Answers to Everyday Questions : What keeps you motivated to lose weight?

What keeps you motivated to lose weight?

5 Responses to “What keeps you motivated to lose weight?”

1. Gackhammer said :
   October 8th, 2010 at 8:26 pm

   Well, I’ve never been overweight, and I have never needed to lose weight. However, my goal is to be the strongest person I can.

   I don’t think I can personally motivate you on the internet in 2 paragraphs, as if I’ll give you some epiphany to lose weight, but I can give you some examples of what keeps me going.

   Think of this example. Say you were running on a quarter mile track all by yourself. To run a mile, you’d have to run 4 laps. Now consider you were tired after exactly 3, and you wanted to quit. Who would stop you? No one, that’s who. Now consider if you were runnning with 10 guys, and you were tired after 3 laps. You wouldn’t stop when 10 guys keep going ahead of you…because it portrays you as weak and it’s embarrassing.

   You don’t have to be embarrassed to be motivated. Look on the Interweb or read some magazines to learn about other sucess stories…but not infomercials. Because why must the secret of life be at a $29.95 value in the next 30 minutes.

   By the way…kudos. Losing weight is a long process, losing up to 2.5 lbs a week max for healthy weight loss. Keep on truckin’
2. Madona said :
   October 8th, 2010 at 8:38 pm

   For someone looking to lose weight, the choices can seem overwhelming. There are over-the-counter products that promise quick weight loss, such as liquid diets and appetite-suppressing pills. Fasting is an extreme option, and doctor-prescribed diet pills are also available. In Lose Weight the Safe Way, these and other weight-loss methods are examined, and guidelines for success are given. The program points out that the best plans include a nutritionally sound diet with fewer calories than usual, sufficient exercise, and lifestyle changes that may require support from friends and family.
3. MonMac said :
   October 8th, 2010 at 9:25 pm

   You have lost 25 lbs. and that’s good. I don’t know your method of losing weight and if it’s sustainable long term. Here’s an advise in losing weight:

   Don’t skip breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast would jump-start your day, give you energy and can help you eat in moderation at lunch and dinner. A high-fiber, low-fat breakfast may make a major contribution to a total reduced food intake for the day.

   Losing weight is simply a matter of limiting calories consumed and burning off more calories with exercise and daily activities. To lose weight, it helps to know how many calories you are consuming in a day.

   Also, eating “Negative Calorie Foods” is great way to lose weight.

   Check out http://loseweightsite.net It has an article on “Negative Calorie Foods”
   To monitor your calorie consumption and daily activity, http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov
4. Imaka said :
   October 8th, 2010 at 10:04 pm

   Weight loss is an overall process and there are no magic answers. Pay no attention to weight loss supplements and pills and all the latest fads. You need to think about many factors but most of them are related to issues we’ve known about for a very long time. There are many sensible things you can do that will make a tremendous difference over the long term if you need to lose weight. It can be done in a healthy way. This is what has worked for me.

   Keeping a food journal really does help. It will give you a much better sense of how much you are eating, and when, and why.

   Make a few additional small changes – walk everywhere, always use stairs instead of elevators, walk on escalators, get up and move around at least once an hour if your work or your life in general is sedentary, walk every day, use a pedometer. Walking 10,000 steps a day is a really good idea. Build up to a long brisk walk everyday, or most days. Be more active and watch less TV and spend less time on the computer. Buy one piece of exercise equipment to have at home and be strict with yourself about using it. Sometimes you can find mini-steppers or exercise bikes at second hand stores and thrift stores for just a few dollars.

   Start a weight lifting routine. Join a gym. Possibly you can find one that has someone who specializes in weight lifting programs for beginners. Weight lifting will increase your metabolism as well as improve posture and appearance overall. Even if you can’t get to the gym you can work out at home using things around the house. Invest in a good weight training book. The Dummies series actually has a good one.

   In terms of diet, cut out or reduce things like junk food, pop, fat, fast food. Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, fish. Particularly if you choose a vegetarian lifestyle include natural peanut butter, hummus, dried fruit and nuts. Pay close attention to getting the nutrients your body needs to be healthy.

   Make your portion sizes smaller. Use a smaller plate – in our society we have become accustomed to thinking that we need a large plate of food at every meal, and we don’t. About quarter of your plate of food should be protein and at least half of it should be veggies.

   Learn to count calories. At your current weight and activity level, you may possibly need about 2000 calories or more to maintain your current weight. So you will lose weight at a reasonable and healthy rate if you cut back to about 1600 or 1700 calories a day.

   Eat small amounts frequently, rather than three large meals. Never skip breakfast. Include some protein in your breakfast. It will help get you through the day.

   Drink plenty of water, at least 8 big glasses of water a day, and more if it is very hot, if you sweat a lot, or if you are exercising intensely, and eliminate fruit juices. Fruit juices have too many calories, so get your vitamins from fresh fruit, not the juice. You will begin to see changes in your body.

   Vary your routines. Don’t eat the same number of calories every day (vary your calories from 1400 a day to 1900 or 2000 some days), eat a variety of foods, and do different kinds and amounts of exercise. You will lose weight much more efficiently if you mix things up from time to time so that your body doesn’t adjust to any one routine.

   An area that many people overlook is getting enough sleep. You are much more likely to overeat or to binge eat if you are tired and not well rested, so get enough sleep.

   Check out websites about nutrition, exercise, weight training, etc. Here are a few helpful links.

   http://www.nutrawatch.com/
   http://www.caloriesperhour.com/
   http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
   http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-the-Healthy-Way
   http://weightloss.about.com/cs/fitness/a/aa011503a.htm
   http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/no-weight-workout?page=4
5. Tamara Ailes said :
   November 11th, 2011 at 12:58 am

   Pity is akin to love.