Where there is a will there’s a way. It’s an old saying that’s as true as any. If you really want something, if you’re motivated enough to do what it takes to get it, you can generally reach your goals. But what the saying doesn’t tell you is how much “will” it takes to accomplish something, or what to do when your “will” seems to take a vacation.
The weight loss journey is a great example of what we mean. Many overweight people want to live life at a healthier weight. Their desire to do so drives them to alter their eating habits, get more exercise and otherwise change their lives in significant ways.
But wat happens when the journey takes longer than they originally expected, or it’s more difficult than anticipated or the destination always seems to move further away? It can all add up to defeat for even the most motivated among us.
Maintaining motivation throughout your weight loss journey is probably the biggest hurdle between you and your weight loss goals. Think about it. All those times that you question yourself, that you are tempted and that you actually stray from the path aren’t really due a weakness or fault. If you were motivated enough, you would have worked through the difficult moment.
So bolstering your motivation is important if you want to stay on track. Fortunately, there are tips and tricks you can use to help maintain your motivation at every step of the way toward your weight loss goals.
1. Don’t Start with a Bang
Motivation is a difficult thing to manage. When you first set out on the path, you’re ready to do everything at once: change your eating, start going to the gym, go for walks, take the stairs, and so on. But just like if a marathon runner started the race by running as fast as she can, she would soon run out of energy (regardless of her motivation), you too can “burn out” if you take on too much too soon. Keep some of that motivation for later.
2. Keep Your Expectations Real
Like anything else worth having, healthy, sustained weight loss takes time. If your expectations are too high – like those presented by fad diets that promise you will lose lots of weight in a little time – then you are bound to be disappointed. And disappointment is a huge motivation crusher. Even if all goes well with your weight loss program, it generally takes at least a month for you to notice any changes to your body. It might be two months or more before friends or family notice anything different and it can be over three months before the rest of the world sees you differently than they did before.
3. Fulfill Promises & Commitments in Other Parts of Your Life
We all let things slide sometimes. But when it’s time to stick to something, like your new lifestyle, it helps if to do so across the board. If you notice your motivation for weight loss slipping, trying tying up the loose ends elsewhere in your life. Pay off your outstanding bills, visit or call Mom more often, give to the charity you’ve been meaning to support – whatever it takes to put you in a “get it done” mode.
4. Focus on Yourself, Not the Weigh Scale
When your life revolves around the numbers that pop up when you step on the scale, you’re setting yourself up for some motivation deflating moments. There will be days, lots of them, when the weigh scale doesn’t budge from where it was the day before, even though you tried extra hard. It may even go the wrong way. So stop making it the sole judge and jury of your success. Instead, think about how you feel after a particularly healthy meal, or when you come home from a brisk walk, or when someone asks what’s different about you. These are the motivation-boosting milestones of your weight loss and you should be mindful and appreciative of them all.
5. Set Many Smaller Goals
If you say you want to lose 50 pounds in a year, that’s a great goal. But it’s also one that is difficult to reach. It is far off and it involves a significant change to your body weight. It’s a difficult commitment to keep because so much has to fall into place over a relatively long period of time. But if you set smaller goals, and set more of them, you have a better chance of reaching each one. When you do, it’s like an adrenaline shot for your motivation. Not only are you pumped and ready to take on the next one, you’re also better able to deal with the setbacks. And the bigger goals happen without you even noticing.
There’s one other major way to keep your motivation on track on your way to reaching and maintaining your target weight. Don’t do it alone. Get the help of experts. Go to your nearest Herbal One Centre and talk to the trained nutrition and weight loss specialists. They can help you get motivated and stay that way.