Weight Loss Motivation

Motivation for weight loss can be a tricky subject. Many weight loss subjects say that they had a defining moment that motivated them to lose the weight. I have come up with various strategies jump start your motivation for weight loss.

Over the years I have realized weight loss goals of 80, 40 and various 10 and 20 pound weight losses. I am currently at the 15 pound point of another 40 pound weight loss goal. I have trouble maintaining the weight loss as you can tell but I've become great at motivating myself to lose the weight once I put it on. Here are some of the best strategies for motivating weight loss.

An upcoming event: This can be anything from a wedding, reunion or the best one for me; a vacation. Over the years I've realized that I only truly care if I will be embarrassed about my weight at the event. I would rather die than be seen fat in a bathing suit so I book a vacation at a beach resort.

Weight loss contest: I hate to lose anything (except pounds). The contest has to have a member I dislike or feel competitive against though. If it only contains friends Ill just cheer them on while I eat cookies on the sly.

Motivational Clothing. Pick or buy and outfit that you'd love to fit into (and reasonably can). Hang it where you exercise, weigh in or in your kitchen. Visualize yourself in it. You may need to switch out outfits occasionally. This motivation can just become part of the scenery over time.

Motivational Closet: I have a separate part of my closet for smaller clothes arranged by size. If I lose 5 or 10 pounds I get to go "shopping" in my closet. It is great to find that you can fit into your favorite clothes. This helps if you have a wide variety of sizes and clothes to choose from. I love clothes and over time have collected a great deal in different sizes.

Try on old clothes: I am often amazed at what size I used to be and can be again. You get used to being a bigger size and it becomes the norm. Some of my smaller sizes look like children's clothing next to my current size. Try them on and think "I used to wear this and I can again". Or if it applies to you, try on your husbands pants. My last 40 pound weight loss motivation was helped when I could almost wear my husbands size 36 shorts.

Charts and Graphs: I love a good chart. I make them in Excel with the days on the top and pound amounts on the side. That way everyday you can see your losing. You are also able to see that sometimes you do gain a few before you start going back down. It makes those bumps in the weight loss process easier to bear. I also make a work out schedule in a calendar format that I tape up with the weight loss graph. That way I can see how my working out directly affects my weight loss.

List reasons why you want to lose weight: Print a list of all of the reasons why you want to lose. Even write down the silly ones; sometime those are the most important. Wanting to look like a model in a bathing suit is a great goal but being able to order dessert without anyone thinking snide thoughts is a more realistic one.

The best motivation for me....Making someone else mad. Nothing makes me more motivated than knowing my weight loss will upset someone I either don't like or have a grudge against. (I never said I was a nice person) My greatest weight loss at age16 from 220 to 140 was because my best friend's friend, who I couldn't stand, lost weight. We were both overweight and I always dreamed that one summer I would could back to school and be skinny while she would still be fat. Well, one fall she came back to school skinny and I didn't. I was so mad that was the end of overeating for me. I cut back and started exercising. I became fit and healthy while she (who had secretly become bulimic) was thin but flabby and unhealthy.

Think about who you would love to show up. The idea of making an Ex jealous is great motivation. It doesn't matter if you never plan on seeing him/her again. Just hold the thought in your mind about how much they'll hate themselves for losing you when they sees you again. Or if it works better for you imagine what they'll think when they see your fat self and is glad they are not with you any more. Any person that you dislike or feel competitive against can work. Especially if they also want to lose weight. Just envision how jealous they will be when you show them up.

I hope that some of these motivational techniques help you. Remember that you can do this and every day you try gets you closer to your goal. Now go find someone to dislike and make them sick with jealousy!