You can do it! Motivational tips for starting your weight loss journey

  • Jennifer R. Demuth
  • January 10, 2011
  • 265
                        
Web Summary: Ready to make a change? Bargain Hunter writer shares motivational tips for those wanting to lose five pounds or more than 100 pounds like she did. Learn how this “big loser” can help you achieve your goals. Like many Americans, this is the time of year when I would try and fail to lose weight during nearly every year of my adult life until, one day, everything changed. I began to believe in myself, and with help from God and local health and fitness professionals, I lost 105 pounds in 17 months. In fact, next month I’ll celebrate two years of maintaining my healthy weight. After struggling with weight issues my whole life and spending my entire twenties at over 200 pounds (highest non-pregnancy weight was 260 pounds with size 24 pants), now, in my early thirties, I strive to help others achieve similar success. I’m a “big loser,” and here are some tips to motivate you. (In the next issue, I’ll share actual weight loss tips.) It all began when I dreamed I was wearing a bikini. Normally the thought of wearing a bikini would have been a nightmare, but in this dream I looked good. When I woke up, I was about as far from achieving that dream as possible since I was eight months pregnant and weighed about 275 pounds. Yet the dream helped me visualize what might be possible. Visualizing what you will look like after reaching your goal weight is one way to motivate yourself. Try clipping pictures of yourself at a healthy weight or of healthy-looking people and posting them around the house to remind you of what you are working toward. Many want to lose weight for more than cosmetic reasons. To get motivated, I had to remind myself why I wanted to lose weight. Sure, I wanted to look better, but improving my health was the primary reason. My kids played a huge role in my quest. I wanted to set good examples for them, and I wanted to have the energy to participate in their lives. When my weight loss journey started, my son was a very active three year-old, and my daughter had just been born. Twice, I had lost sight of my son while he was playing outside because I couldn’t move fast enough to get him. I couldn’t live with the thought of something happening to my children because I wasn’t healthy enough to keep them safe. Furthermore, in my twenties, my health was plummeting. I had a total cholesterol of 230; my blood pressure was borderline high; and I was starting to have early problems with blood sugar (diabetes runs in my family). I knew I was headed for potentially serious health problems if I didn’t take action. I wanted to become healthier and be a better parent. Figure out your reasons, and use those reasons to motivate you when it’s tough to resist the brownies or find time to exercise. Also, focus on how good you will feel. When I lost weight, I gained more than I ever thought possible—energy, confidence, strength, respect, better health and even a new career track as a fitness instructor. It also helps to think of living healthier as a lifestyle change rather than a diet. Finally, whether you have to lose ten pounds or more than 100, don’t let the enormity of your goal stop your progress before getting started. Losing 100 pounds seemed impossible, so for years I didn’t even try. When I made smaller, achievable goals, the impossible became possible. Excuses will try to get in the way of your motivation—don’t let them. Instead, turn excuses into reasons to become healthier. With two young children, two jobs and my own home-based business in addition to my church activities, I had a lot of excuses. Making time for exercise gave me more energy for all the other tasks I needed to accomplish. Becoming healthy also made me a better mom, wife and employee, and exercise always improved my mood. Now that you are motivated to make healthy lifestyle changes, watch for weight loss tips in next week’s Bargain Hunter.


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