Hitstress

01of 18

Select an Attainable Goal

Make a goal that is reasonable You can count on losing 10% of the weight within the first six months and keep the weight off for at least an entire year.

Be cautious about not relying on numbers alone. “A number on a scale doesn’t indicate a goal and is merely a gauge of achievement,” says Bonnie Goodman Psychotherapist from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who is a specialist in behavioural therapy. Instead, focus on the habits you want to change: to cut down your intake of calories per day to less than 35 percent or to eliminate the afternoon drink or vending machine snack. Consider setting other weight-related goals, like participating in a 5K race. The weight you’ll lose through the course will feel like a reward and could even serve as an extra boost to lose weight.

02of 18

Create a plan that fits Your Personal Lifestyle

Make your own plan that it can be incorporated into your lifestyle. In the ideal scenario, you’ll need to cut back on only 150 calories daily to shed 15 pounds over one year. Therefore, start by eating smaller to stand the best chance of maintaining your motivation to lose weight.

“Little adjustments to your eating habits, such as cutting portions down or cooking food differently, can lead to massive outcomes,” says Daniel C. Stettner, Ph.D., LP, psychologist licensed by the Great Lakes Psychology Group in Michigan.

Consider the foods you’re able to — and shouldn’tdo without, then create your strategy around these foods. If you’re naturally a snacker, try dividing your calories daily into seven or six small meals, so that you never feel like you’re taking an indulgence. However, you choose to do it make sure you don’t sacrifice the foods you love. You’ll feel depleted eventually which only makes your cravings grow stronger and your determination weaker.

03of 18

Put Your Plan on Paper

Every successful business requires an action plan that outlines the goals of the venture and details on how to accomplish itWithout one, you’ll aren’t sure the place you’re at or where you’re going or how to arrive there, according to Jenn Walters an accredited fitness instructor and founder of Fit Bottomed Girls.

Begin by identifying the various reasons you can imagine for losing weight or, that is, write down your motivation to lose weight on paper. Once you’ve identified what you’d like to accomplish and the timeframe, go backwards to develop your monthly action plan with attainable and specific goals to lose the weight .

04of 18

Be a Good Friend to Yourself

If you’re struggling in your weight-loss goals make sure you are a good example in other aspects within your daily life. says Andre Farnell, an accredited fitness and strength coach and the founder of Better Body Expert. Make sure you pay off your debts, follow through on your commitments to family members, friends or colleagues Take Marie Kondo’s suggestion to get rid of your clutter,

Keep up with the promises or commitments that you’ve made in other aspects of your life to reinforce your own mental belief that you can fulfill the pledge to shed the weightthat that you’ve given yourself according to Farnell.

05of 18

Avoid comparisons

Pining and sharing photos of models on Instagram may appear appealing as motivation for weight loss However, according to research, it’s much more likely to hinder your performance. Researchers in the Netherlands split women who were trying to shed pounds into two categories: the first was provided with a food journal featuring photos of thin models on the cover and inside pages. The second group was provided with journals with a neutral logo at the top. In the case of neutral women, while they shed weight, those who were given journals with supermodel photos increasedweight.

Do not compare yourself with unattainable models, keep motivated by sharing photos of yourself in your most healthy form for an intense dose of weight loss inspiration.

06of 18

Be Focused on an Experience

Many times, we are frustrated by focusing on a particular number on the scale or even a job that we have to complete in order to achieve the goal (such as exercising) This can be a quick way to kill your energy as per Simon Rego, Ph.D., professor, chief of psychiatry, as well as director of training in psychology at Montefiore Hospital/Albert Einstein College for Medicine. New York.

Focus on how you feel after having a nutritious food or after a good workoutmotivation to lose weight doesn’t necessarily require prioritizing the activity itself, according to Rego. “If you pay attention to the way you feel every workout you’ll enjoy all benefits of burning calories and also the satisfaction of remembering how wonderful it felt doing it. This will boost your motivation to work harder.”

07of 18

Celebrate Every Success

Do not wait until you’ve crossed the finish line to give yourself a reward for losing weight Set smaller goals and offer yourself rewards as you go. It could be as simple as a treat like manicure once you’ve achieved your first target. When you’ve reached the halfway mark you can plan something extraordinary (such as a trip to the spa, recommends Susan Bartell, Psy.D., a psychologist and motivational speaker. You’re less likely to quit in the event of a crisis If you have a set of some interim rewards.

“Rewards encourage positive behavior, but only if they’re a meaningful reward,” says Goodman. “When you’ve reached a point in your weight loss or exercise routine, you should treat yourself to something that is a celebration of the specific achievement and will help to further improvement.”

08of 18

Get Motivated by the Mirror

A unique piece of your closet in the open is a fantastic daily motivation for losing weight. Select something you’ll be looking forward to wearing and place the mirror near it. “I envision my self wearing the item and imagine how great I’ll experience,” says Marie-Pier Ouellet who is a student from Montreal, Canada.

Because it’s a piece that you already own, or plan to put on, it’s more likely that it’s a flims objective (when when compared with, for instance the photo from Gisele Bundchen) and can boost your desire to continue hitting the training.

09of 18

Group up with a Friend or as a Group

If you’re trying to lose weight, joining forces with a friend or group can help you stay focused. According to research published by the Journal of Obesity and the Social impact of weight-loss contests that are team-based could help you shed 20 percent or more weight than have if you had to do it all on your own. It is even more fascinating the fact that captains of teams shed more weight than the team members according to the research team. This is probably because of their position and participation in the competition.

