How to find motivation for weight loss? The expert called Effective Methods

8 April 2025

These recommendations will also allow you not to gain overweight again.

Overweight not only affects appearance but also life. Excessive body weight causes cardiovascular complications, type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal system problems and mental disorders.

Obesity is one of the basic risk criteria for the development of endometrial cancer (inner mucous membrane of the uterine body).
In women who survived menopause, extra pounds are associated with a high probability of breast cancer as well as colorectal cancer.
Overweight is one of the reasons for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma and kidney or pancreatic cancer, especially in men.
In the context of non -alcoholic grax disease, obesity can cause cancer of this organ as well as gallbladder neoplasms.
The same studies associate obesity with the possibility of developing multiple myeloma (excessive propagation of plasma cells).

It is important to note that the connection between overweight and cancer is complex and multifactorial. The mechanisms by which obesity contributes to the appearance of oncology include fluctuations in hormonal background, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and other factors. Given all listed risks, you need to get rid of overweight not only by the fashion trend, but to extend your life.

"Losing weight is a complex and prolonged process that requires a person not only changes in eating habits and lifestyle, but also significant efforts of will and psychological stability. Motivation here can be varied. For some people, this is the desire to improve your health, for others, the desire to get a more attractive look and increase self -esteem, the third need.

What we're going to say about:

Factors that affect the motivation of weight loss

Men and women are interested in losing weight. The difference is that in girls this desire is usually due to the need to fulfill the beauty standards generally accepted and in men - a state of health.

According to whom, about 2 billion adults over 18 are overweight, of which more than 650 million suffer from obesity.
Motivation retention along the way to weight loss is a -chave factor in success.
According to several estimates, 80% to 95% of people trying to lose weight return to their previous weight during the year.

So we approach the topic of factors. They are divided into external and internal motivators.

External incentives

They proceed from the outside and may be associated with our appearance, social environment, recognition and other aspects of life.

Improving the appearance. It is one of the most common external incentives for weight loss. People usually want to look more attractive, harmonious and fit. This may be due to the desire to like in the mirror, wear your favorite clothes, feel more confident and attractive in the eyes of others.
Social recognition.It also plays a significant role in the motivation for weight loss. People usually want to get approval and support from their social environment - families, friends, colleagues.
Compliance with social standards.Often people feel pressure from society, the media and social networks that promote idealized images of fine people. This is the incentive to start diet and classes in the salon.
Professional requirements.Models, actors, athletes and other public individuals must fulfill certain figures of figures. In such cases, professional requirements can become a strong external incentive for weight loss.

Although external incentives play an important role in motivating weight loss, internal motivation is more effective and stable as it is based on personal values and beliefs.

Internal motives for weight loss

This variety provides a person's willpower and perseverance necessary to overcome difficulties and achieve their goals. What can encourage a person to lose weight?

Improving the state of health.Overweight and obesity are risk factors for the development of many serious diseases. Weight loss even in several pounds can significantly improve health, reduce the risk of developing these diseases and prolonging life.
Improving the quality of life.Excessive weight limits physical activity, causing a feeling of fatigue and discomfort, and leads to the development of psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. Weight loss can improve quality of life, increase energy, improve sleep, increase self -esteem.
Improving well -Gesting. Having thrown away the extra pounds, a person gets rid of various unpleasant symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweat, joint pain and back.

Improving the self -esteem.A full person usually seems unattractive, is embarrassed by his body and can avoid communication with other people. Weight reduction helps increase self -esteem, obtain self -confidence and start treating your body with love and respect.
Achieve personal goals.For some people, weight loss is associated with achieving certain personal goals, such as the opportunity to wear your favorite clothes, engage in a particular sport, or just feel more comfortable in your body.

It is important to note that internal motivation is individual and unique for each person. By setting the goals to reduce weight, it is necessary to consider their values, needs and personal aspirations to choose the most effective reasons and will help achieve the desired result.

Psychological aspects of motivation

Internal and external motivation is a key element that determines a person's adherence to the weight loss process and their ability to achieve their goals. But the weight is always easier to "eat" than to work hard and hard to get rid of the dough. Therefore, you need to correctly set the goals and create a reward system.

