I often receive emails from frustrated dieters who are about to throw in the proverbial weight loss towel. Even though many of these dieters successfully lose weight, sometimes members do hit an emotional brick wall that leaves them feeling hopeless and without motivation. Reading these emails brings home to me the importance of motivation and the pitfall of focusing too much on "pounds lost." Let me begin with an excerpt of one email I came across. The lady wrote:
"At first the weight fell off easily. I really enjoyed the meal plans and found them easy to follow, but I have only lost a little bit of weight over the past few weeks. At this rate it is going to take me forever to get there!
Those last ten words are what jumped out at me. The key to her frustration and her loss of motivation is clearly identified in that last sentence. "Forever" is a very long time and once you convince yourself that it will take forever, the air quickly begins to escape from your motivational balloon.
The answer to staying motivated and reaching your weight loss goal is to embrace this new lifestyle and stop thinking in terms of dieting. I know it’s easier said than done, but it is absolutely within your ability to do, and it is the key to weight loss success.
When you tie your motivation to the number on the scale, you set yourself up for disappointment and frustration.
When the pounds don’t fall off quickly enough, you get frustrated, time gets distorted, you begin to think in terms of "forever" and there goes your motivation.
This is so much more about what you think than what you do. After all, what you do is a direct result of what you think! You will be much better served, in the long run, if you make this effort to focus on healthy decision-making and not pounds lost. Let the weight loss be what it is - a wonderful side effect of healthy living.
Make this about healthier choices and do it one decision at a time.