There is a burning question facing many of us these days – that is – Why do you want to lose weight permanently? For so many the process of weight loss is a vicious and disheartening cycle of fail and repeat, and we wonder, how do we make a substantial change?
Your motivation is the most important factor in your success, so the first thing to do is define, and potentially, increase your motivation– but how do we avoid the pitfalls that come with that?
It’s well known that people want to look better– and there are common questions that plague many of us. For example, are you tired of looking in the mirror and not liking what you see? Or, perhaps, you just don’t like opening up your closet and they’re being so many clothes that don’t fit you anymore, or having to go shopping and buying the next size up.
For many of us, a part of our self-esteem derives from the way we think people perceive us. On top of that, in this culture, skinny is equated with beauty and longevity.
A related factor in looking good is age. A thin, but not gaunt, person, 40 plus years in age, looks younger than an overweight one; do you agree? The thin one, as a culture, we view as better, which increases their self-esteem by their feeling of being accepted.
These factors are directly related to the way society judge’s age, weight and appearance. It’s not something we need accept personally as our own truth. In reality, many people fear others are judging them constantly and the first thing others see is our appearance.
Being overweight affects your overall level of comfort. It’s much more difficult getting in and out of pretty much anything, literally. Being overweight creates more challenges. In summer deciding how much of your body you are willing to reveal can be difficult.
Most importantly, being overweight, negatively impacts health.
Are you concerned that you’re being overweight may one day lead to a serious illness or disease such as heart attack, diabetes, or stroke? Is there a family history of these diseases? Do you suffer from everyday aches and pains– back aches, sore legs, knees or ankles–that could very well be related to your weight? Is your energy level low? Do you feel exhausted during the day? All of the above can be great and inspiring motivators.
Motivation is a critical factor in your success. The motivation is what propels you toward your vision. When you have a goal or a vision that you are moving towards, it is a lot easier to take all the small steps necessary to achieve that goal. It’s looking at the big picture and truly imagining what achieving your ideal weight is going to do for you in your life.
Let’s work on this together. In order to make this vision more compelling for you, please write down your own specific reasons for wanting to lose weight permanently.
The more specific and emotionally connected the reasons are the more compelling they will be. Be honest with yourself…i.e. I want to see that look in my partners eyes again.. I want people to turn their heads when I wear that outfit… I want to have the stamina of my 22-year-old self. What I don’t want is to end up diabetic like Uncle Joseph.
Write down the motives that are driving you to succeed and what that success looks like to you. Now write down what you are willing to do.
Finally write down the steps you need to take.
Most importantly, when you think or talk about losing weight, eliminate the words ‘I hope, I try, I should, I must, I have to,’ because they imply failure and a lack of responsibility. By removing the possibility of failure you set your intention and allow yourself to travel down a successful path.
As you complete this process and achieve your goal many resources become apparent and available to you. Allow the world to open up to you by looking at it from a positive perspective.