Weight Loss Motivation - Keep up your fitness routine
When it comes to weight loss motivation, are you an exercise drop-out?
You start, full of good intentions, resolving to get fit, healthy and slim and then, somewhere along the line, you lose interest and stop going for your walks, stop attending your class. It's a common pattern. Why do we do this?
Do you say to yourself...?
- It's too much effort. I can't be bothered.
- I don't have enough time, I'm under enough pressure as it is
- It's much harder than I thought
- I'm not enjoying it
- I can't see what difference my fitness routine is making
- I feel too awkward, I feel people are looking at me
Ask yourself why you no longer have the level of desire that you once had, to find the clues you need to know what to do about it. Your own weight loss motivation will be a combination of factors unique to you.
Do you still want all that exercise can deliver?
If you do, then it means finding a way to keep your desire to be fit alive, while reducing the things that make exercise feel like a negative experience for you.
Motivate yourself to keep going :
- Focus constantly on what exercise can give you. This is a key principle for Weight Loss Motivation. If you don't really want the results you will get, you will never keep up your routine. Continually confirm to yourself your decision to get fit, slim and healthy.
- Look at how you feel about exercise
- Before
- During
- After
- Just resolve to do a little. Constantly tell yourself that you are doing well while exercising, knowing that you can stop at any minute. Don't distort how hard it is in your mind. People often exaggerate the effort, the discomfort of exerting themselves. Feel the pleasure of pushing yourself a little. Some discomfort is part of really beneficial exercise. Acknowledge those sensations as momentary.
- Focus on the things you like about exercise rather than the discomfort - the good feeling you have about yourself once you've done your session, the feeling of being out in the fresh air, the camaraderie of the girls in your class, the great music etc.
- Focus on the good you're doing to yourself, not how unfit you feel.
- Say to yourself "I'm getting stronger, slimmer and fitter every second I keep going". You are doing yourself some good every time you exercise. Don't worry about visible results. Congratulate yourself every time you take any exercise at all.
- Don't compare yourself to others. There will always be people slimmer or fitter than you. Make the focus of your weight loss motivation your own personal best.
- Resolve to reserve the time for exercise. What is more important than your health? Watching TV? Cleaning? Overtime at work? I don't think so. What priority are you giving your well-being. Remember that if you are fit, well and happy with yourself this will benefit others too. Every child deserves a happy parent, every boss would rather have a fit employee.
- Adopt a positive attitude towards exercise. Decide to look forward to each session and to get the maximum benefit out of it.
- Chart your progress. You'll see how each week you're able to do a little more.
- Find an exercise that you feel comfortable with. Enlist the support of a friend as your fitness buddy. If you're not sure you can do anything, just start by walking short distances every day and then gradually add speed and time to your workout.
- Look for fun ways to fitness - try dancing, ice skating, skiing, hill walking. Find your own pleasurable activities. Fitness does not have to mean the gym.
Let us know how you get on. You can do it! You know you can!
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