MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO LOSE WEIGHT

    Get Professional Help When Needed
Professionals such as dietitians, exercise physiologists, and psychologists can help boost your motivation and knowledge to help you reach your weight loss goals.
·         Determine Why You Want to Lose Weight
Clearly define your weight loss goals and write them down. Make sure your motivation is driven from within for long-term success.
·         Have Realistic Expectations
Set realistic weight loss expectations to boost feelings of achievement and prevent burnout. Just a moderate amount of weight loss of 5–10% can have a major impact on your health.
·         Focus on Process Goals
Setting SMART process goals will help you stay motivated while focusing only on outcome goals can lead to disappointment and decrease your motivation.
·         Pick a Plan That Fits Your Lifestyle
Pick an eating plan that you can stick to long-term and avoid extreme or quick-fix diets.
·         Keep a Weight Loss Journal
Keeping a food journal can help you measure progress, identify triggers and hold yourself accountable. You can use a website or app as a tool for tracking as well.
·         Celebrate Your Successes
Celebrate all your successes throughout your weight loss journey. Consider rewarding yourself to further boost your motivation.
·         Find Social Support
Having strong social support will help hold you accountable and keep you motivated to lose weight. Consider joining a support group to help boost your motivation along the way.
·         Make a Commitment
Making a public commitment to lose weight will help you stay motivated and hold you accountable.
·         Think and Talk Positively
Think and talk positively about your weight loss goals, but make sure you are realistic and focus on the steps you must take to reach them.
·         Plan for Challenges and Setbacks
It is crucial to plan for setbacks and have good coping practices. If you use food as a coping mechanism, start practicing other ways to cope.
·         Don’t Aim for Perfection and Forgive Yourself
When you aim for perfection, you will quickly lose your motivation. By allowing yourself flexibility and forgiving yourself, you can stay motivated throughout your weight loss journey.
·         Learn to Love and Appreciate Your Body
Boosting your body image can help you stay motivated to lose weight. Try the activities mentioned above to improve your body image.
·         Find an Exercise You Enjoy
Exercise not only helps you burn calories, it also makes you feel better. Find an exercise you enjoy, so it can easily become part of your routine.
·         Find a Role Model
Finding a role model will help keep you motivated. It is important to find a role model to that you can relate.
·         Get a Dog
Dogs ownership can help you lose weight by increasing your physical activity and providing great social support along the way.
·         Get Professional Help When Needed
Professionals such as dietitians, exercise physiologists, and psychologists can help boost your motivation and knowledge to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Being motivated to lose weight is important for long-term weight loss success. People find different factors motivating, so it’s important to find out what helps motivate you, specifically. Remember to give yourself flexibility and celebrate the little successes along your weight loss journey. And don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed. With the proper tools and support, you can find and stay motivated to reach your weight loss goals.