Ways to Stay Motivated to Lose Weight
(aka How to Get Motivated to Lose Weight, Diet, and Exercise)
Content Updated August 10, 2007
You know the reasons why you should lose weight, but how can you stay motivated once you start your new healthy lifestyle?
Don't Wait for Motivation
If you wait to get motivated, you'll be waiting for the rest of your life. You have to create motivation, the same way that a drug addict or alcoholic needs to create the motivation to kick the habit. If you do just keep waiting, just like an addict, you may wait until it's too late, when you hit rock bottom, after you had your first heart attack, stroke, or diabetic complication (or your last if it's fatal) or can't walk anymore because your bones and muscles can't support your own weight. Don't wait. Don't wait. Don't wait. Make it happen.
Visit Your Doctor
Get a full physical exam. Tell your doctor that you would like to lose weight and you need some motivation. Your doctor will likely check things like your blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, etc. The results are often motivating in themselves, because bad numbers mean that you have a shorter lifespan than healthier individuals (on average). Also, be sure to tell your doctors about any symptoms you have (e.g. snoring, being tired, being out of breath, mood swings, etc.). Your doctor may be able to tell you which symptoms are caused by your excess weight.
Sign a Contract with Yourself
I know it sounds silly but there's something about writing it down on paper: "I promise myself that I will exercise 30 minutes a day. I will eat more fruits, veggies, and whole grains. I will limit the fat and sugar that I eat. I will stop drinking soda every day. I will reach a healthy goal weight. Etc." It just makes you feel like, this time, it's going to be different. This time, you're serious.
Join a Support Group
You can join my online support group, Chubby Buddies at Yahoo Groupss, or find another one, either online or in person. It's nice to know that other people out there are going through this fat struggle too. You can get tips from them, whine to them, brag to them, and give them support too. It makes you feel needed and loved.
Keep a Journal
When I'm lacking motivation, reading through old journal entries can often remind me how far I've come and give me the confidence to keep going.
Chart Your Progress
Get on that scale, weight yourself, and write it down. Make a graph out of it, so you can see that little line going up and down. Now post it somewhere you'll see it frequently (especially when you eat, like your wallet when you eat out or the refrigerator when you're at home). The more that line goes down, the more satisfaction you'll get.
Exercise First Thing in the Morning
You can't procrastinate when you've already finished your workout because you did it when you woke up. This also sets the pace for your day, high energy, and reduces your appetite all day long.
Watch Weight Loss and Fitness Shows
There's something about watching a show on television about somebody who lost weight. It gives you that I can do it too feeling. You also might learn something new that will help you in your own weight loss experience.
Focus on Little Goals
I want to lose 100 lbs. is hardly a little goal. Instead, focus on losing just 1 lb. If I lose 1 lb. I've succeeded. Likewise, focus on exercising for just 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc. rather than running a marathon. It's the little goals that make the real difference.
Just Do Something
This is closely related to the little goals you set up for yourself. If you ever catch yourself dreading a long workout, just give yourself permission to do 5 minutes or one set of sit-ups. If you just do the minimum, hey, at least you did something. Chances are, though, you will find yourself doing more than the minimum, and maybe you'll even do the whole workout.
Work Toward Fitness Goals
Maybe you want to run a marathon, jog a 5k, or just walk a mile. Maybe you want to become a black belt in martial arts. Maybe you want to win a bike race (or at least show off your mountain biking skills to your friends). Such goals can help you lose weight. Focus on the goal (just try to improve a little every week), and the exercise and weight loss will follow.
Draw a Picture of Yourself
Don't giggle; I'm serious. This is a psychological exercise that gets lots of different parts of your brain involved in thinking about how you look right now. Try to draw the picture as accurately as you can. Then compare it to a photograph of yourself. Your work of art may make you realize just what you really think about yourself.
Take Before and After Photos
Photos are amazing. I make sure to take lots of photos of my and my family, and I look at them daily. It's nice to see a photo and remember back to when I had a triple chin and know that I don't have one now. It's also nice to take those front-view and side-view photos in my underwear. The first ones motivated me just out of pure shame. Seeing my progress, though, has helped me realize how much better I look today and how much better I'll look tomorrow.
