Motivation For Weight Loss

Why does motivation go off scale at the beginning of the weight loss process, and then disappear somewhere? What can demotivate and who can be the best motivator? These questions are of interest to many who want to lose weight. In the article we will consider the reasons that prevent you from starting a new, “harmonious” life.

Throughout our lives, we work on our own image - you can imagine how important the impression we make is for us! This is especially true for women.

The paradox is that external attractiveness is often more important than health concerns.

Man is a social being. Therefore, it is important to consider the role of appearance as a very strong motivational factor. But the question arises: why then do overweight people so often lack this factor in order to create the very image that a person needs so much, since ancient times?

What is motivation

The term "motivation" is derived from the word "motive" (lat. movere - 'set in motion, push'). Motivation is a combination of not only internal, but also external forces that induce to some kind of activity. Needs and feelings are the main motivating factors. Hunger, sexual desire, thirst, insecurity are always accompanied by emotions.

Emotions are a psychological factor. For example, positive emotions indicate a satisfied need, while negative emotions indicate an unmet need. Due to the higher emotionality of women, it is they who often experience a strong emotional burden.

The experience of an unsatisfied need causes discomfort, and there is a desire to eliminate it. For example, if a woman is dissatisfied with her weight, she wants to get rid of this disadvantage, and, it would seem, in order to achieve the goal, there should be more than enough motivation.

Why then are there problems with this driving force? How to find motivation to lose weight? It is important to understand that human activity is polymotivated, that is, it is influenced by different motives at the same time, which may contradict each other. This is where the problems begin.

Factors of lack of motivation

• Lack of knowledge. First of all, ignoring the psychological causes of overweight. Although it should be noted that more and more clients of nutritionists and nutritionists themselves talk about the possible reasons for overeating.
• Lack of support, even if relatives and friends only wish you well. That is why they may assume that everything is in order with you. If you are unable to find support in the environment, you can contact a psychologist.
• The dishonesty of unfortunate specialists and the focus only on the result obtained quickly and traumatically both for health and for the psyche. They do not teach how to save the result, what to do if a relapse occurs.

• Constant relapses and relapses (which require support from a specialist in dealing with eating disorders) reduce motivation and mood.
• Slow weight loss with the right integrated approach, as a result of which short programs are selected. An example of such a choice is the goal of "lose weight by summer."

These factors negatively affect the motivation for weight loss and lead to the inability to cope with the problem on their own. A losing weight person goes through certain stages: at the beginning of the weight loss marathon, on the wave of group euphoria, he strictly follows the recommendations, and then the enthusiasm disappears. Apathy sets in, often protest, followed by a breakdown.

food addiction

Almost every overweight person has a food addiction. This conclusion suggests itself because of the connection between well-being and behavior. That is, a person who does not have any addiction will change their behavior when they feel worse.

If the behavior does not change and continues to destroy a person's health, we can talk about the hidden reason for being in this state. When overweight, a bunch of both physiological problems (diseases, lack of energy, poor skin and hair condition) and psychological problems (low self-esteem, shame, guilt, constant anxiety, depression, chronic depression) appear, but a person is in no hurry to change something. then he continues to overeat, that is, we are talking about food addiction.

The child's psyche develops on the basis of "pair relations": mother - child, breast - milk, mouth - stomach, care - support. Food satisfies the important desires of an infant from the very beginning of his life.

For him, delicious food is the perfect mother. A mother who understands and accepts anyone or anyone. It is important to remember that food is not only physiological for a person, but also psychological. It is a powerful regulator of psychological balance. That is why it is so difficult and takes so much time to work with overweight and food addiction, with breakdowns, setbacks and relapses.

Reasons for low motivation

In the process of working with excess weight, bipolar motives simultaneously act on a person: on the one hand, the fear of losing the ideal image and condemnation from society, and on the other hand, the fear of losing a powerful tool for maintaining emotional balance.

Emotions and feelings that unbalance those who lose weight are quite difficult conditions. The most frequent: shame, guilt, fear, anxiety, helplessness, despair, melancholy, boredom, fatigue. Every day we experience many different feelings and emotions.

Let us consider in detail some of them in order to understand the depth of the problem and the next time when motivation is reduced, do not rush to condemn yourself. Try to figure out where the demotivating factors come from.

1. Fatigue. This is a breakdown after a long work. But this need requires sleep and rest, not food. However, in addition to physical fatigue, psychological fatigue may also appear, when suppressed emotions take up too much energy. The inability or unwillingness to look for other tools of self-regulation makes tired people grab food. The idea of ​​constantly overcoming oneself for the sake of something or someone is combined with the inability to replenish resources with rest. How to solve a problem? Take a walk outside, meditate, read a book, schedule an early bedtime, take a magnesium bath.
2. Boredom. The familiar feeling when a long wait leads to burnout and prolonged boredom? With the loss of the meaning of life and the seeming meaninglessness of what is happening, it is pointless to talk about motivation for weight loss. Longing, despair, emptiness... Strong and complex emotions cause discomfort, and in the case of food addiction, only food helps to cope. How to solve a problem? Find an activity that ignites the fire of enthusiasm in you! When was the last time you painted? Picked up a new book? Have you tried a new dish?
3. Fear of hunger. Genetically and historically, the fear of starvation provokes increased appetite. Therefore, a huge number of people eat much more than the volume of the stomach allows. A festive table or cupboards full of food and a refrigerator will definitely reduce motivation. How to solve a problem? Don't forget to drink water! Eat slowly, without being distracted by gadgets and conversations. The salad bowl should be deep - a bowl bowl is ideal. The size of a flat plate should not exceed two palms. Remember the principle of balance - the right combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates helps to satisfy hunger for at least 3-4 hours. Cheat sheet on the norms of consumption of macronutrients and water: protein - 1 g per 1 kg of weight; fats - 1 g per 1 kg of weight; carbohydrates - 3-4 g per 1 kg of weight. Don't forget fiber! Norm - 20-30 g per day; water - 30-35 ml per 1 kg of weight.
4. Shame and guilt. These are the two strongest feelings. Weight loss is a process usually with ups and downs, breakdowns and setbacks. And every time a relapse occurs, a person experiences a sense of shame and guilt for his weakness. And in order to punish himself for this offense, he goes on a strict diet, which again leads to a breakdown. And so in a circle.

