Tips to stay motivated when losing weight

Motivation gives you the drive to carry out different actions. There are several factors in your life that can influence your desire to achieve certain goals or participate in particular activities. These include:

• External factors: Ideas, thoughts or opinions of others that help shape your behaviour. For example, you might work hard to reach a weight loss goal if you are being rewarded for it by someone else.
• Intrinsic factors: If you do something because you enjoy it, you are fulfilling an intrinsic goal. An example of this is someone who loves running signing up for a 5K to test their endurance and see how quickly they can complete it.
• Introjected factors: These are forms of motivation that rely on your self-image. While everyone has different reasons for losing weight, a person with introjected motivation might be on a weight loss journey to impress others.
• Identified motivation: If you hold a strong belief or are passionate about a cause, you may feel motivated to work towards your goals related to them because it aligns with something personal for you. For example, you might choose to lose weight in an attempt to improve your own health and inspire loved ones to do the same to avoid serious health conditions.

Set clear goals

When you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and the timeframe you want to do it, you are more likely to stick to your goals.

When planning them, think of how realistic they are. If you know you live a busy life or feel like you won’t have the time to commit to your goals long-term, think about breaking them down into more manageable targets.

For example, if you want to add more exercise into your week, think of how long you would like your sessions to be and the activities you can do either at home, at the gym or outdoors. Do they fit into your schedule, or will you struggle to make time for them? Asking yourself these questions can help you set achievable goals.

Get an accountability partner

Sharing your weight loss journey with someone else can help you stay on track. They can offer you an honest and encouraging perspective on your weight loss. They are also there to boost your motivation by encouraging you to work towards your goals, stay consistent and make healthier choices.

By supporting one another, you may also begin to feel a sense of shared responsibility. If you are regularly working out together or sharing meal plans, you may want to stay consistent so that you’re not letting them down.

They can also be a source of support, particularly when you’re struggling. By providing encouragement and understanding during setbacks, they can help you navigate the tough moments in your weight loss journey.

You can also share your milestones and victories with each other. Whether you’ve noticed that you’ve hit your weight loss goal, feel fitter or more confident, your accountability partner is there to listen and share in your celebrations.

Stay curious about health and wellbeing

It’s important to stay interested in your wellbeing. A healthy dose of curiosity can keep you engaged with learning and can help you tap into your intrinsic motivation. For example, learning how to cook different types of cuisine or trying out different exercise classes can inspire you and give you reasons to continue your weight management journey.

Continued learning can also help you better understand your health so you can make informed decisions about your lifestyle choices. If, for example, you live with diabetes, learning how the condition can impact your life and making choices to avoid it can help you stay healthy.

Accept that it’s okay to make mistakes in your weight loss journey

Weight loss can be challenging, and you might encounter obstacles along the way. If you fall off track, it doesn’t make you a failure or take away from the effort you have put in previously.

Take the time to reflect on your progress and what you might need to change so that you can stay consistent with your journey.

It’s natural for your motivation levels to change over time but revisiting your “why” or the reasons for pursuing weight loss can help you to continue making progress.

If you are struggling to make progress, you can access professional help too. Speak to your pharmacist or GP for advice on lifestyle changes and medications for weight management.