How to stay motivated to lose weight

See it through

Making the decision to live healthier is the first step, but you won’t ever see results if you give up too soon. Whether you’ve hit a plateau in your weight-loss or just can’t find the motivation to get to the gym, here’s how to tweak your workout philosophy and get back on track to meeting your goals.

Know your goals

“When it comes to weight training, knowing what your goals are, and why you’re setting them to begin with, is important,” says Louise Green, a certified personal trainer and wellness coach. In order to meet your goals, make sure they’re SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely).

Green suggests asking yourself the following questions when setting your goals for weight training:
• How do you want your physique to look?
• What are your reasons for weight training?
• How much time do you have to dedicate to this process?

Be prepared

With a hectic schedule, you may not always be able to plan and pack your meals ahead of time, says nutrition science and communications expert Lucia Weiler.

For those times when you do eat out, choose the healthier options. In order to ensure you don’t exceed your daily caloric needs, Weiler recommends checking the nutritional information of a meal before ordering it, piling on the veggies, choosing foods that are fresh, steamed, baked or roasted over deep fried or breaded and limiting your drink to water.

Overcome obstacles

It’s inevitable that you’ll encounter challenges along your weight-loss journey says fitness expert Louise Green.

Here are her tips for overcoming the most common barriers:
• Motivation: Create a buddy system
• Time Management: Plan your workouts for first thing in the morning
• Family: Find ways to incorporate your children
• Financial: Find free things you can do outdoors, or go for a swim at the local pool for a small fee
• Making you a priority: State your schedule and plans to your family so everyone knows that’s your exclusive time. And stand your ground!

See how far you’ve come

Assessing your progress since you first began will help you stay motivated and strive for continued success, says sports expert and co-founder of Sports Performance Centre Ltd., Colin Berenhaut.

Here are some tips for choosing-and sticking to-a training program that’s right for you:
• Do what you enjoy. You’re more likely to stick with a workout if you get some enjoyment out of the activity.
• Choose a couple of goals to focus on. (Choose only a couple of training parameters.) Don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to fix everything at once.
• Begin slowly. You’ll only get discouraged if you can’t maintain that initial level of intensity.

Visualize your success

The power of visualization is a fitness technique commonly used among professional athletes and sports teams, says wellness expert Louise Green.

Here are three steps to visualizing weight-loss success:
• Clearly set your goals
• Think positively
• Quietly visualize

Related:
• 5 tips for starting a new healthy life
• Summer Slim-Down: 8 weeks to a healthier you
• How friends can help you lose weight