The enigma of weight loss motivation often leaves us wondering about its origin and why it can vanish abruptly, leaving us demotivated without any discernible cause.
When we embark on the journey to enhance our well-being and fitness, most of us experience a surge of motivation—a burning desire that propels us off the couch and into the realm of exercise, whether it’s at the gym, in our backyards, or at a nearby park.
Personally, I treasure those moments of motivation because, without them, my life might not have undergone any positive changes.
If you haven’t encountered that transformative spark yet, I wish I could provide you with a foolproof method to kickstart your motivation, but the truth is, it varies for each individual.
Your unique catalyst depends on your lifestyle and circumstances. As for myself, I vividly recall the profound feeling of illness I experienced the morning after devouring an entire tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream back in February 2012.
Various triggers, such as photos, comments from friends, or struggling with simple physical tasks due to poor fitness, often serve as the turning point that inspires individuals to change their lives.
However, motivation can fade as quickly as it appears, and that’s the unfortunate reality.
Many of us have likely experienced this sudden evaporation of drive and, feeling disheartened, resorted to scouring the internet or books for lists of ways to stay motivated or strategies to increase our motivation.
We desperately search for that elusive “magic bullet” that will keep us away from indulging in unhealthy treats.
Michelle Bridges, arguably Australia’s most renowned personal trainer, argues that such a magic bullet doesn’t exist.
In an article for Mamamia, she candidly confesses that she doesn’t particularly enjoy exercising and doesn’t wake up every morning brimming with excitement for a run or weightlifting session.
It seems her exuberant enthusiasm is reserved for the cameras. According to her, you simply have to “just do it” and stop relying on motivation.
Exercise and healthy eating must become deeply ingrained in your lifestyle, as routine as brushing your teeth or taking a shower—no thinking, just doing.
While I largely agree with Michelle, I contend that exercise can be enjoyable once you push yourself beyond the pain threshold.
Exercise endorphins wield tremendous power, having kept me off antidepressants during challenging periods of my life.
Here are my personal tips for staying motivated on your weight loss journey:
1. Consider how you’ll feel in an hour when the workout is done. Regret is seldom associated with working out, but not doing it often leads to remorse.
2. Keep handy some visual reminders, such as photos.
These could include pictures of yourself during the “bad old days,” before-and-after success stories of others, or images depicting activities you aspire to do, like rock-climbing or playing with your child in the park.
Vision boards, despite sounding clichéd, can be remarkably potent.
3. Occasionally, I describe myself in the third person, saying things like, “Gen is fit and strong. She lifts and throws objects, hikes through mud for miles, and can run, jump, and skip.”
Then, I remind myself that even if I’ve accomplished just one of those activities once, it’s already true. Live as if your vision is a reality and your goal has already been achieved.
4. Motivational sayings can work wonders for some individuals. One of my favorites is, “Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels.”
While this might sound like an old Weight Watchers slogan (any resemblance is purely coincidental), it resonates with me.
Despite chocolate cake tasting heavenly, the feeling of a flat, toned stomach beneath my shirt while walking down the street is priceless.
I often place my hand on my waist, marveling at the fact that I actually have a waist, considering it was once a distant dream.
Feeling light, energetic, fit, strong, and confident—these experiences are immeasurable.
Additionally, two more suggestions related to measurement include:
5. Take regular measurements, particularly of your waist and hips if you’re a woman.
You can also measure your upper arms, chest, and thighs, but bear in mind that muscle gain in these areas may occur, so don’t let discouragement set in.
While weighing yourself is an option, scales tend to fluctuate significantly, and gaining muscle weight is normal. Thus, it’s best to focus on progress, not perfection.
6. If motivation wanes for several days or weeks, it may be time to reassess your goals.
Scrutinize them closely and determine whether they adhere to the SMART principle—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
For instance, setting a goal like “having a hot body within a year” is not a smart goal. What does “hot body” even mean? Why a year? How will you know when you’ve achieved it?
The sad truth is that many of us who have battled weight issues and poor fitness may have a permanently distorted self-perception, never truly believing that we’ve reached our goals.
Instead, set objectives like “being able to perform 10 proper push-ups within 3 months” (performed on your toes, not knees, with your chest as close to the ground as possible).
Subsequently, aim for 5 one-handed push-ups within 12 months. These are merely examples, tailored to my personal fascination with push-ups!
In the event that all other strategies fail and you have exhausted every motivational technique, it’s time for a break.
However, don’t spend a week idly indulging in cake, as I have been guilty of doing.
Instead, take a few days to focus on mostly healthy eating, engage in as much physical activity as possible, read your favorite books, and simply relax.
Remind yourself that weight gain didn’t happen overnight, and a brief respite won’t lead to significant setbacks.
It’s possible that you’re physically and mentally fatigued, with constant rumination and obsession over your goals taking a toll on your motivation.
I empathize with this feeling, having experienced it numerous times myself.
Try trusting yourself and your body, knowing that the seeds of good habits have been firmly planted and a few days’ break will help that elusive motivation resurface.
Chances are, you’ll find yourself missing exercise, as I often do.
After just a couple of days of reverting to my previous eating habits (large servings of carb-heavy food), I start yearning for salads again. It’s a true story!
Over the past 4-5 years, I have successfully shed nearly 30% of my body weight, transitioning from a miserable, pre-diabetic size 18 to a fit and healthy size 8-10.
The weight loss journey has transformed my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined.
No Comments