Set the goals.They must be clumsy, concrete and reach (I will tell you more in more detail in the article). For example, instead of a vague target, it is better to define a goal to "reduce weight by 5 kg in two months. "
Define priorities.What do you want to get: some pieces of cake tonight or -500 g on scales tomorrow morning? Objectives and priorities can be viewed. Many use motivational cards for this - they are in a visible place a photo of a beautiful figure.

Build an action plan.It should include specific steps that should be taken to achieve goals, such as a dietary change, increase motor activity, and adjust lifestyle in general.

It is important to note that the action plan must be realistic and take into account a person's individual characteristics, lifestyle, habits and preferences.

The study published in the magazine showed that people who set themselves specific goals to reduce weights on average lose 20% more weight than those who do not set goals. And the support of loved ones increases the chances of successful weight loss by 30%.

Overcoming obstacles and support in the change process

When creating goals and plans, remember that in the weight loss process you will find various obstacles such as hunger, fatigue, stress, social pressure and others. It is important to be prepared for these obstacles and have strategies to overcome them.

Hunger

To maintain a stable level of blood glucose and prevent a feeling of hunger, it is recommended to eat food in small portions every three to four hours.
When choosing food products, preference should be given to those who are rich in protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates. This includes vegetables, fruits, whole grain products, meat and fish with low fat.
Sometimes the feeling of hunger can be caused by an insufficient amount of fluid in the body. To maintain hydration, you need to drink enough water during the day.
Do not skip food meals, as this can lead to a strong sense of hunger and, as a result, to eat too much.

Fatigue

For a complete body restoration and a sufficient energy load, it is necessary to devote at least seven to eight hours a day.
Regular, even moderate physical activity helps improve sleep quality and increase energy level.
Avoid stressful situations because they lead to fatigue and emotional exhaustion. Determine the tension relaxation and removal techniques such as yoga, meditation or fresh air walk.
Provide your body the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain energy.

Stress

Determine what exactly you cause stress and try to eliminate these factors or find effective ways to deal with them.
Regularly practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation or yoga.
Be sure to allocate time for a hobby that brings you pleasure and helps to distract yourself from problems.
If you cannot deal with stress, it is recommended to seek help from a qualified psychologist or psychotherapist.

Social pressure

Share your plans to reduce weight with friends and family so that they can support it.
Feel free to refuse treats that do not correspond to your power plan.
Communicate with people who also strive for a healthy lifestyle and weight loss.
Learn to say no "to people who are trying to make you eat harmful food.

Not to break, write what you eat to control your diet and identify problematic problems. Also do not try to lose weight very quickly. Install achievable goals and go towards them gradually.

Types of motivation in the weight loss process

We have already observed above that there is external and internal motivation. Now we will analyze what the pros and cons of all species.

External motivation

It is based on the desire to obtain other people's approval, meet social standards, or achieve certain external goals such as "entering your favorite dress" or "attractive to the beach. "

Pros:

It can be a good boost to start losing weight;
It can maintain motivation in the early stages, when the results are not yet visible.

Cons:

unstable and may disappear quickly if the external pressure weakens or the goal is achieved;
This may lead to disappointments and damage if the weight loss process is slowly or not to meet expectations;
It can cause dependence on others' opinions and lead to a loss of one's own personality.

External motivation is effective in the early stages, but as a rule, it is not enough to get long -term results. Therefore, it is best suited for those who want to fall a few pounds.

Internal motivation

It is based on the need to change the lifestyle to improve health, well -being and the quality of life in general.

Pros:

stable and persisted throughout the process of losing weight;
It helps overcome difficulties and not give up when obstacles arise;
It contributes to the formation of healthy habits and lifestyle, which are preserved after reaching the goal.

Cons:

It requires time and consciousness for training;
It may be harder to maintain in the absence of visible results in the early stages.

This motivation is a more powerful factor in success in weight loss than outside. People with high internal motivation lose more weight and maintain the results achieved longer than people with high external motivation. In addition, internal motivation is associated with a higher level of life satisfaction and psychological well in people seeking to reduce weight.

