How to Get Motivated to Lose Weight

The process of weight loss is filled with challenges and the journey to achieve the ideal body weight can be full of disappointment. Motivation is a state of mind that allows you to set goals, take action, and follow your plan of action. There are many aspects that contribute to motivation including health, relationships, work, and finances. A few characteristics that stand out for those who are motivated to lose weight include:

Healthy Diet and Exercise Eating healthy and exercise daily keeps you in the state of mind that helps you set goals and stay motivated. When you eat healthy and exercise daily you increase your metabolism and burn more calories than you consume. This helps you shed unwanted pounds and feel great. When your body starts to look good you become more confident and this contributes to your motivation. Your self-esteem can impact your motivation to lose weight and you need to be happy with yourself so that you are motivated to do what it takes to stay in shape and be healthy.

Self-Confidence Feeling confident and good about yourself provides motivation to lose weight and move forward with the weight loss journey. When you have low self-confidence, you tend to overeat and are unable to start with a workout routine. Low self-esteem causes you to procrastinate and this interferes with your motivation. You need to learn to love yourself and be comfortable with your own body. Start by loving your body and you will begin to see progress as you lose motivation. Overcoming mental barriers can be one of the hardest parts of how to get motivated to lose weight.

Mindfulness mindful journey advances you through the weight loss motivation process as you allow yourself to experience pleasure without struggle. Achieving a sense of reward and overcoming negative thoughts helps you to feel empowered to continue on your journey. A journey without a destination is a dull journey. On your journey to reaching your goal you must develop a destination in which you want to get to.

Accountability Partner Develops a relationship with an accountability partner can provide additional motivation. Accountability partners can be family members or friends that can support you as you strive toward your goal. Having someone to talk to about your habits and motivators provides additional weight loss motivation. Having an accountability partner also provides motivation to make changes in your life and can help you avoid allowing new habits to develop because you are not accountable for them.

Habits Changing one's habits is often the most difficult aspect of how to get motivated to lose weight. People who eat too much, exercise too little, or are underweight have a hard time losing the extra pounds. Changing your eating habits and physical activity habits will require persistence. You cannot expect to change your eating habits on your own. It will take the commitment and motivation of those around you to make these changes work.

Self-Affirmation Finding and using positive self-affirming statements such as "I am a confident and healthy person", "I am loving and accepting of myself", and "I am a goal setter" will strengthen your motivation. These statements reaffirm your self and your ability to remain dedicated to your goal. Your confidence and self-esteem are your best motivation for losing weight. The more confidence and self-esteem you build in yourself; the more you will be willing to take the actions necessary to reach your goals.

In addition, the best way to build your weight-loss motivation is to start small and build your way up. You can begin by taking one simple step at a time. As you gain more experience and a higher sense of accomplishment you can add more challenging activities and challenges to your weight loss journey.