It is often said the most successful weight loss programs are the ones where you 'finish the way you start' but doing this can be quite a challenge. We always start new health programs on a 'high' with great intentions and plenty of enthusiasm but as we continue our goals for weight loss week in week out can seem more difficult to achieve and the effort this requires, more demanding. We know however that despite this predictable drop in commitment and drive, there are reliable ways to keep focused and continue to reach our goals.
Locate a picture that reveals your true body shape when you were way too heavy and attach it to the door of your refrigerator. Make sure that it shows you at your very unhealthiest and is placed strategically near the door handle so that you will see it every time you are tempted to go hunt for a slice of cheesecake. Whenever you see your picture, remind yourself that you are changing and will soon have nothing in common with this photo except perhaps the attractive eyes!
Set weight loss goals and rewards for yourself and write down these goals and rewards. Things like 'When I lose five pounds I will buy that fabulous red dress' or 'When I can fit back into my skinny jeans I'll treat myself to those boots that will look great with my skinny jeans.' Perhaps 'When I lose thirty pounds I'm going to Florida for a vacation and I'm actually going to buy a swimsuit and go in the water.'
Begin your weight loss and enjoy the outcome of this across shorter timeframes as well as across the longer haul. Keep records of your diet progress and refer to these to enjoy the benefits of all your efforts and notice your increasing weight loss and your changing body shape week by week and over the longer time frame.
Start a blog, name it My Weight Loss Week, and get a little digital support. Starting a blog will help you stay motivated to keep going because now you are accountable to your readers to stay on your diet and keep losing weight. Having a blog will also get you a lot of support from your readers in the form of helpful comments and emails to keep you motivated to stay on track.
We live in world where the visual image is a powerful motivator, so find some photos or pictures of what you want to look like and will look like when you reach your target weight. Display them at home, in your office, even on your screen saver so that these positive images will begin to imprint at a deep level and motivate your weight loss week in week out. In the end you may even look better than your healthy body motivating image!
Read by going online or read books that detail the stories and successes of other people who have lost weight successfully. Reading about the success of others will help inspire you to keep going. After all, someday someone might be reading about your struggle with weight loss as a way to stay motivated and to stay on their diet!
Try new things and do not get stuck in a food or exercise rut. Try new ways to exercise. Consider a martial arts class, belly dancing, or take some friends to a roller rink or ice rink to skate for the afternoon or even go sledding or skiing. No matter what the season, there is sure to be some new outdoor or physical activity you can try to change your routine a little and take the focus off your weight loss week by week.
Surround yourself with friends and family who are genuinely committed to your weight loss and are prepared to do all they can to assist you with this. This does not include those whose subversive ways will encourage you to give up exercise or stop a healthy diet, for any reason and who prevent the progress which is possible for you. There is no place for in your life for these people because you are in control of your weight loss week by week and you will have no one stop you from reaching your goal.