How do you stay motivated and on track with your weightloss?

Answer 1

Like diets, each person has their own way of staying motivated. I'll be honest, it's for me sometimes to stay on track, remember my goals and want to keep going. I know this, I have accepted it.

If I get out of routine for a few days, I know I'll get back into it, so I don't worry. I allow myself to just let go.

Years ago I would beat myself up for cheating on my diet, then I'd totally give up. Knowing that I like to cheat every once in a while, I save up calories to cheat with. No, I don't write down every single item that I eat, add up the calories, then splurge.

After a while you know whats good for you and whats bad, you know what you can eat and how much, it just becomes a part of your brain waves. The I just cut back a bit for a few days, then have the pizza, choclate cake, ice cream or my favorite movie theatre pocorn with tons of that fake butter. Do I feel guily when I splurge, nope. I'ts all part of my plan.

One of the hardest parts of any weight loss program is staying with it. Studies show that being able to stay motivated while you are trying to lose weight is an essential success factor. It is, though, a bit easier to say you will stay motivated than to actually complete the task.

There are always setbacks and bad days during the course of any program. Learning how to deal with those will help you tackle the tough times head on. What are the best ways to stay motivated during your weight loss program?

One of the first good ways to maintain your level of motivation throughout the long months of a weight loss program is to create a strong plan before you ever begin your weight loss program. A goal setting session as you get started will help you to understand where you are headed when you're in the middle of your program.

Your goals should not only be the basic things like “I plan to lose five pounds,” they should also be far more specific. For example, make sure you plan includes the number of minutes you intend to exercise each week as well as what you will do to achieve each goal.

If your biggest goal is a number of pounds, outline the things you will do to reach that goal, look at the problems that might crop up as you attempt to meet that goal, and think about how you will face those problems as they come up.

The second good way to help bolster your motivation during your weight loss program is to change your method of thinking.

Staying motivated means becoming an optimist, even if it is not in your normal nature. Studies show that what you think truly changes the way you do things.

For example, if you are depressed, all of your actions will reflect that. You will not be as productive at any of your tasks as a direct result of your depressive thoughts. If you want to stay with your weight loss program, think positive thoughts.

Think about how much good you are doing for your body as you exercise each day. When you eat healthier foods, imagine your heart thanking you. You will derive some great motivation just by thinking happy thoughts.

The third way to stay motivated as you fight to meet your weight loss goals is to vary your routines. Your mind is quite likely to get bored if your weight loss program never varies.

If you have to eat the same foods all of the time, or if you are required to stick with the same exercise program on a regular basis, you may find yourself completely uninterested in what you are doing.

As a result, you are far more likely to leave the program for something that keeps you interested in whether that means going back to your fast food habits or finding a new favorite television show while you should be exercising. The best way to prevent this is to start a different exercise program that you might enjoy every few months.

Moreover, to keep from being bored with your diet, buy some new healthy living cookbooks or search internet recipe sites for dishes to make that fit in with your weight loss program. This can help to keep you within your calorie limits without boring you.

Making a list of the positive aspects of your life from lost weight will also help you to stay motivated during your diet. What about your life will change when you've lost the weight?

Will you be able to drop a prescription because you've become healthier? Will you have a better self-image because you can finally fit into that dress you've been admiring? Whatever will change about your life, list it. Post the list where you can see it on a regular basis. Remind yourself of the great benefits related to your weight loss, and you will feel better about your program.

The final way to stay motivated while you are trying to lose weight is to offer yourself a rewards program. People need rewards in all aspects of life. For example, we go to work so we can get a reward – a paycheck. If we get that reward, we get other rewards – homes, cars, clothes, and entertainment.

This rewards style motivational program should carry over to your diet. If you meet your exercise goal all week, buy that new album you've been reading reviews of. If you stay within your calorie limits, go see a movie on Saturday afternoon (just be sure to take some dried fruit or some other healthy snack).

Little rewards along the way will help keep you motivated.

Keeping your level of motivation high during your next diet will help you to lose the weight.

Answer 2

There are three areas that I focus on: physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual.

Physically, I supplement my body with extra proteins, vitamins, minerals, and herbs with Stack Body Tune Up. I also supplement my body with an energy drink called Advanced Cell Therapy that has only 5 carbs and 22 calories.

