finding time to work out was simpler B.C. (Before Children) -- but just because family precedes fitness on your list of priorities doesn't mean there isn't room for both in your life. Get your children involved with you. Take a family hike, go for a group bike ride -- or roll with it. "Scooters and in-line skates are great for kids and can be just as much calorie-burning fun for moms," says Bonne Marano, a certified fitness instructor in New York City. Plus, getting moving with you is good for the little guys, says White: "The children of families who exercise together are more likely to be active later in life."

3. Plan with Your Man A study at Indiana University, in Bloomington, found that 94 percent of spouses who worked out together stuck to their exercise plans, compared with only 57 percent of those who went at it alone. Can't tear him away from the TV long enough for a bike ride? Then try using the word "ball" to entice him, offers Heaner: "If a high-energy kick-boxing class or body-sculpting session isn't his thing, shooting hoops or tossing around a football may be. A little one-on-one on the basketball court burns twice as many calories as walking. Even if you never make a basket, the sprinting and lateral movements will improve your coordination."

4. Get a Gadget Investing in a simple tool that will measure the progress you're making can be a big motivator. Try something as simple as the New Lifestyles Digi-Walker SW-200 ($26.95, www.thepedometercompany.com), which counts your total steps over the course of a day.

• www.thepedometercompany.com >>

Looking for a fun way to figure out how many M&Ms you burned off during that extra-long elliptical session? Check out BalanceLog ($49 to $69, www.healthetech.com), software for your computer and/or Palm that logs calories in and calories out, then helps you devise a food budget based on how much exercise you get.

• www.healthetech.com >>

5. Write It Down Keep your own food and exercise log: People who are successful at losing and maintaining their weight are good at self-monitoring, according to several studies. "And remember to put positive feelings in print, too, to review on days you need a boost," says Rachna D. Jain, Psy.D., a lifestyle coach and licensed psychologist in Columbia, Maryland. Describing how good you felt after a workout, for instance, could help get you out the door next time.

6. Seek Inspiration Feeling a little less than vibrant? Find a mental mentor to get you moving. That's how Sarah Ferguson, former Duchess of York, keeps revved. Saying negativity drains energy, she counts the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela among her positive-energy role models. Or consider George W. Bush: If the president of the United States can fit regular exercise into his schedule, you probably can, too. Figure out who inspires you -- maybe it's your friend who manages to make time for a morning walk despite having four kids under 10 -- and think of her when you're feeling too tired or busy.
7. Paint Pretty Pictures How will eating better or sticking to an exercise plan make you look and feel in the long term? Create "life preservers," detailed visions of your ideal self, suggests Platkin. Imagine going on a date with your husband in a sexy new dress; picture running into your high-school nemesis looking toned and confident. "The point is to have motivational scenarios you can think about when you're having trouble sticking to your plan," says Platkin. "And remember: Make the visualizations compelling and inspiring -- powerful enough to stand up to that diabolical duo, Ben & Jerry!"

8. Treat Yourself Did you refrain from finishing your daughter's fries today? Did you take a brisk walk on your lunch break? Reward yourself. "Treat yourself to a simple pleasure," suggests Dr. Jain. "Promise yourself thirty minutes of quiet time to read a novel, or buy yourself a new set of luxurious bath gels."

9. Tune In to Tone Up When it comes to exercise, music can move you -- not only because it offers mental stimulation, but also because it may help put you in a better mood. "Music's rhythm also helps exercisers maintain a reasonable intensity level," says Vince Nethery, Ph.D., professor of exercise science at Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, Washington. And listening to music may even help you work out longer and harder. A study at Hampden-Sydney College, in Farmville, Virginia, recently found that college students who exercised to music were able to work out 11 percent longer than those who worked out in silence or a noisy environment.

10. Sweat for a Cause Sign up for a charity walk/run, like Race for the Cure (www.komen.org/race), which benefits breast-cancer research, or the MS Bike Tour (www.nationalmssociety.org), which raises funds for multiple-sclerosis research. You'll help yourself by helping others. Plus, after hitting up friends and family for donations, you'll be motivated to reach your goal.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Tell someone who you'd be embarrassed if you end up not doing as you said. Tell them how much more you need to lose, and remember if you don't, they and everyone else you tell would think you can't do it, you're a quitter, a bottom of the rung. It's also healthier and no one wants to die early, or be particularly more run down than they should be at an older age because of poor diet and exercise at younger ages. Look at your fat clothes and ask yourself if you want to snowball back to that if you tire of diet/exercise, and then buy a nice, expensive outfit (if you can affrod it) that you really, really love in the size you'd be if you lost the last of the weight (keep the receipt in case you have to face the shame of having to return it because you FAILED). Look at it and the fat clothes: Which do you choose? I know being tired keeps you from doing it, but at the least, powerwalk, even if you can't bring yourself to do cardio, crunches, or run, etc. Anything is better than nothing. Saying other things are more important is your way of making excuses so you can stop exercising. Don't do this! Usually it snowballs! Good luck!

