How to Stay Motivated to Lose Weight

You need to have a look of determination on your face if you are going to be able to lose a few pounds.

Motivation is a huge part of weight loss. If you aren’t motivated, you won’t slim down; it’s as simple as that. It takes a lot of motivation and will power not to have seconds at dinner, but it takes even more to get to the gym and actually exercise when you’re there. You have already taken an important first step by wanting to lose weight and get fit, but you actually have to do something to see results. Diet and exercise are integral to actually taking the weight off, and the following strategies should help keep you in an inspired, motivated frame of mind.

Dress the part

No, this doesn’t mean that you should shimmy into pants that are two sizes too small. This means that when you are supposed to be going to the gym or working out, put on your gym clothes!

If you intend to work out first thing in the morning, put on your gym clothes. If you want to exercise right after work, put on your sweats immediately when you get home. If you want to pump iron after you drop the kids off at school, after dinner or any other time, put on your gym clothes as soon as possible! You get the idea!

I don’t expect you to put on your tennis shoes and running shorts to go to the office, but be reasonable. If you are supposed to have your daily jog right after breakfast, don’t wake up and proceed to take a shower and do your hair and put on a nice outfit. I am most likely to skip the gym if I have my makeup done and a sweet sundress on and think I look really cute. And I am 99.99% sure that if you see yourself in the mirror and think you’re looking good, you might not want to change clothes and go get sweaty for the next hour. If you already are in your cross trainers and an old t-shirt, you have better odds of getting in a workout.

Bring a buddy

People who work out with a partner are more likely to actually work out. You keep each other in check and suggest fun new ways for the other to get fit. Also, it’s usually a real pleasure to work out with a pal. The main way this is motivating is that you actually show up for your workout! If you have someone waiting for you at the gym, you aren’t going to skip out and leave them hanging.

Even better, pay for a buddy: hire a personal trainer. If you are paying someone to be there for you, you won’t want to miss an appointment and be out money. It also helps that you will be getting expert advice tailored to you, which will help you see results faster.

Measure your progress

You can get addicted to success, and this includes your weight loss!
Buy a scale and weigh yourself once a week at the same time.  As you see that number getting smaller and smaller, you will become more and more excited about losing weight and will be more inclined to stick with your program.

Also keep track of other markers of success. Measure your waist, hips, chest, arms, butt, thighs and anywhere else where you feel like you could lose a few inches. Write down the measurements, and compare them to your measurements week after week. As you see your body shrink on paper, you will know you are getting results and will be more excited about working out, even if you don’t see the change when you look in the mirror.

While you are at it, take pictures of yourself once a week, preferably in the same thing. You see yourself all the time so it is more difficult for you to see your progress, but other people will notice. When you take photos, you get to see your body and how fit and slim it is becoming with a fresh set of eyes. Again, seeing results will keep you motivated to go back to the gym consistently.

Conclusion

Even if you hate exercising, it is possible to stay motivated and excited about losing weight and getting fit and healthy. By dressing like you are ready to work out, you can manage to trick yourself into actually doing it. Keeping a workout buddy helps you be accountable to someone else for following through on your fitness goals. Finally, by measuring  your progress, you are able to see more quickly that there is progress, which will make you want to work out and eat right even more.

There are plenty of other ways to stay inspired and motivated on your weight loss journey. Different tips and tricks work for different people, so do what is best for you. Remember, by simply wanting to lose weight, get healthy and be fit you have already taken the first steps toward success, now you just need to stick with it.