Weight Loss Motivation:
Why You Won't Lose Weight Without It

Since excess weight puts you at risk of suffering from many health problems, you may need to set yourself some goals through the use of a weight loss plan (or two) to help avoid those risks and prevent disease.  But what should be your long-term goal?  And what short-term goals should you set to help you get there?  How do you stay motivated?

It's All About Motivation
You have a better chance of attaining your goals if you make sure that the weight loss plans you use are sensible, reasonable and suit your lifestyle right from the very beginning.  Staying motivated is probably one of the most important aspects in being able to lose weight and keep it off.

Here are some guidelines from the experts to help you to give yourself the best chance of reaching your goals.

Be realistic
Most people's long-term weight loss goals are more ambitious than they have to be.

For example, if you're 45 years old and weigh 200 pounds now, it's not a very realistic weight loss goal to aim to be 120lbs, especially if you have not weighed 120 since you were 16.  A goal like this may not be totally viable, particularly if you are trying to achieve it in a short period of time.  The more time you give yourself the better your chance of actually achieving such a goal.

Your body mass index or BMI is a good indicator as to whether or not you need to shed some pounds.  The ideal BMI range, according to the National Institute of Health, is between 19 and 24.9.  If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight.  Any number above 30 is in the obese range.  Using this as a good guide, you will be able to determine just how much weight you SHOULD lose so it corresponds to the required BMI based on your height.  Height is one of the key determining factors affecting your BMI score.

Note :  If you need to calculate your BMI you can do so by using a neat little online calculator available at this link:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Do it for the right reasons
Using a weight loss plan just for vanity’s sake is psychologically less helpful (and less effective) than losing weight to improve health and well being.  Similarly, losing weight to please someone else can also be a recipe for failure over the longer term.

If you have made the big step forward by deciding to undertake a weight loss plan that includes exercise and eating right so that you will feel better and have more energy to do something positive in your life then you are on the right path.  You must be doing this for YOU and your health!  Doing this for the more 'shallow' reason of vanity usually leads to failure over the longer term.  It might work at first but then the old habits begin to creep back in, and before you know it you're back to where you started from.

Focus on doing, not losing
Rather than saying "I am going to lose 2 pounds this week", say "I am going to exercise 3 times this week - maybe even 4".  Try not to focus on what the scales are telling you but focus on what your body is telling (and showing you).  The results WILL come but maybe not as quickly or as obviously as you would like.  Remember, it took you a while (and in some cases, years) to get to the weight you are currently at.  And, it will take a while for you to remove that weight too.

Always keep in mind that your weight within the span of a week or two is not completely under your control, but your behavior is.  Let your body do what is has to do in its own time.  But, it's up to you to do the right thing and give it the chance it needs.

Build bit by bit
Heard the phrase "Rome wasn't built in a day"? Well, excess weight wasn't lost in a day either!

Short-term weight loss plans should not be even on your radar.  And this is especially so where exercise is concerned.  If you have never exercised at all or haven't for many years, don't expect to go out there and run a marathon in your first week!  Start off slow, ease your body into it and build up the levels bit by bit.

The first week, aim for a brisk (and not a sauntering) 1 mile walk maybe 2 or 3 times - then either increase it to 4 or 5 times or conversely up the distance to say 2 miles, 3 times a week.  Later on you might even venture into trying your favorite routes 'on the run'.  The key though is slow and steady - especially in the beginning.

As you feel yourself getting stronger (and fitter) begin pushing the boundaries just a little.  Try something extra or do a little more.  You may be surprised at just how quickly your body will respond (positively) to a regular and consistent routine.  Don't forget to put some variety into your routine as well.  For instance, if you've chosen walking as the exercise of choice then plot out 3 or 4 different routes to take - just to mix things up a bit - as boredom is never a good thing for success.

Keep up the self-encouragement
An 'all-or-nothing' attitude only sets you up to fail.  Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively.  You will know within yourself if things ARE improving.

If you fall short of some goals, just look ahead to the next week.  Don't focus on what could have been and don't beat yourself up over not being where you expected to be.  Everything worthwhile takes time (and effort).  If you do both on a regular basis then the results WILL come.

Also, everyone's body is very different and responds differently given the exact same conditions.  Just remember that you do not need to have a perfect record.  It's not a race.  After all, self-encouragement should definitely be a part of your weight loss plans.  Otherwise, you will just fail in the end.

Use 'measurable' measures
Saying that you are going to be more positive this week or that you are going to really get serious this week is not a goal that you can measure and should not be a part of your weight loss plan.

This is another reason why you should incorporate exercise in your weight loss plan - it's much easier to measure.  You should be able to count up the minutes (or hours) of exercise done each week and try and improve on that every week if you want to be successful.  Aim for a PB each week.  For those of you who don't know what a PB is - it's a Personal Best achievement.

The dietary side of things is much more difficult to measure - unless you're an experienced calorie counter of course.  However, having said that you could set yourself small 'food goals' by aiming to eat say 3 different types of fruit and 3 different vegetables each day (if your dietary plan recommends this).  Look at your plan and try to set yourself some achievable 'little' goals each week.  They ARE there (if you look hard enough) and the pyschological boost you'll get from winning these little battles will help you to win the biggest battle of all - getting down to your goal weight.

The bottom line is:  people should never make weight loss plans that remain only that - just plans.  They have to put those plans into action by incorporating goals along the way that will motivate them to succeed.