Stay Motivated

Maximize Your Motivation

By Bob Greene

Think of how you feel when you first begin a weight-loss plan: You're excited, motivated and committed. You vigilantly count calories or follow the meal plan exactly, you're at the gym just as it opens and you don't even think twice about the vending machine when you walk by it to get to your desk. If only you could bottle up all that motivation and save it for those times when you're tempted to get off track. It's natural to get frustrated or feel disappointed from time to time as you're trying to slim down, but you can use these strategies to stay motivated and on track until you reach your goals.


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Evaluate your goals.

Do some soul-searching to tap into what you really want to achieve, and it shouldn't be just a surface goal like losing weight. Too often people put all their emotional eggs in the weight-loss basket, so their emotions and motivation are tied to what the scale says, and that's a huge mistake. Instead, look at all the things you gain as you lose, like more energy, better sleep and improved self-esteem.

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Plan ahead.

Even on those days when you're not feeling all that motivated, if you see "gym" written into your calendar, you'll be more likely to keep the commitment. Likewise, if you scheduled in an hour to go grocery shopping, you're more likely to get to the store. Being organized makes life a little less overwhelming, which in turn, makes you more apt to carry through with your plans-including those involving diet and exercise.

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Take it one day at a time.

The people who rarely lose motivation are those who ask themselves every day: How can I improve myself or my life today? They know they have a choice each day to lead a healthy, inspired life. They know that they'll have some bad days, but they always pick themselves up and stay positive. If you can do this, you will reach a point where you feel that you deserve to live the life you've always envisioned for yourself, and you'll do whatever it takes to make it happen.

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Don't become obsessed with the scale.

I've seen too many clients get discouraged because there was an uptick in their weight or they didn't lose as much as they'd hoped. Water retention, your menstrual cycle, the natural fluctuation of water throughout the day and a variety of other factors can affect the number on the scale. It's fine to step on the scale periodically. On "The Best Life Diet," I ask people to avoid the scale for the first month, and then weigh in no more than once a week and no less than once a month after that. But also try to use other ways to measure your progress, such as your energy level or even the way a favorite pair of pants fit.

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Ask yourself some questions.

The answers to why it's so hard to stay motivated will depend on the individual. Ask yourself how you feel when you're eating healthfully and working out regularly. In my experience, I've never heard someone say that while being on a program of healthy living, it wasn't worth it or that they didn't feel great. They're always asking why they didn't continue. You have to assess why you're doing something every day-and hopefully it's not just about losing weight, but living your best life. Remind yourself of these answers whenever you feel like you're losing steam.

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Set long-term goals.

Say you joined a weight-loss plan because you wanted to fit into a dress for a class reunion or a wedding. That's a great goal, but what happens when the event comes and goes? If you can focus less on these surface goals and more on making a commitment to live a healthy, fulfilled life, you'll be way better off. In fact, that's one of the main differences between those who are successful long-term and those who just dabble in weight loss.

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Find pleasure alternatives.

Humans are hard-wired to seek pleasure and satisfaction-simply put, we don't like discomfort. There's nothing you can do to change this, so the key is to derive pleasure from other things in your life, such as friendships, your sense of community or your career.

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Find balance.

When you focus on losing weight, you can easily lose sight of other parts of your life-especially those that needed attention in the first place. Instead of finding fulfillment and satisfaction from your relationships or career, you may look to the shrinking numbers on the scale. But neglecting certain priorities as you try to slim down will only lead to more stress because when an area in your life is unsatisfied, you're more likely to run to the refrigerator. So, try to work on improving all aspects of your life, and take pleasure in making progress, no matter how small, in each area.

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