Read Your Labels
When I'm drooling over my favorite junk food at the grocery store, motivation is often just one glance away. I read the label. Most of the time, the number of calories, fat grams, or sugar grams is enough to put me into shock, and suddenly, I'm not so hungry for it anymore.
Lie to Yourself
I know you weren't an athletic person last year or yesterday or even 10 minutes ago, but right now, at this moment, you can become an athletic person. Just lie to yourself. Say it out loud, "I'm an athletic person." Now, let's think about this. What do athletic people do? What are their lifestyles like? Now it's time to live the lie. Start acting like an athletic person. Lie to yourself every morning, "I'm athletic. I'm athletic." Then get up and start your workout and your new athletic lifestyle. Eventually, you'll start to believe it, and you can brag to others about your athletic life.
Take a Class
Let's say you join a gym because you think that paying for a membership will motivate you to actually go and work out. This can work, but joining a class may be even better. In addition to paying for that class and wanting to get your money's worth, you'll also have a schedule to keep you on task. From 7pm to 8pm, you're going to be in a dance class, martial arts, gymnastics, yoga, or aerobics. No procrastination allowed. (If money is an issue, try signing up with a community college PE class.)
Tell People
Tell your family. Tell your friends. Start a website, and tell total strangers. It's amazing how publicity can be motivating. There's something about knowing that people are expecting you to drop a few pounds that makes you want to reach that goal.
Only Do Hobbies While Exercising
Like watching your favorite television show? Like listening to audio-books or music? Like talking on the phone? Well here's the deal. You can only do your favorite things if you're exercising while you do them. Want to watch TV, then you have to get on your stationary bike to do it. Want to listen to music, then you have to grab your music player and go for a walk. Social phone calls can be done while you're strength training. You can even make deals with friends and vow that the only time you'll see each other is when you're walking, hiking, or biking.
Reward Yourself with New Clothes
For me, the reward comes with the loss of every 10 lbs. Lose 10 lbs., buy something to wear. You don't have to buy a new wardrobe. Just buy an outfit or two. Clothing is not just a reward. It's highly motivating to see the size on the tag. Every time you drop a size, you can beam with pride. When you finally move from the fat sizes section to the regular sizes section, you can throw a party. (Don't forget to buy some new shoes too.)
Reward Yourself with Food
Surely this must be a mistake! Actually, you can reward yourself with food by learning how to cook healthy, delicious, gourmet food rather than gorging on unhealthy foods that taste good but not great. For dinner, skip your favorite fast food place, and head to your kitchen with some fresh quality ingredients and a good cookbook. Fix yourself an amazing meal, something special, and don't forget the dessert. You'll never want to reward yourself with junk food again.
Avoid People Who Discourage You
If you can avoid them, do it. If you can't, at least talk to them about how their attitudes are affecting your progress. Be honest. It can be tough, especially when Grandma is making you feel guilty about not eating a pound of her homemade cookies, but be firm. Just standing up to such people will give you a new sense of confidence that you can use to keep you on track to meet your goals.
Weigh Yourself at Least Weekly
I actually do this every day. Getting on that scale and seeing the numbers jump up or down is a quick way to remind myself to stay on track. I highly recommend getting a digital scale, so you can see the fraction of a pound you're gaining or losing daily.
Measure Yourself Monthly
I keep a log of my measurements, and every month (or sometimes every other month) I measure myself (e.g. neck, upper arms, forearms, wrists, chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves, etc.). It's certainly nice to see my log of number progressively getting smaller.
Make Plans to See Your Old Friends in 1 Year
Set a date 1 year from now. Call your old friends and tell them when you're going to visit them. Make plans. Now you have a deadline. Now you have a reason to lose weight and look good. Impress them.
Promise Yourself Something BIG
You know how you have that list of things you wish you could do... someday. Well, guess what! When you reach your goal weight, you get to do one of those things. Pick one: travel to another country, go on a cruise, get cosmetic surgery, or buy something you've always wanted. Of course, you'll need to save up some money to do this as well (unless you feel comfortable with putting it on credit), but it's worth it. You get healthy, you look good, and you get to cross something off of your dream to-do list.
...by Feed