Weight Loss Motivation: You Can Do It!
If you’ve been at your diet for a couple weeks it is probably starting to get a little old, and yet you’ve only begun to see some results. The easy pounds are off (mostly water weight probably) and now you’re at a plateau that you just can’t seem to get off.
What to do? Well, don’t give up!
Here are a few suggestions to kickstart your diet back into gear:
–Change up or step up your exercise program. If you’ve thus far taken the lazy route and haven’t quite gotten out there with a regular exercise program, now is the time to do it to drive your metabolism into the next level. Start taking a 2 or 3 mile walk each day, or join a fitness club and start doing cardio workouts that burn calories and improve heart fitness. If you’re already exercising regularly change it up a bit by changing your routine or going just a little further each day. Challenge yourself!
–Start journaling. If you actually write down what you are eating and chart the number of calorie intake, carbs, fat and fiber you’ll get a real picture of what is going on. You’ll be surprised how many calories are really going in your mouth. Armed with the truth you can make reasonable changes, like substituting lower calorie ingredients, or doing without that glass of wine or that dessert. You can find a good calorie counter at: http://www.caloriescount.org/calculator.html.
–Join a support group. There are dozens of weight loss groups at Yahoo Groups. Join one today. You’ll get lots of recipe and motivational tips and people to boost you up when you’re low.
–Set a series of rewards for yourself each week, or at weight loss goal intervals. For example, at 10 pounds loss, perhaps you’ll reward yourself by going to get your nails done. At 25 pounds a spa treatment may be in order. When you reach your final goal treat yourself to new clothes in your new size. Whatever is your ultimate goal, take a picture of what you’d like to get (the perfect size 8 dress from your favorite catalog, for example) and post it up where you can see it frequently.
You can do this! It just takes a little creativity and constant reenergizing to stay at it.
Liz Nichols
August 24th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Liz,
Some great ideas to get you remotivated. Journaling is huge for me. it helps me figure out where I lost my way and to get back at it. But I never thought about an online group. I’ll have to go check out Yahoo.
Nia