You promised yourself that starting Monday, you are going to really lose those 30 pounds. For the next week, you make sure to do your squats, eat salads, and stay away from Cinnabon bakery restaurants. Then, you have some sort of blackout, and you’re at McDonald’s with your favorite Big Tasty.
It’s time to stop this madness and get some motivation on the plate!
If you have been an active internet user, you have definitely seen photos of a popular singer Adele. It’s unbelievable how a Grammy Award-winning artist has transformed her body! For those who have no idea of what is going on, the 32-year-old North London singer blew up the internet with her dramatic weight loss – Adele lost more than 50 pounds. A lot of fans admit that the woman looks barely recognizable in some of her pictures. According to the world-famous singer, if you take some simple steps, you will be able to avoid weight loss failures and find yourself at your desired weight sooner than you think. Let’s check the key tips that helped Adele make the cut.
1. Define Your Personal Reasons to Lose Weight
Before you start working on your body, make sure to clearly define every single reason you want to lose weight. Take a piece of paper and write all the possible reasons. Thus, you will be able to check the list any time you lose your motivation to stay committed to your goals.
Try to read through your reasons every day in order to remind yourself why you’re working hard when temptation comes. The reasons that will help you stick to your weight loss plans may include keeping up with your kids, preventing diabetes, looking gorgeous in that wedding dress, boosting your self-confidence, or finally buying that tight skirt.
A lot of people decide to work on their bodies because their doctor recommended it. However, the research titled “Goal Setting as a Health Behavior Change Strategy in Overweight and Obese Adults” shows that people tend to be more successful with their weight loss goals if their motivation comes from within. Thus, you need to make certain that your weight loss motivation is driven from within for long-lasting success.
2. Stick to Commitments
If you find it hard to practice integrity with your weight-loss routine, make sure to stick with one in some other areas of your life. Many dietitian-consulting experts recommend paying off your debts, cleaning out your closets, keeping your promises to family and friends, etc. In other words, make sure to stick with commitments that you have made to other people. It will help you to subconsciously believe that if you can uphold the promises in other areas of life, you can do that with your weight-loss goals as well.
3. Ensure Your Expectations Are Realistic
There are loads of diet products and diet plans that claim to guarantee easy and quick weight loss. However, most experts recommend losing no more than 2 pounds per week. If you set unattainable weight loss goals, you’re going to end up frustrated and ready to give up. But when you set up the goals that you can achieve, you will get a great feeling of accomplishment. Besides, people who achieve their goals are known to be more likely to maintain a healthy weight for a long period of time.
A study “Weight Loss Expectations in Obese Patients and Treatment Attrition” found that females who wanted to lose the most weight were the ones to give up the weight-losing program. However, if you lose a little weight (up to 10% of your body weight), it will have a great impact on your overall health. Let’s say, you are 185 pounds, which means 10% of your weight is just 18.5 pounds.
What more losing up to 10% of your body weight does, let’s check it out –
- It reduces the risk of having a heart disease
- It improves your blood sugar level
- It reduces joint pain
- It cuts the risk of some types of cancers
- It lowers the level of cholesterol
4. Find a Weight Loss Buddy
Having a regular exercise routine is one of the best ways to get rid of your pounds. However, if you’re a beginner, you may find it difficult to initiate a new routine. Ask a friend to work out together. Regular gym sessions will turn into commitments if you have a partner next to you. When you are part of a group, you will work harder to reach the desired results. So make sure to grab your pal in order to maximize your time during your workout sessions. What is more, together with a fitness buddy, you will also get someone to enjoy brunch with after.
5. Get a Weight Loss Journal
You have to self-monitor in order to reach the desired goals. According to various researches, people who tend to track their meal routines are more likely to lose weight and don’t give up halfway. However, before you start a weight loss journal, you have to know that it means writing down everything that you eat during the day. This includes coffee, water, and the tiny piece of cake that you ate off your girlfriend’s desk.
In addition to your meals, you can also record how you feel during the day. Thus, you will be able to analyze your menu and your emotion in order to reveal any triggers for overeating. It’s up to you to decide if you want to use an app or website or give preference to a pen and paper. Both methods are effective equally.
6. Consider Joining a Class
Even if you have already found a workout partner, don’t miss a chance to join a class. Some classes require you to pay upfront, while some provide you with an opportunity to pay for each session. However, knowing that you have paid for the whole course will keep you motivated to attend all classes. Many people report having some kind of healthy guilt when they decide to skip a class.
Today, many different exercise classes are available. What is more, the variety of classes gives you a chance to find the type that will work well for you. It is recommended to look beyond the fitness center or gym. For instance, you could take lessons in tai chi or skating.