Mentally/Emotionally, I focus on who I am and what I am here for. My wife and I are adopting a baby in November and I want to be healthy for the new baby. It helps to find an outside source as a source of motivation. It can be children, a spouse, a new career, or anything that will assist you. I also realize that there will be plateaus and that I need to continue doing what I am doing without changing everything. I will make one change in the type of exercise or one change in what I am eating, but not a wholescale change.

Spiritually, I keep myself focused on reading the Bible, ministering to other people, and attending worship services. This helps me keep everything in perspective. 1 Corinthians 6:19 & 20 states, "Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."

This is what motivates me and keeps me on track.

If I can be of further assistance, let me know.

[e-mail]
http://www.geocities.com/pktull

Answer 3

The truth is you've got to motivate yourself - be your own drill sergeant! The way I figure it, if I'm trying really hard for even two days straight and workout hard at the gym I'm not going to go and blow all that away with one binge-fest - I've worked too damn hard for it - otherwise what was the point of slaving away on the cardio machines?!

Its good not to let yourself down and try and better your workout times and levels. A friend of mine keeps a table with details of every gym workout or run etc and then each time tries to better her score!

I prefer to just ask myself 'what do you want' - if you want the perfect body badly enough you'll get it!

Answer 4

Develop a desire to be healthy and look good. There's a link below that talks about the psychology behind overeating.

Losing weight really is as simple as basic addition and subtraction. If the calories you eat add up to more than what you burn in a given time period, you will gain weight. Conversely, if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. Depending on your size and activity level, the number of calories will vary quite a bit. The secret is finding your “break even” calorie intake level. For most people, the “ball park” figure will be around 1800 to 2000 calories per day. If you are larger than average, this number will be higher, lower if you are smaller than average. Metabolic rate can have an effect on these numbers as well. Exercise plays an important role also, as this can increase the number of calories you burn by quite a bit as well as increasing your metabolic rate.

If you want a generally healthy diet that’s easy to follow and avoids hunger, the one I recommend will do the job very well. You can fill up and still lose weight. Eat lots of fresh vegetables as they contain very few calories yet are full of good nutrition. The less you cook them, the more nutrition they retain. Stick with whole grains, as they tend to be better for you and don’t turn to sugar as readily as processed grains do. For example, whole grain bread is much better for you than plain white bread. Eat a variety of fruit on a daily basis. Avoid empty carbs, fats, and sugars…. Examples: junk food and soda. If you feel you need protein to build muscle, add some chicken or fish to your diet. Avoid beef and dairy products, the cons outweigh the pros.

If you can’t get your mind into the ‘eat to live; don’t live to eat mode‘, you should probably read this short article on the psychology behind overeating:
http://www.geocities.com/seabulls69/weightloss.html

Healthy links:
Calorie calculator:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calories.htm
BMI calculator:
http://chetday.com/bodymassindex.htm
Protein, fats, and carbs info:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/changingshape5.htm
General health info:
http://www.drmcdougall.com
http://www.chetday.com
http://www.phifoundation.org

Answer 5

Eat goats cheese as an alternative to regular cheese. It contains 40 per cent fewer calories than the cheese made out of cow’s milk.

Answer 6

by believing tha i'm gonna reach the goal that i put in my head... to loose weight & look better with a healthy body...

also... having self belief in myself & good self isteam... along with some courage & a clean brain to guide the way...

also... support from the beloved (friends, lovers, & family) helps alot also...

&... if u exercise or got to gym with someone u know... it becomes more fun & competetive... which gives a motive! :)

Answer 7

Enroll in an active artwork class, such as sculpture as well as ceramics.

Answer 8

Purchase a plant for your office—watering it'll make you more active.

Answer 9

Suck the item in. Consciously hold in and contract your stomach muscles while you’re walking, sitting at your desk or making the an evening meal. This will help to strengthen your abdominals and your core, and provide you with one step closer to any flatter stomach.

Answer 10

Beans, beans, are perfect for your heart, the more you take in the more you... lose excess weight actually. Super-effective and full associated with fibre, beans will regulate your appetite and slow the rate at which your stomach empties, meaning you stay fuller for longer.

Answer 11

Eat goats cheese rather then regular cheese. It contains 40 % fewer calories than the cheese produced from cow’s milk.