Motivation is a powerful thing. It helps you accomplish tasks you otherwise might not be able to do. Motivation is one way of keeping your eyes on the prize. Improving your health and your looks are the usual motivation for losing weight. These things however, take time. You need small doses of motivation to keep you rolling. Here are some ways to get it.
Motivating yourself begins with setting goals. Don’t aim too high at first. Keep it realistic and doable. Unattainable goals cause frustration. For example, trying to lose 50 pounds in one month is too much. Losing five pounds in 6 to 7 weeks is more like it. Keep your focus on what you’d like to accomplish. Maybe you’d like to fit into your skinny jeans. Make a contract with yourself to make it official. Put it where you’ll see it every day. Reward yourself for every goal met, be it losing one pound or fifty. Buy stretchy clothes. It will give you extra motivation to lose the love handles.
Joining a gym that’s accessible will make it easy for you to go to it regularly. Choose a gym near your workplace if possible. You can use your lunch hour for working out. Don’t be ashamed to join a gym because of your size or shape. It’s the most natural thing for you to join a gym because you want to improve yourself. A personal trainer may provide additional motivation. Inviting friends to workout with you is a good way to bond with them. Splitting the cost of a personal trainer with them can make it easy on your pocket. Plus, friends can cheer you on when you don’t feel like working out. Exchanging new ideas on how to lose weight keeps the fire burning.
Depriving yourself of certain foods can demotivate you. Give yourself a treat every now and then. Just mind your portions. You can even reward yourself with a cheat day. Having a day to eat what you want adds to your motivation. Finding delicious low calorie recipes is another option. You can make your own yummy low cal meals without busting your diet. Keep a food diary. Tracking your progress keeps you focused. Weigh yourself first thing every morning. Knowing that you’re making progress encourages you to work harder towards it. Join a walk or a run event. You can make new friends who have the same goal as yours.
Feed yourself with small amounts of incentives to motivate you. Being good to yourself will encourage you to reach for higher goals. Inching forward towards your target is motivation in itself. Giving yourself a reward for every small or big accomplishment makes you enjoy the ride.
