People who lose weight at a slow and steady pace tend to keep the weight off longer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, staying motivated to maintain a weight-loss plan for an extended time often presents people with too big of a challenge. You can help yourself overcome this challenge by learning about strengthening your motivation to lose weight.
Goals
Keep your eyes on the journey, not the destination. Set goals that focus on the small steps you need to take to reach your ultimate weight-loss goal. Set a goal to lose to lose one to two pounds each week, according to the Mayo Clinic. Your goals should include small changes to your eating and exercise habits. Goals such as replacing one high-calorie food with a healthier, low-calorie food or increasing your physical activity by 10 minutes each week will keep you more motivated than setting a goal to count calories.
Fun
Make your weight loss enjoyable, not challenging. Your chances of staying motivated to exercise increase if you have fun doing it, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you do not enjoy working out at a gym or following an aerobic video, find something you do enjoy, such as playing actively with the kids, walking your dog or playing an active sport like volleyball or basketball. You should also enjoy the diet changes you make. If you do not care for salads, find other ways to decrease your calorie consumption, such as putting lettuce and tomato on a sandwich instead of cheese or eating air-popped popcorn instead of potato chips.
Keep Track
Tracking your success allows you to see the accomplishments you have made and changes you might need to make to continue your success. A food and exercise diary will help you recognize changes you need to make to your short-term goals to keep you on track for reaching your final weight-loss goal, according to the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Other ways to watch your success include tracking changes in your weight or measurements, taking a picture of your self each month in a swimsuit or noting extra room in your clothes.
Self-Esteem
Along with body image, self-esteem plays an important role in weight loss motivation, according to the article "Self-Esteem, Support Key To Realistic Weight Loss," published on the American College of Sports Medicine website. You can keep your self-esteem and body image up by accepting yourself the way you are, talking positively to yourself, giving yourself non-food based rewards for success, avoiding comparisons to other people and honoring your life.
Support
Just because you have to make a commitment to lose weight does not mean you have to go it alone. Look to your friends, family or co-workers when you need support. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you look for support people who will listen to your problems and successes, spend time exercising with you and share your desire to live a healthier lifestyle.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Weight Loss Goals -- 10 Tips For Success
- Mayo Clinic: Fitness Programs -- 7 Tips For Staying Motivated
- National Institutes of Health: Tips To Weight Loss Success
- American College Of Sports Medicine: Self-Esteem, Support Key To Realistic Weight Loss
- Centers For Disease Control And Prevention: Healthy Weight - It's Not A Diet, It's A Lifestyle
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