motivation

Define Your Motivation

Weight loss is a three-part process: Exercising and cutting calories are vital, but your mental outlook can mean the difference between success and failure.

“Self-defeating thoughts are often the most overlooked factors when a dieter gets off track,” says Jeffrey Wilbert, PhD, author of Fattitudes: Beat Self-Defeat and Win Your War with Weight (St. Martin’s Press, 2000). “You feel disappointed when a quick fix turns out to be anything but, or weak if you succumb to an intense craving for ice cream.” Without the resolve to overcome such thoughts, sticking with any major lifestyle change can be difficult, if not impossible.

The key is to adopt the right attitude before you start your plan. “If you’re really serious about slimming down, you need to think long-term. That’s why it helps to ready yourself emotionally to take on the challenge,” says Daniel C. Stettner, PhD, a behavioral-medicine specialist at Northpointe Health Center in Berkley, Michigan. These eight strategies will help strengthen your mind-set.

You probably have lots of reasons for wanting to lose weight. Not all, however, may be good ones. “If your decision develops primarily out of pressure from someone else, your conviction to succeed could diminish over time,” says Stettner. “To ensure success, you need to develop the will to improve your life, not someone else’s vision of it.”

 

. Design Your Own Plan

Rather than trying every new diet fad, create your own plan that will fit your lifestyle. You need to cut out only 150 calories a day to lose 15 pounds in a year, so start small.

“Little changes to your current eating style, like downsizing portions or preparing foods differently, can add up to big results,” says Stettner.

Think about the foods you can — and can’t — live without, then try to work your diet around them. Love chocolate? Have a small piece every day. If you’re a born snacker, divide your daily calories into six or seven mini meals so you always feel like you’re having a nibble. Whatever you do, don’t give up your favorite foods. You’ll inevitably feel deprived, which will only make your cravings stronger — and your willpower weaker.

 

 

CHART YOUR PROGRESS

Weight loss is serious business. Treat it that way. Weigh yourself every morning–a study in the Annals of Behavior Medicine shows that people who do daily weigh-ins are more successful losers–and write the number down. If you’re even vaguely computer savvy, it’s a snap to create a chart with a fever line that shows the pounds dropping away over time. When you get discouraged–say, you haven’t lost a pound in a week–seeing your long-term progress will boost your motivation.

Face Your Reflection

FACE YOUR REFLECTION

When you feel fat you probably shun mirrors. Turns out you should do the opposite. A study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that mirror-exposure therapy–staring at your bod in the mirror and stifling the usual criticisms of your thighs–can improve body image, which, as we said in rule 10, can help keep you committed to healthy eating. Try it: Speak to your reflection without using any negatively charged words. For example, instead of “I have a huge butt,” say, “My waist looks smaller thanks to my curves.”

Become A Class Regular

BECOME A CLASS REGULAR

Join a group exercise class and make friends with your fellow regulars. Seeing your pals will inspire you to attend even when you feel like playing hooky. The guilt factor–always highly motivating–can help here too. After all, in a place where everybody knows your name, they’ll also know when you’ve missed a workout.