Are you stuck in a cycle of good intentions followed by disappointment when you can’t keep to your weight loss program? Perhaps you’ve drawn up a diet plan and shopped for your week’s recipes but by day two you’re phoning for takeout, and not for the first time… Or maybe you struggle with portion control – you’re eating right but can’t resist those second (and third) helpings. Read on for some simple tips and tricks to get back on track and motivate yourself to lose weight – for good.
How to motivate yourself to lose weight
Banish temptation
Your home needs to be an ally in your weight loss program. If when you are at home, you’re fighting a constant battle to resist opening the snack cupboard or diving into the ice cream drawer of the deep-freeze you are setting yourself up to fail. Clear out any junk food and unhealthy snacks now! Gift them at work – your colleagues will love you for it – or throw them, just get them out of your reach.
Read also: 5 simple rules to help you stop stress eating
Preparation is key
Plan your week’s menu on Sunday, including breakfast and snacks – and don’t do it on an empty stomach! We make better food choices when we’re not tired and hungry so schedule your planning session at a time of day that works for you. Planning in your snacks will ensure you always know when you are next going to eat and will avoid the dangerous drop in blood sugar that has you giving in to the temptation to binge.
Reframe!
This is not about deprivation and misery, so you need to get out of that mindset now. You are setting up a positive, healthy frame of mind and changing your habits in order to grow into a new lifestyle – one that is kind to your body and respectful of what goes into it. Choose truly tasty and nutritious foods and ingredients – the real ‘treat’ is one that is beneficial for your waistline, not the trans-fat and sugar-laden quick fix that leaves your body exhausted and your skin dull.
Read also: 5 Filling low-calorie snacks
Visualize
Visualize the slimmer, brighter, healthier you – as you get dressed in the morning, as you walk down the street, and as you sit at your desk. The more you see this image in your mind’s eye, the more you will find yourself inclined to make healthier choices for weight loss and the motivation to lose weight will become second nature.
Now that we explained how to motivate yourself to lose weight, remember – this is a process that will lead to progress**, not an overnight transformation.** Be kind to yourself, and when mistakes happen use compassion to motivate yourself again.
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