What is the best way to keep up motivation in an attempt to lose weight?

Question

I need to lose 25 pounds by December. (And I'd really like to lose 10 by the time I go back to college...in August!)
Thing is, I have willpower, but only in spurts. What is the best way to stay motivated to do all the things to lose weight (like, limiting calories and going to exercise and all that jazz)?

Answer 1

Sometimes keeping a food diary can help. Sometimes we don't remember how much we have snacked on during the day. The food diary can help you see if you are snacking excessively or help you see a bad habit.

If snacking is your problem you can look into a couple of options. You can cut down on your snacking or plan for healthier snacks. Don't drastically change your diet unless you know that you can stick with it. Otherwise you just gain all of the weight back because you go back to old habits. Just change a little at a time. Try having two "healthy meals" a week. Something as simple as having grilled food, instead of something fried.

Also, to lose weight you really need to do some type of exercise. Find something that you enjoy doing. You will be more likely to stick with it. Maybe walking, swimming, yoga, dance, aerobics. Just whatever you find interesting. If you bore easily you may want to try doing more than one thing. For instance, walking with friends on Monday and Wednesday, yoga on Tuesday and Thursday. The next week try dance on Mon. and wed. and aerobics or Tues. and Thurs.. You just have to find what works for you. The most important thing is to keep it fun and interesting. Take time and try some new things!

I hope these suggestions were helpful. Good luck and just keep the faith in yourself. You can do it. You just have to decide that you are ready to.

Answer 2

I set up overlapping goals. So if my real goal is to lose 20 pounds I will make sure I cut down on calories, cut out soda etc.. I would also set up a goal, like, run a 5k or 10k by September.

That way if I lose motivation in one goal, hopefully the other goal will keep me going. That way I can afford to eat like a pig for a week or so, if I'm still running 4-6 miles a day.

Currently I'm training for a marathon while trying to get my weight down below 190.

Answer 3

Buy an expensive outfit, one size smaller than you want to wear. Keep it out so you can see it and see yourself in the outfit. It cost too much to throw away or give away, so the motivation is always there. I've lost 32 pounds since Jan. 3, 2006. I did that with a John Henry suit I had always wanted. Worked for me. Also, I went from a size 50 suit to a 46 long.

Answer 4

Weigh yourself everyday, and see how much you need to lose each day, find a friend to do it along with you, think about how good you will look and feel once you have accomplished your goal! When you go grocery shopping, you may be tempted to buy the junk foods! So make sure you go at a time that you are in a motivated mood.

Answer 5

Buy some shorts or a nice shirt that you want to be-able to fit into and hang it up where you will be-able to see them all the time!

If you have an old picture of you-self that you like! Put it up on your mirror!

Use a Calender and write down exactly what you want to accomplish each day! Exercises/diets and have them all date by date written down! Do the exercise til its done and that's that for the day!

Answer 6

What helped me diet was keeping a picture of myself I HATED taped to the fridge - it made me think twice every time I thought about opening the door and grabbing something...

Also, don't keep stuff you're not supposed to eat in the house. If you want it badly enough, make yourself walk to go get it.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Give yourself small rewards. Say if you do well on your diet for one week, you treat yourself to a movie or something (of course, I'm sure you know better incentives for yourself, but you get the idea).
Maybe think of some sort of extra penalty if you do poorly. Get a buddy to do it with you or at least hold you to the plan. All I know is it's worked for my mom.

Answer 8

if you re trying to lose weight with your significant other pack each others lunches the lunchbox surprises will keep the both of you motivated

Answer 9

... listed on my 2006 Accomplishment:
1. Lose weight ....
2. ...
3. ...


just do it...
have fun...
cuz when you're taking it seriously that's the moment your loosing your motivation...

Answer 10

Have a work out buddy so you can motivate each other.