You may be overflowing with inspiration to lose weight when you begin your new, healthy regimen, only to find yourself unmotivated when results don't come quickly enough. Maintaining your commitment is the only way you will attain your goals, and sometimes you have to be proactive in finding inspiration.
Health Benefits
There are numerous benefits to losing weight, even if that weight loss is minimal. A 1999 study published in the "American Journal of Public Health" showed that even a weight loss of 10 percent would reduce your risk of hypertension, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. It also lowers your risk of developing heart disease, suffering a stroke and reduces your lifetime medical costs. Consider your overall quality of life improvement if you are able to avoid these health problems by losing weight.
Realistic Goals
When looking for inspiration, set both short- and long-term goals. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, set a realistic goal for your time frame. For instance, if you have 60 pounds to lose, a realistic goal would be to lose that weight in eight months, but that may feel unreachable at times. Set short term goals to see progress and maintain your motivation. Plan to lose eight pounds each month, with two pounds lost per week, and only weigh yourself once a week to avoid frustration.
Learn Something New
Find an activity that you'll enjoy that also includes physical activity. If you've always wanted to learn to dance, take dance lessons. Once you become comfortable with a few dances, go out and have some fun. If you always enjoyed golfing, try a round at the local community course. Make sure to walk the course rather than renting a cart to include more activity in your game. Learning something new is exhilarating both mentally and physically, and if you're able to lose weight in the process, then you have succeeded tremendously.
Rewards
A big part of maintaining your motivation to lose weight is to reward yourself. Offer yourself prizes both large and small. If your weight loss goal will reduce your clothing size, find an outfit you love in that size and make it your reward for reaching your goal weight. Meanwhile, as you reach your short term goals, allow smaller rewards. If you've bought that outfit as a final reward, then your short term rewards could be accessories to go with the outfit. If you like sporting events, plan to attend your favorite team's game as a final reward. Your short term rewards could be getting a jersey or finding team collectibles. As important as it is to reward yourself, it's also important to avoid punishment for setbacks. If you have a setback, shake it off and move forward toward your goals.
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