If you eat a low-calorie, high-nutrient diet and do enough physical activity to burn more calories than you take in, you'll lose weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends setting a goal of losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Losing at a sustainable rate is faster in the long run than crash dieting, gaining the weight back and then dieting it off again. But changing your fitness habits for the long haul may require some mental gymnastics, and even the most dedicated exerciser needs a few tricks now and then to help keep him motivated.
Keep Track
Keeping track of your workouts shows you the gradual progress you might not otherwise be aware of. One of the easiest ways to keep track is maintaining two separate charts. Log your cardio time and type, including resistance level if relevant, on one chart. On the other chart, record how many repetitions you did of each strength-training exercise, with how much weight. Date each workout entry, so that if you find yourself feeling discouraged, you can look back on your progress to see how far you've come.
Set Goals
Losing serious weight can take serious time. Break your long-term goals down into a series of smaller, realistic short-term goals. For example, if you need to lose 100 lbs., break that goal down to smaller mileposts of 1 to 2 lbs. per week. These smaller, attainable goals, each with a weekly deadline, give you something to aim for in the short term, instead of getting overwhelmed by a seemingly unattainable long-term goal.
Buddy Up
If you have a dog, you've got a built-in exercise buddy guaranteed to roust you out of bed no matter how un-motivated you may feel on down days. But you can make two-legged friends, too, and reap the benefits of positive peer pressure. Invite friends and family to walk with you, or take a few group fitness classes to track down like-minded people who want to lose a little extra weight too. Or, set weekly walking goals and compare notes with online friends, motivating each other even if you never meet in person.
Lifestyle
Increasing your physical activity to lose weight doesn't mean you have to completely revamp your schedule. Instead, find ways of working physical activity into your current plans. If you drop the kids off at the mall, stay and walk laps in the halls until they're ready to be picked up. Or walk your child to school instead of driving her, then walk back in the afternoon to meet her. If you're a couch potato with favorite can't-miss television shows, move the easy chair or couch into a TV-less room and replace it with a recumbent exercise bike in front of the television. You won't have any excuse not to pedal as you watch.
Study
Working out can seem mysterious, even dangerous, if you've never done it before. You should always consult a physician before beginning a new weight-loss program, and she might suggest a few basic exercises to get you started. Other ways of demystifying the workout include hiring a personal trainer for a few teaching sessions, taking group fitness classes or borrowing workout DVDs and books from the library.
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