Motivation
Wanting to lose weight is not at all uncommon. If anything it is close to being universal in today’s society. Of course the desire to lose weight is most common among people who actually could benefit from weight loss.
The desire is common, true; but unfortunately desire is not the same thing as motivation. When it comes to motivation, the hardest part is finding the right things to tell yourself. Often the right phrase as a personal mantra, even if it’s cliché like ‘you can do this’ or ‘you deserve to be healthy’, is all it takes.
The important thing to remember is that you’re not in this alone, and that there are many things you can do to stay motivated. One of my favorite tricks? Incorporating my hobbies and interests into my workout routines. Biking, swimming and outdoor walks (preferable nature hikes) are all things I enjoy and are “exercises” that I include in my daily life. (And I put “exercises” in quotes because I don’t see them as exercise, but rather as fun activities.)
Lifestyle Changes
Habits can be hard to break. Most people have a number of habits ingrained into their lifestyle, including habits that pertain to weight. Bad habits like being inactive and watching too much TV, for example, can make it very difficult to lose weight.
Making a lifestyle change almost always gets easier once you get used to it. If you find yourself struggling to break old habits, remember: this is the hard part. The more you practice healthy habits, the easier they become.
Eating Right
Never before have there been so many ‘diets’ and ‘programs’ and conflicting ideas and concepts about diet and what’s good and bad for weight loss and overall health.
With all of the conflicting information out there, including innumerable weight loss recipes and fad diets, there are some commonly accepted rules about how to eat healthy – especially when trying to lose weight. Just making a few simple changes can make all the difference, and be sure that these changes are doable, i.e. you can keep them up over a sustained period of time. Make changes slowly – don’t do anything drastic – as you will be able to be more comfortable with them over both the short and long-term.
Actually Exercising
Exercise doesn’t have to be the hardest part of weight loss. Just like with dieting, a few simple changes can add up. Taking the stairs instead of the escalator, walking to the local store instead of driving, going for a walk after dinner to help with digestion instead of sitting down; even small changes can expedite the weight loss process.
And if you are dreading working out or exercising, think of it this way. 30 minutes flies by when you don’t think about it, and that 30 minutes of exercise will not only make a big difference in your day; it will also make you feel so much better about yourself and help you stay motivated to keep on working out. So instead of watching a TV show tonight, go for a brisk walk or jog. I guarantee you will feel SO much better afterwards.
Stress
When stress comes into play it can make it especially difficult to deal with dieting, motivation, and all of the other challenges of losing weight. Some ways of dealing with stress are healthier than others. You can use stress to your advantage by letting it help motivate you further. Remember: exercising is a great way to alleviate stress because of the endorphin rush you get. Staying healthy both mentally and physically is vital in your weight loss.
