Weight Loss Motivation – Part 1

Because today’s nutrition includes too much fat, too much sugar, and too many processed foods, more people are also worried about their weight and working on a weight loss program. Motivation to continue to lose weight often starts out in high gear and quickly goes downhill. People are often motivated many times in their lives to lose weight, but keeping the motivation seems to be the problem.

Psychologists understand that to maintain a high level of motivation you need positive feedback and a support mechanism. After an initial fast weight loss, for most weight loss programs or supplements, people are often left tired, hungry and either at a plateau of weight loss or losing minimal amounts of weight each week. This decreases the level of motivation needed to maintain weight loss and the client is left high and dry. (1)

Weight loss success will be higher with both positive feedback and a strong support mechanism. Positive feedback comes from positive movement toward your goal. Your support person also can be a motivating force to keep you on track and help to keep your weight loss motivation high.

Failure happens when we diet. The definition of a diet is to deprive yourself of specific foods you believe keep you from losing weight. Those feelings of deprivation will lead to decreased weight loss, motivation, and ultimate failure. Diets have come to be associated with hunger, fatigue, and deprivation.

But you aren’t alone! Many people are on that roller coaster.

References:

(1) Elsevier: What’s Motivation Got to do with Weight Loss?

http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authored_newsitem.cws_home/companynews05_01509