Losing weight is hard enough when you are motivated to do so. Without motivation, weight loss becomes a Herculean task, and is likely to never occur. If you are struggling with getting the motivation you need to get to a healthy weight, create situations that you find motivating. As you lose weight, you may very well find that the weight loss itself provides the motivation you need.
Put Cash on the Line
To jump-start your motivation to lose weight, make a bet with a friend. University of Pennsylvania health expert Kevin Volpp points out that the act of entering a contest can give people extra motivation to acheive their weight-loss goals. If you don't know anyone who wants to compete with you, consider giving your money to an enemy if you don't meet your weight-loss goals. Write a check to a political organization you despise and mail it if you don't meet your goal.
Create a Deadline
Class reunions and weddings are often motivators when it comes to dropping a few pounds. If you don't have such an event coming up in the near future, create one. Buy tickets to an upscale event and purchase an outfit in a smaller size and use the looming date as your motivation. Give yourself plenty of time to reach your goal, as rapid weight loss is unhealthy and the extra pounds are almost always regained.
Sign Up for a Race
Get involved in something that is meaningful to you and motivate yourself to lose weight at the same time. Sign up for a walk or run that benefits a deserving charity. Not only will you burn calories at the event itself, but you will also need to prepare for the event by building your endurance beforehand. The positive feedback you get from friends and coworkers can help carry you to your goal of participating in a worthy event and losing a few pounds.
Consider Your Health
Your health may be the best motivation you have to lose weight. As you gain weight, your fat cells swell, producing chemicals that promote the disease process. Being overweight increases the chance that you will get heart disease, have a stroke, get diabetes or come down with gall bladder disease. You also will have an increased risk for several different types of cancers.
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