5 Tips to Stay Motivated to Lose Weight

1. Set Short-Term Goals You Can Actually Celebrate

Big goals like losing 50 pounds or fitting into a size 12 are great, but they can take a long time to reach. Focusing on the finish line solely can make it a lot harder to see how far you’ve already come. Breaking your journey into short-term, achievable goals will help relieve the anxiety. Create weekly or monthly goals that are more specific, like walking three times a week or losing 5 pounds this month. Try rewarding yourself with non-food-related prizes like a massage or new workout shirt. The smaller milestones will give you small wins to celebrate along the way, even if the final number hasn’t been achieved yet. 

2. Track What You Do to Keep Things Honest

It can be a little tedious, but tracking your habits will keep you mindful of the choices you make. You don’t need to obsess over every single calorie, but recording your steps will help you see patterns that can be eye-opening. Apps, journals, or taking photos of your meals will keep you engaged, and you will start to notice if your portions are creeping up or if you’re splurging on the weekends and undoing your hard work at the gym. Data will keep your emotions in check. On days when you feel like nothing is working, look back and see your progress or figure out where you need to make adjustments. When you work with a weight loss doctor, keeping records will also give them important information that can be used to help guide you in the right direction. You can’t fix what you aren’t aware of, and tracking will give you the full picture. 

3. Build a Support System That Truly Helps

There will always be people in your life who won’t understand what you’re going through. That can be tough, but it’s reality. Choosing the right support system is an important part of protecting your goals. Try to avoid speaking about weight loss management with people who are pushing food on you or making you feel bad about your new health habits. Try working with a medical weight loss professional to share your struggles and successes. Finding real support will keep you in the game when your motivation takes a dive. 

4. Learn to Spot Emotional Eating Before It Takes Over

Most people don’t turn to food because of hunger. Stress, boredom, loneliness, or reward-seeking are the most common causes of overeating. The first step in overcoming emotional eating cycles is to ask yourself why you’re reaching for food. Getting curious will help you break the automatic response that’s keeping you stuck. You may need to replace the habit with something else, like taking a walk or calling a friend. A weight loss doctor can help you develop better coping tools so you can untangle emotional triggers and deal with your habits head-on. 

5. Reframe Setbacks So You Don’t Lose Steam

There will be days when you eat more than you planned, or you skip a trip to the gym. The difference between people who succeed and people who quit is how they respond to those kinds of decisions. Rather than seeing a setback as a failure, reframe it as feedback. What caused it, and what can you learn from it? You may have skipped a meal and gotten too hungry or because you didn’t have healthy options prepared. Once you figure it out, make a plan on how you’ll handle it better next time. The worst thing you could do is decide that your new diet is ruined and spiral out of control. Weight loss management in Lanham is a lifelong skill, not a 30-day challenge. 

Are You Interested in Medical Weight Loss Services? 

If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and finally see lasting progress, the team at Right Weight Center is here to help. An experienced weight loss doctor can provide the right support you need to create a plan that works for your life. We can create a custom program to help you achieve sustainable results. Contact us to learn more or to schedule a consultation.