If we’re completely honest with ourselves, it’s far easier not to lose weight and to maintain an unhealthy lifestyle than it is to change things and get fit and healthy, even when we know it’s what we really should be doing. However, if being overweight is causing your everyday life to suffer and means you cannot do all the things you want to, you need to do something about it. Finding the motivation to lose weight can be hard even so, but here are some ways to do it. 

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Find Your Reason 

Before you can really feel motivated to lose weight, you need to know what your reason is for doing it. It might be so that you can play more comfortably with your children (and for longer). You might want to lower your cholesterol, or your blood pressure – or both. Perhaps you need treatment for a specific condition that losing weight would help to reduce the symptoms of. You may simply want to wear the clothes you have in your closet that are currently too small. Whatever the reason, you need to find it and remember it every time you consider skipping your workout or eating something you know is bad for you. This will help to keep you on track. 

Find Support 

Losing weight with no support is not an easy thing to do. There is, for example, no one to hold you accountable if you don’t do what you are meant to, and no one to turn to when you feel worried about something, or you are having a hard time. You can enlist the help of friends and family if that works for you – perhaps you can even find a workout or diet buddy, and you can help one another. An alternative is to join an online community. This can be of great benefit to those who prefer to speak to strangers than the people they know and love, and it can make things easier, depending on your personality. 

Reward Yourself 

Some people find that working towards a reward that they have set up for themselves is a great way to stay motivated. This reward can be anything but shouldn’t be food-related if possible, or you’ll start to undo all your hard work. If you have a date in mind to reach your next goal, then you could buy yourself something for a specific date, such as tickets to a show. If you buy them in advance, you’ll have something definite to work towards and a fantastic treat when you get there. 

Progress, Not Perfection

Something that can put people off from reaching their goals and leave them feeling particularly unmotivated is that they are not reaching ‘perfection’ quickly enough. What needs to be remembered is that perfection is almost impossible to obtain, no matter how hard you work. That’s because there will always be something else to reach once you hit your next target. So instead of aiming for perfection, aim instead for progress. That way, you will see the changes happening and remain motivated. 

Keep A Weight Loss Journal 

Self-monitoring is essential for motivation and success in weight reduction. According to research, those who measure their food consumption are more likely to lose weight and keep it off. To maintain a proper food journal, you must write down everything you eat and drink. This includes lunches, snacks, and anything you know you shouldn’t have eaten but did anyway; you can’t keep a food journal if you omit the things you wish you hadn’t consumed. 

You can also keep a food diary in which you note your feelings. This will help you identify specific triggers for overeating and find healthy methods to cope. You can keep a good journal on paper or on a website or app, as both options have all been shown to be effective.

Plan For Setbacks 

Everyday pressures will always be present. Finding strategies to prepare for them and having appropriate coping skills can ensure you remain motivated no matter what life throws at you. There will always be occasions to celebrate, such as holidays, birthdays, or parties. There will always be pressures at work or at home. It’s critical to begin problem solving and thinking about potential weight reduction obstacles and setbacks. This will keep you on track and prevent you from losing motivation.

Many people seek solace in eating. This might soon lead to people giving up on their weight reduction ambitions. Developing adequate coping skills can help you avoid this happening to you. In fact, studies have shown that those who are better at dealing with stress and have better coping methods lose more weight and keep it off for a longer period of time.