Losing weight can help you improve your health and can make you feel more energetic. One of the most common reasons that prevent people from sticking to a weight-loss plan is a lack of motivation. Shedding pounds can be difficult and boring, reports Charles Stuart Platkin, author of "The Diet Detective's Count Down." If you are struggling to find the motivation to continue working toward your weight-loss goals, there are some ways to help you enjoy and look forward to working out and eating right.
Step 1
Find a friend or family member to lose weight with you. Working out and eating right with someone else can increase your motivation to stick to your goals because you are held accountable for your successes and failures, according to Platkin. Take an exercise class with a friend or cook healthy meals with your partner so you can offer and receive support.
Step 2
Buy yourself some new workout clothes or download some new music to listen to while you exercise. Give yourself an incentive to keep losing weight and you are more likely to look forward to doing it, reports Linda Spangle, author of "100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet Plan."
Step 3
Write a menu of healthy meals. Shop for the ingredients you will need and prepare your meals at home. You are more likely to eat low-fat and low-calorie foods if you already have them on hand. Include healthy versions of your favorite foods to help motivate you to stick to your menu.
Step 4
Write down your weight-loss goals. Include how many pounds you want to lose and the date you want to reach that goal. Read your goals when you do not feel like exercising or when you want to indulge in an unhealthy food to help remind you of what you are working toward. Jot down how you feel when you give into your temptation to skip your workout or to eat something unhealthy to help remind you to resist temptation next time.
Step 5
Give up activities and foods that you do not enjoy. It is unlikely that you will be motivated to keep losing weight if you dislike your methods for doing so. Find a way to burn calories that you enjoy, such as swimming, biking, martial arts or kickboxing. Choose healthy foods that taste good so that you are more likely to choose them when you are hungry.
Tips and Warnings
- Check out some cookbooks with healthy recipes from your local library. Test a few new recipes to help you find foods that will help you reach your weight-loss goals that also taste good to you. Reward yourself for reaching your goals. Buy a new outfit or a new cookbook when you achieve one of your weight-loss goals to help motivate you to keep going.
- Make an appointment with your doctor before beginning a diet to help you make safe exercise choices. A physician can also help you determine how many calories you need to eat each day to lose weight.
References
- "The Diet Detective's Count Down"; Charles Stuart Platkin; 2007
- "100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet Plan"; Linda Spangle; 2007
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