How to motivate yourself to lose weight
I’m trying to lose weight again. Since moving to London I feel like I’ve put on a significant amount of weight - which isn’t bad, just not ideal. I’ve eaten amazing food and have no complaints about that, but I know I need to lose a stone to be healthier. A few years ago I was diagnosed with hyper mobility, as well as arthritis, so I’m meant to stay within my BMI to prevent any strain and pain. I’ve never taken to diet plans, or tried to change what I eat, but I’ve always loved working out. Thanks to the current lockdown that isn’t completely possible, so I’m trying to find a way to motivate myself.
Here’s some tips I’ve found on motivating yourself to exercise in lockdown:
Have realistic expectations
Setting unattainable goals can lead to feelings of frustration and cause you to give up. On the contrary, setting and accomplishing achievable goals leads to feelings of accomplishment. Also, people who reach their self-determined weight loss goals are more likely to maintain their weight loss long-term.
The good news is that just a little weight loss of 5–10% of your body weight can have a large impact on your health. If you are 180 pounds (82 kg), that is just 9–18 pounds (4–8 kg). If you are 250 pounds (113 kg), it’s 13–25 pounds (6–11 kg).
In fact, losing 5–10% of your body weight can:
Improve blood sugar control
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Lower cholesterol levels
Reduce joint pain
Reduce the risk of certain cancers
Focus on process goals
Many people trying to lose weight only set outcome goals, or goals they want to accomplish at the end.
Typically, an outcome goal will be your final target weight.
However, focusing only on outcome goals can derail your motivation. They can often feel too distant and leave you feeling overwhelmed (1Trusted Source).
Instead, you should set process goals, or what actions you’re going to take to reach your desired outcome. An example of a process goal is exercising four times a week.
A study in 126 overweight women participating in a weight loss program found those who were process focused were more likely to lose weight and less likely to deviate from their diets, compared to those who focused on weight loss outcomes alone (1Trusted Source).
Consider setting SMART goals to set strong goals. SMART stands for (1Trusted Source):
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-based
Some examples of SMART goals include:
I will walk briskly for 30 minutes five days next week.
I will eat four servings of vegetables every day this week.
I will only drink one soda this week.
Keep a weight loss journal
Self-monitoring is crucial to weight loss motivation and success.
Research has found that people who track their food intake are more likely to lose weight and maintain their weight loss (12Trusted Source).
However, to keep a food journal correctly, you must write down everything you eat. This includes meals, snacks and the piece of candy you ate off your coworker’s desk.
You can also record your emotions in your food journal. This can help you identify certain triggers for overeating and help you find healthier ways to cope.
You can keep food journals on pen and paper or use a website or app. They have all been proven effective (13Trusted Source).
Celebrate your success
Losing weight is hard, so celebrate all your successes to keep yourself motivated.
Give yourself some credit when you accomplish a goal. Social media or weight loss sites with community pages are great places to share your successes and get support. When you feel pride in yourself, you will increase your motivation (1Trusted Source).
Moreover, remember to celebrate behavior changes and not just reaching a certain number on the scale.
For example, if you met your goal of exercising four days a week, take a bubble bath or plan a fun night with friends.
Additionally, you can further improve your motivation by rewarding yourself (1Trusted Source).
However, it’s important to pick appropriate rewards. Avoid rewarding yourself with food. Also, avoid rewards that are so expensive you would never buy it, or so insignificant that you would allow yourself to have it anyway.
The following are some good examples of rewards:
Getting a manicure
Going to a movie
Buying a new running top
Taking a cooking class
Think and talk positively
People who have positive expectations and feel confident in their ability to achieve their goals tend to lose more weight (15).
Also, people who use “change talk” are more likely to follow through with plans.
Change talk is making statements about commitment to behavioral changes, the reasons behind them and the steps you will take or are taking to reach your goals (16Trusted Source).
Therefore, start talking positively about your weight loss. Also, talk about the steps you are going to take and commit your thoughts out loud.
On the other hand, research shows that people who spend a lot of time only fantasizing about their dream weight are less likely to reach their goal. This is called mentally indulging.
Instead, you should mentally contrast. To mentally contrast, spend a few minutes imagining reaching your goal weight and then spend another few minutes imagining any possible obstacles that may get in the way.
A study in 134 students had them mentally indulge or mentally contrast their dieting goals. Those who mentally contrasted were more likely to take action. They ate fewer calories, exercised more and ate fewer high-calorie foods (15).
As seen in this study, mentally contrasting is more motivating and leads to more action than mentally indulging, which can trick your brain into thinking you have already succeeded and cause you to never take any action to reach your goals.