When you’re about to start an exercise course, ensure to pick a level that suits you. If you’re just a beginner, pick some nice yoga studio. They offer a wide range of options for kids, pregnant women, experienced athletes, and many other categories.
Do your best to learn some new skills. The world of physical skills is never-ending, and you’re welcome to explore it. It’s no doubt that even walking can work magic, but it would be nice to learn something as well. Rock climbing, taekwondo, bachata lessons are some of the things you may find yourself enjoying.
7. Talk to Weight Loss Professionals
If you don’t have sufficient knowledge about the weight loss process, it is recommended to approach professionals in this area. If they’re available somewhere in your area, ensure to make an appointment. This can be a fitness coach or nutritionist – anyone who has proficiency in the area of health and weight loss. If you can’t find an expert where you live, make sure to find one on the internet. Create a substantial letter that will include your concerns and send it to the chosen expert. If you’re not sure whether your writing skills let you create a consistent message, approach an online essay writing service like AdvancedWriters.com to get some help from professional writers. They know how to compose high-quality texts that are easy to comprehend.
8. Do not Restrict Yourself from Food
The majority of people tend to cut out all daily pizza slices and doughnuts because these delicious things are high in fat and calories. However, cutting out foods doesn’t mean that you won’t have exposure to it. Studies prove that people who banned certain foods found it really hard to control their impulses when their favorite food was around. In other words, don’t just rush into banning that croissant in the morning if it means having four when your girlfriend brings them home. It is important to eat everything moderately.
9. Never Compare Yourself to Others
If you think it is a good idea to hang up a photo of your favorite actress or athlete that will serve as your motivation, you may end up failing your weight loss goals. The point here is that weight loss is something more than just body image.
In other words, you don’t have to idolize someone by the way they look. Instead, choose some famous food blogger or someone who works hard at the gym and follow them in your weight loss journey.
10. Give up Smoking
One of the right things to do when you’re about to lose some weight. The reality is that for many people, having a post-workout cigarette is a kind of relaxation. If you are one of the smokers, it’s time to stop.
First of all, this habit makes it harder for you to work out regularly. Second, you don’t get an opportunity to reap all the benefits that exercising is known for. So, if you have some serious weight loss goals, throw that pack away forever.
11. Celebrate Each of Your Successes
Losing weight is not easy. That is why you have to celebrate all your successes in order to remain motivated. When you accomplish one of your goals, make sure to treat yourself. Also, consider using weight loss websites or social media platforms to share your success. It will make you feel proud of yourself and motivate other people to do the same.
We would also recommend you to celebrate the way your behavior changes together with reaching some number on your scale. For instance, if your goal was to exercise for half an hour every day, and you successfully reached it, ensure to get some SPA package or plan a movie night with pals. Whatever it is that you choose as a reward, it will help you boost your motivation for further work.
However, make sure you choose proper rewards. Rewarding yourself with some food is a bad idea. At the same time, don’t choose the rewards that are too expensive. Here are some of the ways you can easily reward yourself –
- Going to a movie premiere
- Getting a pedicure or manicure
- Taking a singing class
- Purchasing a new set of candle holders
12. Start a Fitness Blog
If you record your progress that way, you will make all things concrete. It is up to you to choose the way you want your blog to look like. But in general, you have two ways to go –
- Get a food (and exercise) blog. This is the place on the web, where you can describe what you do during the way, what you eat and how many calories you burn, how far you are from your goal, and whether or not you were successful with the food choice.
- Start an exercise online blog. Before you have one, keep in mind that it will be published online, which means every user will get access to it. Provide all the issues related to your exercise routine, how you feel about regular workout sessions, what obstacles you have battled, and how happy you are about your small victories. Just keep writing and be honest.
13. Pretend As If
There’s no need to wait “until you reach the desired weight” to try that tango class, go to Sweden, visit your aunt, or have a professional photoshoot. Today is all you have, which means you have to live out all of your goals and enjoy them today.
Professional lifestyle and health coaches recommend you to imagine that you have already reached your dream weight. What would you drink or eat? How would you feel or look? What is it that you tend to put off doing until you are at your goal weight? Act as if you’re at it now and turn your mindset from “suffering mode” to an empowering and inspiring one in order to uphold weight-loss motivation.
It is strange but true that one of the first steps towards your dream body is getting nicely dressed for your workouts. The point is that we usually associate some outfits with the activities that they’re used for. Once you put on the latest styles of Nike workout clothes, your psychological state will change in a flash. So go ahead and buy yourself some nice activewear clothes to attack your gym routine!
