Many of us make goals throughout the year to lose weight, become more fit, and eat healthier. But sticking to those goals is another story! It’s easy to fall back into old habits and tell yourself that you’ll start your new healthy routine tomorrow.
This can cause a frustrating cycle of wanting to achieve your goals, but continually losing motivation when something stressful happens in your life. Staying motivated to reach your goals does take some consistent effort, but it’s not as hard as you might imagine it to be. The key is to see reaching your goal as a journey that requires small steps every day, rather than giant leaps. Keep reading to learn 5 steps you can take to boost your motivation and reach your goals.
5 Ways to Stay Motivated While Losing Weight
Remember that your weight loss is for health reasons, not just your appearance
Your biggest motivator should be wanting to feel your best! Losing weight can help you overcome weight-related health conditions, such as diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and more. Placing too much focus on the way you look can make you feel more self-conscious and less motivated, as you might find yourself comparing your body to the unrealistic standards you see on social media. The goal is to improve the overall health of your body, not look like a filtered or edited version of yourself.
Surround yourself with people who support you, and avoid people who encourage bad habits
A support system will cheer you on and help you celebrate all your small wins, which will help you stay emotionally strong and motivated to keep going. Your support system may be your friends, family, medical team, or even a virtual support group of people whose goals match yours. If there are people close to you who aren’t supportive of your weight loss journey, it’s important to set boundaries with them. If your partner, friends, or family keep encouraging you to eat junk foods or skip an exercise day, have a firm and honest conversation with them about your goals. Ask them to stop encouraging you to engage in things that will sabotage your goals and firmly request that they respect your boundaries.
Learn how to control emotional eating and develop new coping mechanisms
Eating when stressed is an issue for many people. As children, we’re often taught to see unhealthy foods as a reward for good behaviour or a treat after a stressful day. Unlearning this mindset is an important part of overcoming emotional eating patterns. Consider new ways you can reward or treat yourself that aren’t food related. This may include engaging in a hobby you love, playing a game, reading a book, watching a movie, or talking to a friend.
Create reasonable goals and track your progress
Making goals that will take too long to achieve and might not be realistic for you will leave you feeling defeated and unmotivated. Instead, create smaller, short-term goals that will give you a reason to celebrate your wins! Small, achievable goals include: eating fruits and vegetables daily; cooking healthy dinners instead of ordering takeout; and exercising for 20 minutes, 5 days a week. As each goal becomes easier and more habitual, you can step it up a notch and make a new goal, such as exercising for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, or cooking all your meals at home and avoiding takeout altogether.
Practice being mindful about food and eating
One of the biggest culprits behind overeating is being distracted during mealtimes. Many of us have gotten into the habit of watching television, surfing the internet, or doing work while eating meals. This means we aren’t paying attention to what we’re eating, the amount we’re eating, and if we’re full. During mealtimes, try shutting off the electronics and putting your work away. Allow yourself to sit quietly for a few minutes and enjoy each bite of your meal. Chew slowly and savour the taste. Allow yourself to realise when you are full and stop eating at that time. Practicing mindfulness while eating meals will help you enjoy your food, feel more satiated, and take a break from all the stressful distractions around you.
Reach Your Goals with Help from SmartShape Weight Loss Centre
Take the first step in your weight loss journey by contacting SmartShape Weight Loss Centre in Ontario, Canada. When diet and exercise aren’t enough, weight loss surgery may be the tool you need to finally reach your weight loss goals and reclaim your health.
SmartShape offers expert weight loss surgery to help you achieve your health goals and feel more confident about your body. We offer several weight loss surgery options in Canada, including the gastric sleeve, Lap-Band or gastric band, and mini gastric bypass surgery. Our team of registered bariatric surgeons and clinical aftercare team will guide you through every step of your weight loss transformation and support you as you reach your goals. Learn more about our weight loss surgery procedures and explore our patient success stories to discover how weight loss surgery can change your life.
SmartShape offers an aftercare program to ensure our patients achieve lasting weight loss and have the tools they need for success. We welcome you to schedule a complimentary virtual consultation with our expert bariatric surgeon in Ontario to discuss your goals and which weight loss surgery is right for you.