Getting started with a new weight loss plan is one thing, but continuing to stick to it that’s
the real challenge especially if you aren't seeing the results you expected.
Have you ever started a weight loss plan with a goal only to realize that you're losing interest
even before you reach the second or third week or even day day?
Many people have found themselves in such a situation - they start a weight loss diet and exercise plan, but fail to implement it permanently.
For some the diet part is simpler to implement permanently but exercising requires them to have constant motivation. For others it’s the opposite they enjoy exercising but struggle to change their eating habits.
You started the weight loss plan because you wanted to reach a certain goal and it is crucial to keep reminding yourself of this.
As we talked about recently on our podcast finding your real WHY… as in digging deep and figuring out why you want to lose weight instead of just saying you want to lose weight can make a huge difference in achieving success.
Regardless of what your exact goal is or what diet you want to try, following a weight loss plan should never be hard. In fact when you really figure it out it’s actually pretty easy.
The issue as we teach it our Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Weight Loss Program is that most people have been so conditioned to think its hard they end up making choices that actually make it hard, often impossible, to succeed.
The first step is fixing your mindset and then coming up with a plan. Then it's a matter of revising that plan until it works for you.
Start by telling yourself and believe that you are destined for success. It sounds cliche but it's been proven that having a positive mindset towards success leads to much higher rates of success than viewing it negatively.
If you have started a new plan but have since stopped, do some analysis as to why it didn’t work for you, make changes and then try again. Repeat that until you find your “magic formula”. Then as you start to get results it becomes much easier for you to work to keep yourself motivated and make things happen this time.
One other thing about motivation… No one, NO ONE can stay motivated ALL of the time. Not you, not me, not even professional athletes who get paid millions of dollars to be in shape. (hence why they have coaches to keep them on track)
But there are some tips & tricks to help you stay on track and keep that motivation up.
Here’s our Top 5…
1. Set Realistic Goals And Track Progress
You never know where you're going unless you know where you're coming from. Set achievable goals and keep records of your progress. You can get a notebook and jot down your stats or create a spreadsheet on your computer. Tracking your progress motivates you to carry on with the plan. You can track your progress by weighing yourself or calculating your body mass index. When you look back and see how far you've come, you'll be motivated not to revert to your old habits.
2. Reward Yourself On Accomplishing Goals
The best way to stay motivated is to reward yourself for every successful weight loss stage. You can reward yourself with items other than food such as a movie night or a trip to your favorite place. People love different things so you can reward yourself based on what you like most. You can go for afternoon golf or fishing. Reading a new book or watching movies on a lazy Saturday is an excellent reward for those who love passive leisure activities.
3. Use Medical Motivation
Approximately 65% of people want to lose weight to have an impressive physical appearance. Only 35% of them do it for medical health. Think about it.. how many prescriptions are you taking each day and how much are you spending each month on them. What if you, as many of our clients have found, were able to get off some if not all of those prescriptions? Wouldn’t that be a huge win?
When you feel that you've already achieved that nice figure, motivate yourself to continue doing it for health and improved quality of life.
4. Don't try so hard
The secret to excellent weight-loss outcomes isn't based on how hard you try. Even in a car, it’s not the full fuel tank that motivates you to drive. You only fill it to prevent the car from running out of fuel. The same case applies to your weight loss plan. Let motivation be intrinsic. If you realize that the motivation is waning, take a break from the exercise or diet plan for 2-3 days. Let the plan run on a natural course.
5. Set a quiz for yourself
A quick healthy quiz can boost your motivation to keep soldiering on with your weight loss plan. Set the following questions and get answers for them, based on your progress:
What will my health be like if I stop my exercise plan?
How will I feel one year from now if I stop my weight loss plan?
What are my chances of being where I want to be if I give up and quit (I’ll answer this one for you… ZERO)
Bottom line
If following a weight loss plan to the end was easy, then slimming down would be a thing of the past. Losing weight is hard and everyone needs daily motivation to keep managing it.
Grab this opportunity and try some of these motivation tips. The process may be challenging but the benefits are worth the try.
Make sure to cheer each other on! Keep focused and be goal-oriented, tracking your daily progress during your journey will make it all worthwhile in the end!
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