Practical methods to maintain motivation

Intelligent fiber establishment

Smart targets are an effective tool that helps make the weight loss process more structured and viable. Smart Abbreviation decodes as follows.

Specific (specific) - The objective must be clearly formulated and does not contain vague formulations. An example above is not "losing weight" but "reducing weight by 5 kg".
Measurable (measurable) - The goal should have specific criteria by which it will be possible to evaluate its achievement (reducing weight by 5 kg in two months).
Achievable (achievable) - The goal must be realistic and correspond to its abilities. Do not "lose weight in 30 kg in a month", but "lose weight 2 kg per month and lose 24 kg per year". It is important to consider the characteristics of your body here. There are diseases that cause obesity. To lose weight, you need to undergo diagnoses and get rid of disease and only then - feels in a diet.
Relevant (relevant) - The objective must correspond to its values and needs. If you lose weight to be "like this model", your motivation will evaporate quickly.
Time (Limited Time)-The goal should have a specific accomplishment time. This helps to focus on the task and not postpone its implementation for later.

To put a smart price for weight loss, determine your ultimate goal. How many pounds do you want to redefine? How long? Always divide a big goal in several small ones. Therefore, it will be easier for you to keep up with progress and maintain motivation. Set the specific terms to achieve each small goal. Write down your smart center on paper or electronic format, regularly review your goals and adjust them if necessary.

Creating a support atmosphere

The weight loss process is often associated with difficulties and challenges, which is not easy to overcome alone. The atmosphere of support, created thanks to the help of friends, family and professional coaches, plays a key role in obtaining long -term results and maintaining motivation along the way for a healthy lifestyle.

In 2007, the results of the study that showed that obesity could "infect" were published, spreading on social networks. However, the same effect can work in the opposite direction: the support and motivation of friends and family can help reduce weight.

The family is one of the most important support sources for a person who strives to reduce weight. It is important that the support of relatives is not only emotional but also practical. For example, you can cook healthy foods together, plan tours or joint sports, and help avoid situations that can collapse.

Friends can also become a source of motivation, inspiration and support. Comrades who share their goals will become excellent training partners, will help deal with stress and share tips on a healthy lifestyle.

A professional coach has the knowledge and experience needed to develop an individual training and nutrition program, taking into account their resources and objectives. This will help perform exercises correctly, choose the ideal load, and motivate and support it along the way to achieve the desired result.

To involve other people in the process of losing weight, share your plans to reduce weight on social networks and friends. Explain what help you need and ask the loved ones to provide you with support. Join groups or communicate with other people lost in the forums - to support yourself.

Maintaining a diet and training diary

Maintaining a diary is not just a fashion trend. Its effectiveness is confirmed not only by numerous studies. It is enough to fix everything you eat and drink during the day, and indicate the type and duration of physical activity.

For convenience, you can use special applications for smartphones that automatically calculate calorie content and the proportion of protein, fat and carbohydrates in the diet.

Maintaining a diet and training provides several advantages, among which you can highlight:

Awareness of your diet: Records help to see which products prevail in the diet and identify "hidden" calories.
Control on caloric content: The diary lets you accurately calculate the number of calories consumed and control your compliance with the objectives of reducing or maintaining weight.

Analysis of eating habits: Records help identify bad nutrition habits, such as eating too much, using a large amount of candy or fat, and taking measures to change them.
Physical Activity Monitoring: The diary allows you to track progress in physical activity, plan training and control its effectiveness.
Motivation and Responsibility: Maintaining a diary increases awareness and responsibility for its nutrition and physical activity, which helps achieve its goals.

To achieve maximum efficiency, it is advisable to adhere to the following rules:

Write down everything you eat and drink, including the smallest snacks and drinks.
Indicate the exact amount of food consumed (weight, volume).
Describe the cooking method.
Fix the time to eat.
Write down the type, duration and intensity of physical activity.
Analyze your notes, identify standards and draw conclusions.

The motivation for weight loss is not something that comes and leaves. This is not a will or self -discipline, but the result of consistent small steps that end up becoming a habit.