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We've all been there before. One moment, you're fired up for your goals, in your future sexy self, ready to diet and conquer the world. But after just a couple days, you're back to binge eating chips and watching hours of Netflix. What is happening? Why is it so difficult to stay motivated? And what does the science say about motivation?
Today, we're going to be answering these questions and uncovering the real solutions to how to stay motivated to lose weight, backed by science.
Point number one: Motivation is fleeting, and losing weight takes time. While in the next 10 minutes, you can have Jimmy John's delivering sandwiches to your doorstep, it may take more than a month just to lose 10 lb. The main problem people face when wondering how to stay motivated to lose weight is that motivation wears off, and temptation will always exist. My boy Zig Ziggler has a good quote about a solution for this: "People often say motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing. That's why we recommend it daily." The secret here is to use our incredible 21st-century technology to keep reinvigorating yourself with more motivation. The easy ways to do this are listening to daily podcasts on being healthy, using audible.com to listen to health and fitness audiobooks, or even attending conferences and events held on health and fitness. All of these things will help re-inspire you and keep you motivated.
Point number two: Everyone has limited amounts of willpower. Have you ever noticed it's easier to make tough decisions in the morning but harder to make them in the evening? This is because your willpower, similar to a muscle, is a limited and finite resource. After a long day of hard decision-making, a psychological syndrome called decision fatigue sets in and makes it more difficult to say no to that pizza. The solution here is to use habits instead of relying on willpower. Habits, since not consciously made, don't dip into those willpower reserves and are decisions made on autopilot. Simple habits like drinking a large glass of water right when you wake up or not eating after 7:00 p.m. are easy to establish and will help you when your motivation and willpower fade.
Point number three: Progress can be deceiving. The mirror plays games when it comes to losing weight and getting in shape. Many dieters have experienced the situation where they are losing weight and feeling better but are seeing no physical results in the mirror. This can be frustrating. The solution here is that the measurements don't lie. It may not sound sexy, but diligently tracking your progress is crucial for success. Yes, take photos of yourself, but also make sure to weigh yourself, take measurements, take videos, and keep studious track of these records. Progress equals motivation, and this will keep you from getting discouraged by the mirror.
Point number four: Being healthy doesn't have to suck. When most people think about getting healthy and fit, they envision eating dyed chicken breasts, bland broccoli, and running for hours on the treadmill. It doesn't have to be like that, nor should it be. Find something you love, especially when it comes to exercise. Yoga, Pilates, boxing, CrossFit, booty boot camp, biking, running, hiking, weightlifting, prancercising, kayaking. There are a ton of options. With all of these options out there, you have no excuse not to find something you love and can stick with. Remember, a perfect workout routine you hate is going to be less effective than finding a type of exercise you love and will stick with.
Point number five: Use small rewards for sticking to the plan. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." We humans may think we are complex and gifted beings; however, we are still simple animals. Basic reward systems in almost every major weight loss study work on us just like our furry brethren. We talked about this in our previous video on New Year's resolutions. The point is, reward systems work. Having a cheat meal once a week or even a reward day every few weeks on a diet can provide a lot of psychological relief and something to look forward to on those days filled with more temptation.
In summary, the solutions for how to stay motivated to lose weight are: number one, find a daily source of motivation; number two, focus on establishing one to two core habits you can stick with; number three, track your progress diligently; number four, find a type of exercise and diet plan you enjoy; number five, reward yourself for sticking to the plan.
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If interested in losing weight, feel free to also check out our free video training on fatlostnerds.com. On the page, we will give you the 10 steps to losing weight quickly and effectively, and they're all backed by science. We also have a fast fat loss course you can check out that will be linked in the description below. Cheers.
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