When struggling to lose weight, many dieters have a hard time staying motivated to reach their ultimate goal. Although the motivation can come from many sources, many weight loss experts and dieters who have reached their goal weight will attest to the fact that their motivation to lose weight was internal. Once you figure out what keeps you going, your weight loss goals should become much more attainable.
Although the motivation to lose weight can be described as internal, it can still be influenced by outside sources. Many people choose to lose weight for a big event, such as a wedding or class reunion. Unless this big event coincides with your internal will to live a healthier lifestyle, the weight loss will most likely not be permanent.
For the kind of weight loss that will last, the first step is to make a commitment to yourself. It is important that you remind yourself of this commitment everyday, so write it in a journal, have it pop up on your computer screen, put a sticky note on the refrigerator, or hang it anyplace that you look at on a daily basis. Your commitment should be for a healthier lifestyle, with weight loss as a bonus. If you concentrate on the numbers, you can easily sabotage or depress yourself when you don’t lose as much as you want in a certain time frame.
In addition to committing to yourself, many people find that it helps to commit to a weight-loss support group and/or a weight-loss buddy, either in person or online. Some people also stay motivated by committing to a gym or exercise program. Those who pay money for some of these things find them even more useful because they don’t want to waste the money they have spent on outside help.
Regardless of which approach you take, it is crucial to come up with short-term goals in addition to long-term ones. You need to see positive results to keep your motivation. If you keep your weight loss goals in 5 pound (2.5 kg) increments, you become excited every time you reach one of these goals. Take time out to reward yourself whenever you reach a goal — as long as the rewards are not be in the form of food. Treat yourself to a new movie or buy that pair of shoes you have been saving up for. Eventually, all of your small goals will add up, and you will have reached your ultimate long-term goal.