Dieting is a difficult task that requires willpower and stoic determination. It is not easy to stop eating those sweets or super caloric foods that you were used to. It may require a complete change in behavior and many sacrifices. Eating out, dinner parties, holiday binge eating, and comfort foods are all areas that need to be modified or eliminated. With all this sacrifice, it’s no wonder people have a hard time sticking with their diets. Not following a diet is the number one reason for diet failure. Usually it is not the diet that fails the dieter, but the dieter that fails the diet.
So what can be done to help ensure adherence to a diet plan? Use motivators to keep going. Here are five great motivators to keep you focused on your diet and future results.
1. Have a reward goal. Set your goal and work to achieve it. To help keep you moving toward that goal, plan a reward for yourself when you reach that goal. It could be a new wardrobe, a cruise, a dinner out, or any other special event or purchase. Setting smaller goals along the way to the main goal will also help you stay motivated. Implement small rewards for each of these goals. A new pair of running shoes, a special hamburger or other sandwich, new songs for your iPod, or some other small, inexpensive reward for each minor goal will give you an incentive to keep moving toward the major goal.
2. Put the least attractive image of yourself on the mirror, the refrigerator, and other places you frequent. This simple step will remind you why you are on a diet. Putting it in the fridge will also give you a break before you grab that high-calorie snack. As you lose weight, place photos of the new you next to your old ones. This will serve as a reminder that you really are achieving success, even if you don’t see it from day to day.
3. Motivate the family. Getting everyone on board with eating healthier and exercising can help keep you motivated, even when your willpower and determination begin to wane. Make a game out of healthy eating and exercise and kids will want to do it for fun. What example will you set for them in the future? If you make it fun, you’ll lose pounds and you won’t even notice the effort.
4. Pull out your high school yearbook, graduation photo, or wedding photo. Find those images that show you what you are trying to become again. If you don’t have any photos, find an actor, actress, artist, or athlete that fits your target image. Remember to be realistic with your selection. Many models, and even some actors and actresses, have bodies that are simply too thin and therefore unhealthy. Post a picture of them in your workout area, on your lunch bag, or anywhere else you might need a little extra motivation.
5. Look at your children, spouse or anyone important to you. Remember that the ultimate goal for weight loss is to become healthier. You want many more good years with your spouse. He wants to see his children grow up and have children of his own. The biggest motivator should be your own internal drive to become healthier, but sometimes you need a little push.