Based on the Mayo Clinic, having a companion who will walk with you or prepare healthy food together will help you to be accountable and accomplish your goals. You can take it a more step by engaging your family members and play tag with your children and go to the gym with your companion on weekends.

10of 18

Get Clear on Your “Why”

If you’re truly determined to remain motivated to shed weight the first thing to find out what inspires you, according to Anne Dranitsaris, Ph.D., author of Who Are You Supposed to Be? For example If you’re motivated by your family members, concentrate on how exercise can keep you engaged in the lives of your children even into your senior years Dranitsaris advises.

“In order to alter your behavior patterns first, you must identify the patterns you are using and the reasons they are there. If you are able to redirect your healthy weight loss motivation into a new way of doing things the goal will appear more feasible and realistic.”

11of 18

Get for the Help of an Expert

The right plan for your meals that suits your lifestyle that doesn’t make you feeling hungry at the at-the-end of the day may be a daunting task to conquer. Think about consulting a nutritionist or dietitian for advice from an expert in determining the ideal combination of healthy and nutritious foods that will work for you.

If the struggle you face to stay motivated is creating feelings of anxiety, depression or insecurity, you may need to speak with an therapist to seek help.

12of 18

Eliminate the Daily Weigh-In

The scale is an effective tool to measure your progress, but a lot of people fall into the trap of checking their weight too often. “While certain studies show that people can manage (maintain) your weight more effectively if they weigh in every day, the same cannot be said of loss of weight” states Nicole Nichols who is the editor and fitness specialist of PeopleOneHealth.com. “Daily weigh-ins, or more than one weigh-ins a day, can squander your weight loss motivation by sending you through a roller coaster of emotions, and may cause you to be frightened with sporadic increases on the scales that have nothing to do with relate to weight or body weight,” Nicole Nichols explains.

In the meantime, Nichols recommends stepping on the scale every week, or every two weeks to keep track of your improvement. In the meantime you should be aware of small victories that can offer some real encouragement.

13of 18

Keep an Photo Journal of Your Progress

There’s a saying”A photo is worth 1,000 words. Begin by tracking your progress with your own fitness and weight loss journal of photographs. You can also take photos following a exercise or at the end of a healthy meal to document the changes to your lifestyle and body that you might not have noticed otherwise — and which the scale will not necessarily reflect.

Make these pictures your own and browse them whenever you require an extra boost of weight loss motivation.

14of 18

Silence Your Inner Critic

Many people are in an unwise practice of using their self-criticism to be an effective tool for motivation, especially in relation to weight loss motivation. But this doesn’t motivate, it could hinder your progress, according to Vanessa Scotto who is an expert in life coaching and the behavioral aspects of. “When we go in to self-reflection, we’re actually activating the part of our brain which is connected to our survival instincts of fight and flight,” she says. This triggers the production of cortisol (the “stress hormone”), which can trigger cravings for sweet and fatty food items.

If you ever find yourself in a negative state, put your hands upon your heart. By simply putting it on and taking several deep breaths can aid in transforming your physical state and help you to let go of the negative thoughts and let you gaze into the mirror and experience an entirely new experience she adds.

15of 18

Make sure you surround yourself with good health

Your home should be a reflection of your new self, advises Tara Zimliki an instructor at Tara’s Bootcamp. founder of Tara’s Bootcamp. Make sure to stock and organize your fridge with nutritious, pre-cooked meals in clear containers, display fruit in attractive bowls on countertops, purchase an organizer for your shoes to place your shoes near the door to your front, keep the dirty laundry out of workout equipment, etc.

The way you adjust your environment in a way that reflects your weight reduction goals and healthy lifestyle choices can make it easier to keep your goals in check She says. (Stuck trying to figure out what to do to find a way to get motivated to shed weight? A glance at the organized kitchen of Khloe Kardashian will surely inspire you to lose weight.)

16of 18

Change your focus to technology

In the present, there are more free apps for weight loss accessible than ever before, immediate motivation for healthy weight loss is just a touch away. If you’re unable to muster the motivation to cook your dinner (try an app that encourages healthy eating like BigOven to find recipes that are based on the ingredients you already have available in the pantry) You’re in need of a bit of assistance (download Fitocracy to join forces with a friend) or are seeking a method to exercise (try Zombies, Run!), there’s an excellent app to keep your motivation for losing weight mobile.

17of 18

Recruit Gift Givers

The idea of rewarding yourself with gifts throughout the process is great in theory, but difficult to implement in reality because your schedule is already full! You can make it more fun and practical by involving your friends.

“One of the most innovative ideas I’ve ever heard came from an SparkPeople.com user,” says Nichols. “She gave a few of her friends each $20 to purchase her a gift that she would surprise wrapped in a gift bag and all. After that, for every the 10 pounds that she lost she’d take a gift bought by her friends. It was the most fun and exciting reward throughout the way.”

18of 18

Set Goals that go beyond the scale

If you’re doing everything right there will be a time where the scale will not move or your weight isn’t going to go away at the speed you’d hoped for. Don’t let it hinder you! You can track your progress in other ways, suggests Nichols. Set fitness goals -such as swimming or running further adhering to your routine every day or weekand then celebrate each of these little achievements she adds.

“Or make goals for healthier eating habits, such as taking your lunch to every day work and drinking at least 64 ounces fluids a day. Celebrate achieving these targets.” Celebration of these new landmarks can be an excellent way to keep your motivation to lose weight and remain determined to follow your regimen even during the days (or weeks) where the scale isn’t displaying your improvements.