Motivational tips for weight loss
18 / 09 / 13
Bariatric Surgery
It can be a tough call to stay motivated when it comes to sustained weight-loss, maintenance and your fitness goals. Many coaches recommend that one of the best ways is to have a solid network of friends, family and supporters to help you accomplish your goals. But what if your family live miles away, friends aren’t available 24/7 or your loved ones aren’t as enthusiastic or supportive as you’d like them to be?
Well, with a little know-how, you can overcome these obstacles and put in place your own cheer-leading support system for when the going gets tough. Here are a few motivational tips for weight loss!
* Find yourself some virtual friends. Forums, message boards and other online communities enable you to make friends with like-minded people regardless of where they live. Log on, listen, and if you feel like it, have a chat.
* Set yourself a little challenge. Aim for something do-able and achievable but something that needs just that little extra push. Perhaps one of your virtual buddies may join you in the challenge.
* Commit to a weekly weigh-in … even if it’s just with a log-on weight-monitoring set up … it serves as a reminder of how far you have come. Alternatively check in with a supportive member of your family or a friend once a week with a weigh-in update … it might be just what you need to help you stay on track.
* Set up a reward system for yourself. Throw a coin or note in a jar for every 1lb/kg you lose or every exercise session completed, then use for a healthy treat in a few months time.
* Give yourself a pep talk to reaffirm your goals from time to time; write a regular journal that sets out your goals, struggles, setbacks, successes and accomplishments; or take some photos or make a video diary that reminds you of your journey. It can be a great way to support yourself when there is no one else around to do so.
* Supporters don’t just have to be people … enlist your pet as your workout partner. Think of your dog or horse, for example, as your daily motivator … they always need and rarely decline an exercise opportunity.
* Our final motivational tip for weight loss, surround yourself with success. Indulge yourself with feel-good stories of those who have succeeded in magazines, books and TV or weight-loss reality shows. Such stories can lift your spirits when motivation is flagging, and reading or watching how someone else has pushed through their limitations may be all you need to help you through some tricky times too.