I eat, which means I exist. The craving to feel active is one of the motives for overeating. A society in which material values ​​are the measure of social success leads to a gamut of negative feelings that, if not worked through, will not increase your motivation.

How to set goals to increase motivation

So, negative emotions interfere with weight loss. In other words, consciousness is overloaded with experiences that take away the energy that is so necessary to mobilize forces for weight loss. And the range of these feelings is great: from finding yourself to fighting loneliness.

It turns out that there is a desire to lose weight, but the motivation quickly passes. The fact is that those who dream of losing weight ignore questions that are really important for themselves and, when formulating motivation, are guided only by secondary desires that lie on the surface.

Many girls really want to lose weight, trying again and again to force themselves to do it, but at the same time remain overweight, having tried different ways. Has it ever seemed strange to you? The only correct strategy: it is important to strive not to get rid of something, but to get something.

The swimsuit is not the only motivator. The body of overweight people is under severe stress. The consequences of the deposition of adipose tissue and the deficiency of muscle tissue are early aging, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, detoxification processes that have been knocked down ... This is not the whole list of the consequences of being overweight.

It is better to forget the abstract words that once did not help you find harmony - “I will lose weight, I will be more confident in myself, healthier and more beautiful” - and start thinking about those joyful minutes that await you.

The right goal is the best motivator in losing weight.

List of basic rules of goal setting:

1. Your goals (in our case, these are thoughts about harmony) should be framed in small plots (stories, scripts, stories, essays - as you like) with you in the lead role, where you describe in detail the situation in which you will be very comfortable thanks to your slim body. These stories should begin with a detailed description of your figure in one or another clothing (or without it), then - the appearance as a whole, including accessories, hair and makeup; your actions within this situation (how you came, sat down, turned your head, moved your eyes, etc.) and, most importantly, descriptions of your sensations and feelings (how you feel your body, how you rejoice, be proud of yourself, how confident you are and satisfied). As a result of such a design, fantasy acquires the energy that is in feelings and which charges you with a desire for happiness - and it will guide you,
2. Important: in order to describe only what you will gain with harmony, what you will become, and not what you will get rid of! And all this in the present tense, as if it had already happened. You can not write for your own purposes about the disappeared folds, swelling, shortness of breath! Describe slender legs, graceful ankles, a thin waist, and easy breathing. Our unconscious, our inner girl cannot see what is no more. You just need to wishful thinking - then the unconscious will perceive these images as a fait accompli and make your body lose extra pounds.
3. You should have several such fantasies or plots, at least seven. They should be reflected in different areas of your life: personal life, communication with loved ones, work, leisure, health, self-realization. Everyone has their own list. After all, you need harmony not as an end in itself, but as a means to improve life in all its manifestations. Slimness in itself does not give happiness, but, oddly enough, it can be planned in the form of such pleasant situations associated with harmony. Remember that achieving your goals should really bring you joy, and not benefit, in order for your inner child to appreciate and support them. You dream and write goals for him.
4. Each of your goals should have a time and space frame so that you can say to yourself at a certain time: “Oh! Here it is! I motivate myself. I am losing weight".
5. And in order for the goals to come true for sure, they must be realistic and must depend only on you. For example, you cannot plan for someone to fall in love with you, but you can assume and describe your confidence, joy, pride and admiration for yourself in some important situation, and this mood of yours will do the trick ...
6. Your goals should be both immediate and short-term, and distant and long-term. You will need to distribute them over the entire period of weight loss so that they, gradually coming true, “warm” you and stimulate you to new achievements. You need to be proud of yourself, praise and reward yourself for every goal that has come true. Don't forget to update your "joyful plans" as they go. There is only one condition: the reward should not be in the form of a sweet bun or burger. What do you like? New dress, going to the theatre, meeting friends? There must be at least seven goals at all times. Once the targets run out, the weight will stop.
7. You are on the right track if, in the process of fantasizing, thinking about and writing goals, you experience joyful excitement, impatience and itching in your fingertips: “Oh, hurry up! Oh, how much I want this! How great it will be!” You can “test” an already formulated goal by mentally holding and weighing it on one hand, while placing your favorite product on the other. Imagine its smell, taste ... What outweighs? If the product is still preferred, your goal may not have been finalized or not quite accurate.

Goals are a strong driving force, the "motor" in your journey to slimness. They will work somewhere in the depths of consciousness, showing the right direction.

What to do - step by step plan

This article is not an instruction or guide to action. It can make you start to analyze the possible reasons for your decrease in motivation. As practice shows, there are much fewer motivating incentives in working with overweight than demotivating ones, so the latter must be carefully worked out.

• Determine the relevance of the goal: do you really have a desire to lose weight?
• Remember the importance of a balanced diet. Deficiency of vitamin D, chromium, B vitamins and wholesome fats in the diet leads to increased appetite. How to suspect the presence of deficiencies?

• Seek professional help. If you are convinced that you have a desire to lose weight and it is relevant today, it is better to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist, since it is often difficult to cope with the problem on your own due to internal resistance.

And before you begin to put into practice the knowledge gained, we will give you the main advice: do not join the fight against tricky fat, force yourself to lose weight. It is important to build friendships and partnerships with your own body. The most grateful motivator is yourself.