Making a change is tough, but sticking to it is even tougher. There is a reason why only 9% of those who make New Year’s resolutions actually succeed in fulfilling them.
A large proportion of these resolutions are weight-related, so why is it so difficult to find weight loss motivation?
We know obesity is bad for our health, but we still look for excuses to avoid the gym and eat unhealthy foods.
Government research reveals that approximately 4 out of 5 American adults don’t exercise as much as they should.
There is a reason for our struggles: real results take time.
Sure, it’s frustrating to put in hours of hard work every day and step on a scale that’s reluctant to budge.
However, there are several approaches you can take to keep yourself focused on your weight-related goals.
Keep reading if you want to learn how to stay motivated during you weight loss journey!
1. Listen to Music Before Your Workout
Many people have music playlists for working out. Music serves as a fantastic way to stay motivated during a workout.
However, a workout music playlist is only useful if you’re already in the gym. A lot of issues with weight loss motivation have to do with convincing yourself to go to the gym in the first place.
Therefore, a great way to get yourself in the mood to workout is to put together pre-workout playlists.
This playlist should be full of songs that get you pumped up and ready to hit the gym.
Some people prefer music that gets them dancing, while others can only need angry music.
Regardless of your preference, listen to short playlist 10-20 minutes before your scheduled workout.
2. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
This might seem like an odd one because so many movies and TV feature the old trope of the character doing situps in front of a poster.
It’s perfectly fine to have a mental image of what you want to look like. It’s even fine to use the words of fitness gurus or celebrities as motivation.
But the truth is that most of the people you see in magazines or TV shows have been working out for years. Even many of the people you notice around you in the gym didn’t start to look like that overnight.
The last thing you want to do is demoralize yourself by comparing your body to that of others.
Instead, focus on the progress you’re making, and this will help add fuel to your weight loss motivation.
3. Remember to Reward Yourself
Most people respond to incentives. When it comes to weight loss motivation, it’s best to give ourselves as many incentives as we can.
A great way to do this is through rewards. The perfect reward can be a relaxing activity, such as hanging out with friends.
You can use food as a reward as well. The best way to do this is to schedule your workouts before a meal. Just make sure you aren’t doing high-intensity workouts with no energy.
The bottom line is this: Pick something you really enjoy that won’t harm your weight loss goals. Save your pleasurable activities for after your workout in order to motivate yourself to workout.
4. Set Aside Time
One of the most common excuses most people give for their lack of weight loss motivation is that they don’t have time to workout.
The reality is that our everyday lives can be hectic, sure, and many events can spring up randomly. However, there are plenty of ways to allocate 16 hours in a day.
The best way to prevent yourself from running out of time is to set aside time for your workout beforehand.
Ideally, you should schedule your workouts during the same time every day. This forms a positive habit, which can be very difficult to break.
Once you have your daily schedule set, it will be much easier to make minor adjustments if anything unexpected springs up.
5. Make It Fun
It’s hard to maintain your weight loss motivation if you dread your workouts. But when your workouts become stale, it’s very difficult to avoid dreading them.
This is why you have to do everything in your power to keep your workouts fresh. Incorporate new equipment, or try different variations of the same exercise.
In fact, it’s much more beneficial to switch things up once in a while. This prevents your body from adapting to your workout.
If your typical cardio becomes tiresome, try a new hobby. Dancing classes or a pickup basketball game at your local park can often burn just as many calories as a short session on the treadmill.
6. Focus on What Matters to You
It’s hard to stay motivated if you lack direction.
In order to find direction, you need to ask yourself the following question: why am I doing this?
There are many reasons why people pursue weight loss. Some do it for health reasons, whereas others do it to improve their physical appearance.
Regardless of your primary reason for pursuing weight loss, write it down on paper, or include it on you phone’s wallpaper. Remind yourself of it every single day.
Make this your main priority in life, or at least put it near the top of your list. This will ensure you cannot ignore it.
7. Set the Right Goals
Having the wrong goals can severely impact your weight loss motivation—and never in a good way.
When it comes to goals, you want to make them as realistic as possible. If you set unattainable goals, you set yourself up for failure.
Often times, it’s better to set goals for specific exercises than to do so with your weight. This will help keep you more motivated.
Aim to improve your speed on the bike, or strive to increase the weight on your dumbbell lunges.
You can be specific, but keep focus on keeping your goals realistic!
Final Thoughts on Weight Loss Motivation
Losing weight is a challenge, and we all know that. But with the right approach, you can tackle all of your issues pertaining to weight loss motivation.
Remember, each approach mentioned in the article is only a suggestion. It’s extremely important for you to find out what works best for you.
If you want to read more useful info that will help guide you in your weight loss journey, check out our blog. Also, if you’re in the Chicago area and need a personal trainer that will keep you motivated, you can schedule your free visit with us.
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