Do you want to lose weight but can’t seem to get started? Perhaps you actually got off to a great start but lost interest somewhere along the way?
Whatever the reason that you seem to be unable to reach your weight loss goal, and whatever diet or other weight loss program you may be using, the key to real success lies in your ability to sustain a high level of motivation. Let’s face it. Losing weight isn’t easy and involves changing habits and varying degrees of stress, uncertainty, and fears of success as well as failure. Losing weight also involves exercising more self-discipline, self-honesty, patience, and courage than you may be comfortable with. All of this will ultimately involve a strong drive, or high level of motivation, to succeed. With high motivation, there is no obstacle you cannot overcome as you journey along your personal weight loss path, day after day, week after week, and month after month. Sustaining motivation throughout weight loss can mean the difference between reaching your goal or losing hope and eventually giving up.
If you are having difficulty losing weight, taking action to increase your motivation is the wisest investment of time you can make. Creating your own personal and unique weight loss reward system is a good place to start. A reward system that really works is one that rewards you for your hard work and efforts as well as your results. It is also one that brings you feelings of pleasure and is filled with continuous opportunities to experience fun, excitement, and passion in your life.
Begin by creating rewards you can give yourself for your efforts, even small ones, that actually lead you to your goal. While losing any number of pounds can be a wonderful accomplishment, you will not keep losing weight simply based on the pounds you’ve lost. Rather, you will continue to lose as a result of the kinds of behaviors and habits you develop along your personal weight loss journey. Spend some time thinking about actions that are difficult for you to take. Examples might include exercising control at those times you’d rather overeat or continuing to go to the gym for your weekly workouts when you are experiencing strong urges to stay home instead.
Identify small, even daily rewards, that you can give yourself in such situations. They can include free time you allow yourself in order to do something you really enjoy but never seem to have the time to do. Examples include reading a good book you bought but haven’t read yet, relaxing to a soothing CD you enjoy, watching a hilarious comedy on your DVD player, working on a hobby you’ve been interested in but haven’t started, or spending time with a good friend you haven’t seen in awhile. They can also include rewards that are not very expensive such as buying a new CD or going to a movie or special local event. Additionally, try to find small rewards that you find exciting or adventurous. These might include exploring a new town or mystery site or entering a special contest or other competition.
In addition, you may also consider taking weight loss supplement like leptoconnect. This will support your diet and system so you can achieve your desired weight. This product is also made from natural ingredients so you can assure that it is very safe to take.
The next part of your reward system should contain rewards for achieving results, including sub-goals as well as the final goal. Divide your desired weight loss goal into smaller ones that you can handle. For example, a goal of sixty pounds can be divided into sub-goals of fifteen pounds. Another option that works for some is to divide the figure even lower: for example, ten, five, or even three pounds. It is entirely up to you. Your rewards options can also include more time and higher costs because you will not be using them as often, or on a daily basis. Sub-goal rewards might include buying yourself a new fashion item in your new, reduced size, enrolling in an on line or college course of interest, going to a concert by your favorite singer or band. When you reach your final goal, you can give yourself a special treat such as a taking a vacation in an exciting new place of interest or purchasing an entire new wardrobe to compliment your new look or new career or job interest.
Remember that the part of your reward system that rewards you based on your hard work and efforts should allow you many continuous opportunities for success. Don’t be stingy or restrictive in creating rewards or finding opportunities to enjoy them often. Also, remember to reward for improvement rather than perfection. For example, if you break your diet plan by indulging in a box of chocolates but you stop after eating two pieces rather than half the box which you often do, give yourself a reward. If you usually “cheat” on your diet plan and then end up binging for two days afterward, but this time, exercise some control and stop binging after the first box of ice cream and cupcakes, give yourself credit and reward yourself. You will find that rewarding yourself for improvements in behavior, however small and imperfect they may seem, will boost your self-confidence and help you ultimately adopt healthier and more constructive habits.
Other opportunities to reward yourself include times you face your fears, use discipline to get something done, or show extra patience or boldness. For example, reward yourself for taking the time to finally clean your apartment, for coming out of your shell to join a club out in the community to meet new friends, or speaking up for yourself in situations you usually don’t stand up for yourself. Reward yourself not only for efforts directly related to eating, exercise, and other health aspects of weight loss, but also for those times you rise above your own self-doubts and self-imposed limitations or flaws. You will discover that by doing this you will not only continue to lose weight but will ultimately develop constructive and effective new habits
In addition to your reward system, you will benefit from gaining more knowledge about nutrition as well as creating a healthier lifestyle in general, that includes getting enough sleep, relaxation, and physical activity. Also, continue to add variety and changes to your reward options. A reward that works extremely well for you one month may not be very motivating several months later.
There are many wonderful benefits to be gained from your reward system. In addition to helping you reach your weight loss goal, you will also find that the extra time you spend on yourself in creating, earning, and enjoying your rewards is time well spent. Too often in today’s busy world, we tell ourselves we don’t have enough time, even for ourselves. The more we do this, the less value we give ourselves since we ignore our needs and interests. The more we reward ourselves, however, the more we affirm and enhance our own self-value and self-confidence. We can take the time to experience pleasurable feelings as well as renew our enthusiasm and “can do” attitudes that can spread to other areas of our lives, making us winners over and over again.
So go ahead. Have some fun creating your personal rewards system and working it. It can truly become a most pleasurable activity you will be able to live with as you continue to become thinner, healthier, and increasingly more successful.
