Generally, one of the hardest things to do in life is to find your weight loss motivation. Contrary to widespread belief, finding motivation to lose weight is not as easy as you would think it to be.
In some instances, especially if your excess weight is caused by an underlying condition, then the process of losing it would be a long and tedious one. If you are determined to do so, and you are committed to working hard, then you will find your much-needed motivation from within yourself.
Even if you don’t consider your body to be on the heavier side, you have to know that being healthy has nothing to do with how much you weigh but a lot of other factors are determined by your lifestyle choices. If you genuinely want to trim some fat from around your waist, you need to find what motivates you to want to lose that extra weight in the first place.
There are several ways to find your weight loss motivation. This article will provide you with several reasons and provide you with a guideline on how to get started on your weight loss journey.
How to Kickstart Your Weight Loss Journey
As the name implies, losing weight will be a journey, so you cannot expect an easy road ahead. After all, it requires you to be mentally, physically, and emotionally committed to it.
Are you ready?
Set Goals and Action Items
Before you can begin to set goals for your ideal weight, you should list your reasons for wanting to lose weight, no matter how stupid you think they may seem. If you want to have the perfect summer body, fit into a special dress, or trim down for a big day, you should write all of those down.
Even though some of your reasons may not keep you inspired for too long, it is still very important to have a list that you can append as your motivation changes. You can translate the list into more substantive reasons like wanting to feel confident, being healthier, or setting an example for those around you.
Once you have your reasons for wanting to lose weight, you should record your weight goals. How much weight do you want to lose? What target date do you have in mind for the weight loss?
When setting goals, you need to be very specific in order to make it happen. Once the list is completed, decide how you are going to achieve your goals and what action items you need to do. Are you going to hire a personal trainer, get a gym subscription, or are you going to subscribe to a specific diet plan?
Additionally, be sure to set a budget as it will cost you to hire a personal trainer and subscribe to a diet plan. Even changing your food choices might require you to spend more than your usual budget for meals.
Find Support
Embarking on this journey without the support of your family and friends could be tough. They should understand your desire to lose weight and should be a source of support. If you pass on certain foods, they should support your decision, and they should also encourage you not to consume certain foods.
If you share your desire with friends and relatives, they may be willing to embark on the journey with you. You may even be fortunate enough to have a new gym buddy. If you can’t find support in your inner circle, you should then consider seeking an online fitness and weight loss community.
Practice Being Healthy
If you want to motivate yourself to lose weight, one of the things you ought to do is practice being healthy. By practicing being healthy, you are surrounding yourself with healthy foods. Your kitchen and pantry should reflect the person you want to be.
Before you start your journey, you should rid your pantry and kitchen of any food items that do not reflect a healthy you. Replace them with fruits and vegetables, and put any prepped food in clear containers. Display your fruits in a positive manner so as to inspire you to eat it.
Moreover, you would also want to make sure your sneakers and exercise gear are visible. Your environment should reflect your weight loss goals.
Find Your Routine
It has often been said that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. So, in the first three weeks of your new journey, you should form your routine for the next couple of months. Your routine should become second nature to you.
It doesn’t mean that you have to do the same workouts or eat the same meal. It just means that you will need to establish a routine that befits a weight loss journey. This includes regular exercise, meal preparations, and possibly, eating things you are not accustomed to eating as well as giving up your unhealthy meals.
Celebrate Achievements
One way to keep motivated is to celebrate your achievements, no matter how irrelevant they may seem to you. For instance, if you stuck to your diet and exercise plan for the week, you should reward yourself with a cheat day treat. It doesn’t have to be something over the top, or overtly unhealthy, but just a treat comprising of something that you were craving.
By rewarding yourself, you are feeding the human desire for positive affirmations and reinforcement. Apart from rewarding yourself with an edible treat now and then, you may also reward yourself with an out-of-town trip or something as simple as a visit to the spa.
Weight Loss Motivation: The Conclusion
Finding the motivation to embark on a weight loss journey may be hard to come by for some. However, once it does, the mind is a powerful determining factor in whether your journey will be successful.
Before you embark on such a journey, you are encouraged to list your reasons for wanting to lose weight, set specific goals, and define action items for the achievement of those goals. Weight loss is described as a journey because the process is not as instantaneous as some would think. It takes a lot of effort and determination on the part of the individual in question.
Whilst you should love yourself for who you are, wanting to lose weight doesn’t mean that you love yourself any less, especially if your reasons are genuine. As such, you should practice positive self-affirmations daily to prevent any self-loathing tendencies that you may have.
Also, it may be a promising idea to avoid any negative persons in your life and seek the support of persons who have successfully lost weight. In that way, you will not only be motivated but also be inspired to achieve the same fitness goals that they have achieved.