How to Get the Motivation to Lose Weight | Psychology and Tips

Losing weight isn’t always an easy task. Lacking weight loss motivation and not knowing how to keep going can cause the pounds to continue packing on. Luckily, there are ways to overcome this and get your motivation back.

Overweight and obesity have been a growing public health concern over the last couple of decades. With an increase of almost 300% in the prevalence of obesity^[1] between 1975 and the modern day, there are now close to two million people who have too much excess weight. When it comes to losing weight, there are many challenges that you may face. Poor weight loss motivation is often one of the common reasons why people fail to continue their journey.

We take a closer look at what you can do when you need motivation to lose weight. We’ll also consider effective strategies and look at the psychological element behind motivation.

What Is Weight Loss Motivation?

Weight loss motivation is a term used to describe how well you are motivated to do the things that will help you reduce your body weight. At a basic level, it refers to the desire you have to adopt a weight loss plan. In addition to adopting the plan, it’s also something that affects how likely you are to stick to the weight loss program.

It’s often considered to be one of the key factors^[2] behind successful weight loss. If you’re struggling to lose weight, then you can often pinpoint the reason for poor motivation – which can be a driving factor behind unhealthy eating habits, low physical activity levels, and other concerns.

There are several factors that affect motivation. This includes your health, energy levels, self-esteem, and the goals you set for yourself.

The Psychology of Weight Loss and Motivation

Various things are involved when we take a closer look at motivation. Apart from physical factors like how much energy and stamina you have, it’s important to focus on the psychological element too. Your mind can have a major impact on how motivated you are to change what you eat, exercise more, focus on sleep, and implement other important things that can help with weight loss.

One specific aspect that can easily lead to issues is emotional eating. When looking at the psychology of weight loss motivation, emotional eating is the habit of consuming food when you feel stressed or anxious. You get used to the fact that comfort foods make you feel better, so it becomes a consistent habit. Unfortunately, this type of habit can be tough to overcome, which can affect motivation.

Finding motivation for weight loss also involves factors like mental conditions. If you have depression or an anxiety disorder, you may find it harder to stay motivated. This especially accounts for days when you experience episodes of depressive and anxious thoughts. You may not feel up to the task.

Why Is It So Hard to Lose Weight?

There are many things that can make it hard to lose weight, so it’s important to have a thorough understanding of everything. This gives you an opportunity to determine where you fit it. Once you discover things that make it harder for you to lose weight, you can start to address these problems.

Poor motivation is an important consideration to keep in mind. There are, however, other factors that you should take note of too:

• An imbalance in certain hormones^[3], such as ghrelin, leptin, and insulin, can make it harder to shed excess weight. If you are insulin resistant or have diabetes, then you may also find it harder to lose weight.
• The rate at which your metabolism digests and processes food also matters. People with a slow metabolic rate tend to have a harder time losing weight.
• Your environment also counts. Certain environments where it has become “normal” to be obese can have an adverse impact on your willingness to lose weight.
• If you’re not exercising and do not ensure you get enough sleep, then these behavioral factors will also make life difficult for you when it comes to losing weight.

Why Have You Lost Motivation During Your Weight Loss Journeys?

Similar to what can make it difficult to shed excess pounds, you may also find there are various reasons why you lack motivation. Let’s take a look at a few of them:

• Perhaps you’ve been putting in some effort, but you’re not seeing the results you thought you would.
• With all of the changes that are needed to help you lose weight, it’s also easy to start feeling overwhelmed. This can also take a toll on your motivation.
• Diet motivation also plays a role, so the idea of not being able to eat certain foods you usually enjoy can be a cause as well.

There are also external factors that you should take into account. This includes elements like the onset of depression or finding yourself in a stressful situation. These can become challenges when you try to maintain your motivation to lose weight.

Types Of Weight Loss Motivation

When it comes to asking how to motivate yourself to lose weight, it’s important to consider the fact that this type of motivation is generally divided into two major categories. This includes extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within oneself, while extrinsic rather refers to external factors.

Examples of extrinsic factors related to motivation include wanting to fit into clothes you can no longer wear or having the ideal body shape in mind when you decide to wear a swimsuit. Intrinsic motivation rather refers to feelings – you want to feel better about yourself, and you have the desire to live a healthier life.

Tips To Supercharge Your Weight Loss Motivation

There are many ways to boost your motivation to lose weight. We are going to take a look at a couple of excellent tips that you can use below.

• Eat Foods That Hydrate You: Hydration is important^[4] and contributes to greater energy levels too. Try to incorporate more foods in your diet that are hydrating. It makes you feel better and can also contribute to your ability to lose weight.
• Set Realistic Weight Loss Goals: Make sure you are not being unrealistic when you set weight loss goals for yourself. Don’t expect to lose 10 pounds in just a month. Rather aim for smaller goals^[5].
• Celebrate Every Win: You should set short-term and long-term goals. Every time you reach a milestone, such as losing one pound, celebrate it. Just be smart about how you celebrate – there’s no use in deciding to buy yourself a cake that’s going to cause weight gain.
• Keep A Weight Loss Journal: You should also aim to keep a journal to capture important details about your weight loss journey. Regularly add entries, as you’ll feel more confident when you can revert back and see the progress you have made.
• Find A Weight Loss or Workout Buddy: It’s also a good idea to find a buddy that can work out with you. This buddy can also be trying to lose weight.
• Design A Plan That Suits Your Lifestyle: Another thing to consider is the fact that you need a personalized approach to weight loss. While you can refer to some of the programs that are available, make sure to adjust it so that the plan fits with your own lifestyle.
• Know Your Triggers: We all have triggers when it comes to giving in to temptation. When you recognize your triggers, it’s easier to avoid them or to take control.
• Give Yourself Little Rewards: Small rewards can also go a big way in keeping your motivation levels up. This could be something as simple as a shirt or dress you’ve always wanted to buy – now that you fit into it, why not reward yourself?

Apart from these, consider using a supplement, such as Nuu3 Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies, to help you get better results. The greater the results, the less likely you are to lose motivation.

How To Stay Motivated After You Hit Your Weight Loss Goals

Once you have achieved your weight loss goal, it’s important not to give in to temptation. While you follow a weight loss program, you’ll likely reduce the number of calories you eat. This creates a calorie deficit. Now, as you reach close to your ideal weight, you should rather create a calorie balance for maintenance.

Don’t think now that you’ve achieved your goals; it’s time to stop exercising and go back to your old habits of eating. Once you’ve adopted changes to help with weight loss, it’s really important that you continue to implement them in your life, even when you reach your goals.

Conclusion

Losing weight takes effort and requires you to make important changes to your life. Weight loss motivation is one of the key factors that can drive success. There are several strategies you can use to effectively boost your motivation and ensure you see things through during your weight loss journey.