Answer 4

I found the book to be very informative and easy to read.

I've lost 17 pounds in 12 days, I'm just concerned that I'm losing too much weight, too quickly. I will admit I haven't followed the guide exactly. I'm not sticking perfectly to the listed foods and meal plans (but mostly) and doing very little exercise, but the weight keeps flying off.

It clearly works and if I'd followed it exactly I think it would scare the living daylights out of me because of the amount that I'd lose. So thanks again for the information. I've never purchased anything like this before because they are usually full of trash, but 3WD has been a pleasant surprise.

Get started today!

Answer 5

It is important to maintain positive encouraging results. Every time you get on the scale and see yourself a pound heavier then your motivation plummets. I find Weight Watchers to be a superb simplified eating program that has worked for millions. Combined with exercise it will help 99% of overweight people drop pounds. Be sure to only weigh yourself at the meetings once a week to insure positive feedback.

Answer 6

Try the Trim Body System by Trim Advantage. I was able to stay motivated because I saw results fast. I lost 12 lbs. in the first week and 30 lbs. in the first 60 days. It's 100% natural and I never felt hungry because it has me eating constantly. It rocks!

Good luck!

Answer 7

Its tough, I will admit that. I've lost about 30lb in the last 10 months and now that I'm within sight of my goal, I'm finding it tough to shake the last 10 or so. I suppose the best motivation is looking at photos of myself and knowing that if I don't keep it up, I'll go back to looking like that and feeling bad about myself like I did then. Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels!

Answer 8

If you want to do this it is for life so you need to totally change your way of eating and exercising. This is not a diet rather than a healthy eating plan for life. So no more talking diet cause it means time limit. Don't think diet think better lifestyle!!!

Here are the golden rules:
Initially cut down to 1200 calories.
Exercise 6 times per week for 1 hours a day. Do three weight sessions and three cardio sessions. No gym involved.
Don't eat carbs after 4pm, never eat carbs within 2 hours of exercise or within 1 hour of exercise.
Drink 3 litres of water per day. You can have a green tea at the end of the day.
Limit your fruit in take to 2 pieces per day.
Never eat dinner after 6pm.
Adopt of low GI eating plan this is sustainable for life!
Make low fat dairy choices

Follow this menu plan as a suggestion:
Breakfast 7am - 1 cup hot water w lemon
20 minutes later have a bowel of oats w water (no honey) OR
fruit salad w low GI soy yogurt
Snack 10am - pear or apple (both low GI)
Lunch 12.30pm - multigrain sandwich w 50g tuna & salad (no butter)
Snack 3pm - low GI yogurt OR skim berry smoothie (no honey or banana) plenty of ice, 1/2 cup skim milk & 1/4 cup yogurt
Dinner 5.30pm - 120g grilled lean meat/fish/prawns/tofu patties (not fried) w spinach salad & mixed vegies (no whites, carbs) OR 3 egg white/soy omlette with ham, cheese and tomato
Snack - 1 scoop of low cal low fat ice cream (if hungry)

Exercise is must be intense. Refer to www.bodybuilding.com for your weights routine. Never do weights two consecutive days have a cardio day in between.

Cardio needs to include running, go hard up stair wells and cycling. You get the most benefits from exercise when your body is totally fatigued and this is when you see changes.

To maintain you can increase calories to 1500 and reduce exercise sessions to 3-4 times per week. If weight creeps up again due to holiday period etc.. go back to 1200 cal and 6 sessions again.

Good luck it worked for me it can work for anyone.

Answer 9

put people on speakerphone and pace your office during conference calls

Answer 10

count calories

Answer 11

Think of whats waiting ahead of you.
you will look better and your health will be better. I my self lost about 15 Kgs. The key was to change my life style and monitor the changes that occur on me. Dont think when you will reach your target wight, enjoy the pleasant changes that you go through during the process.