Losing weight can be the most frustrating, anxiety-producing and depressing project a person undertakes. The biggest issue for most is that once weight loss is achieved, the rate of recurrence is significant, and it becomes a lifelong struggle involving lots of lifestyle and life habit changes. Some of these changes are too difficult, and people simply give up and resign themselves to a life of being overweight.
No matter what plan an individual establishes and implements, there must be goal-setting and specific steps set, as benchmarks, to ensure that he/she is on track. One cannot simply state, “I am going to lose 50 pounds.” This sets up failure, because 50 pounds will not come off in a few weeks. There are losses and plateaus, and the person who has not set specific benchmark intervals with smaller amounts of loss, will become frustrated and experience a sense of defeat. The motivation goes!
A key piece in dieting success if motivation. And this motivation is what spurs people on to meet their ultimate weight loss goals. The following is a list of motivational activities which might help the maintenance of whatever program is chosen:
1. Buy a piece of clothing you love. Hang it out in full view, so you can see it everyday. Remind yourself that you will be wearing it as soon as your goal is reached.
2. Put pictures on your refrigerator and food cabinets of people who have the body weight you want. Look at these thoroughly each time you go to the food places. Contemplate yourself in that body before you open that frig or cabinet.
3. Tell others what your goal is. Tell them what your benchmarks are. When you tell others that you are going to lose a specific amount of weight by a certain time, you will feel more motivated, because you will not want to admit that you “cheated” and didn’t reach the goal.
4. Ask for support. Tell your family and friends that you need them to get “on board” with your plan. They have to refrain from tempting you or eating enticing fattening foods in front of you. Your husband or wife can do his/her “fat food” eating while away from home. Our friends can go out with you to restaurants that have “light” fare, and eat that light fare with you.
5. Find another friend who wants to lose weight too. Do it together. There is strength in numbers.
6. Join a weight loss program – they are all over town. Regular meetings and celebrations of everyone’s small successes will serve to keep you on the right track.
Most important, reward yourself for your success. After you have lost 15 pounds, have one item on your list of favorite foods that you have denied yourself. And then, back to it!