When you’re taking your first steps in a weight loss journey, it can feel like you’re completely alone. But the fact is that almost 40% of adults in the United States are overweight, about half of whom are actively trying to lose weight.
So before we go any further, remind yourself that you’re not alone! Millions of people are taking the same steps that you are, feeling the same struggles and, at times, the same lack of motivation.
The trick is to know how to get motivated so that even at your lowest moments, you can continue to push forward in your quest to improve your health, fitness, or appearance. And we’re here to help you do just that.
Outlined below is everything you need to know when it comes to how to get motivated to lose weight. Keep reading to learn more.
Know Your Why
The first thing you need to do is determine your “why”. Why do you want to lose weight? Forget everything you’ve ever been told regarding this step – there is no wrong answer.
If you want to add years to your life by strengthening your heart, great! If you want to look fantastic in a bikini this summer, fantastic! Everyone’s “why” is different. Whatever gets you excited about weight loss is the correct answer for you.
Once you have your “why” in mind, write it down somewhere that you’ll see it often. This can be in your planner, on your phone, or on the bathroom mirror. The location doesn’t matter, as long as you’ll see it every day.
Set Your Goals the Right Way
You now have your “why” and you’re feeling excited about weight loss. At this point, it’s time to set some goals. Now, when it comes to goal setting, many people approach it entirely incorrectly. The way you set your goals has a major effect on the likelihood that you’ll reach them.
If your goal to this point has been “to lose weight,” you need to make some adjustments. Don’t get us wrong, this is a great jumping-off point, but to maximize your chances of reaching your goal, it needs to be SMART.
What does this mean? Well, a SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-sensitive.
So, let’s take your goal of losing weight and make it a bit smarter. Your goal should be something like “I will lose 20 pounds by June of this year. I will do this by increasing my activity and decreasing my caloric intake.”
Remember, attainable is one of the keywords here. Though we’d all love to reach our goals overnight, it’s simply not possible. You should aim for losing 1-2 pounds per week at most to do so in a healthy, sustainable way.
When it comes to diet, do your research to determine the right choice for you. For example, understanding the differences between the HCG diet and keto can help you decide if either is the way forward. Whichever diet you choose, be sure that it’s something you can maintain for the foreseeable future.
Act as if You Made It
Believe it or not, one of the best motivational tips we can give you is to act as if you’ve already attained your goals. This might seem odd, but it’s an excellent tool for cultivating motivation and a sense of empowerment.
Close your eyes and imagine that you just reached your goal weight. How do you feel, both inside and out? What does your lifestyle look like? What do you eat? What sorts of activities do you participate in?
Now open your eyes. There’s no reason that you can’t be that person right now! Live as if you’ve already conquered your goals and you’ll be much more likely to reach them. This is because you’ll avoid falling into negative thought patterns that prevent you from building weight loss motivation no matter how many weight loss tips you learn.
Find an Accountability Partner
If you’re struggling to figure out how to get motivated to work out, one of the best things you can do is find an accountability partner. Everything is harder if the only person we have to answer to is ourselves. But this is especially true when we’re attempting something that requires a great deal of self-discipline and perseverance.
Also Read: Chris Diamond Wikipedia, Bio, Height, Weight, Girlfriend, Net Worth
With an accountability partner, you have someone who knows your goals and what you need to do to get there. Let’s say part of your plan is to go on a run every evening. The simple knowledge that your friend or family member will know if you don’t do it is often enough to make you lace up your running shoes.
This person shouldn’t be there to punish you but to go through this journey with you as you encourage and build each other up along the way. If you don’t have a supportive group of people around you to choose from, there’s nothing wrong with finding an accountability partner online.
Thanks to the internet, you can find whole communities of like-minded individuals ready to cheer you on and give you motivation when you need it at the touch of a button.
Learn How to Get Motivated to Kickstart Your Fitness Journey
Figuring out how to get motivated to lose weight can be tough. The good news is, once you get started, you’ll begin to build momentum. Once this happens, it won’t be long before your momentum will carry you forward.
Making smart choices that bring you closer to your goal won’t require motivation, they’ll simply be what you do.
Interested in learning more about improving your health and fitness? Take a look at our blog!
