Motivation to lose weight

Why does motivation surge at the beginning of the weight loss process and then disappear somewhere? What can reduce motivation and who can be the best motivator? These questions interest many people who want to lose weight. In this article we will look at the reasons that prevent you from starting a new, "harmonious" life.

The fact that a person, regardless of gender and age, is not indifferent to his appearance and the appearance of other people is an obvious fact. One of the most interesting things to do is stare at an attractive person, fantasizing about their character and lifestyle. Our own appearance is also a concern for us. We try to understand our preferences and, perhaps, hide something - both from ourselves and from others.

All our lives we work on our own image - you can imagine how important the impression we make is to us! This is especially true for women.

The paradox is that external attractiveness is often more important than health issues.

Humans are social creatures. Therefore, it is important to consider the role of appearance as a very strong motivational factor. But the question arises: why do overweight people often lack this factor to create the image that a person needs so much, since ancient times?

What is motivation

The term "motivation" comes from the word "motive" (Latin movere – ‘to move, encourage’). Motivation is a set of not only internal, but also external forces that encourage a type of activity. Needs and feelings are the main motivating factors. Hunger, sexual desire, thirst, and insecurity are always accompanied by emotions.

Emotions are a psychological factor. For example, positive emotions indicate satisfied needs, while negative emotions indicate unsatisfied needs. Due to women's higher emotionality, they are the ones who often experience intense emotional stress.

The experience of unmet needs causes discomfort, and the desire to eliminate them arises. For example, if a woman is dissatisfied with her weight, she wants to eliminate this deficiency, and, apparently, there should be more than enough motivation to achieve this goal.

Then why is there a problem with this driving force? How to find motivation to lose weight? It is important to understand that human activity is multimotivated, that is, it is influenced simultaneously by various motives that may conflict with each other. This is where the problems start.

Lack of motivation factor

• Lack of knowledge. First of all, ignore the psychological causes of being overweight. Although it should be noted that clients of nutritionists and nutritionists themselves are increasingly talking about the possible causes of overeating.
• Lack of support, even though your loved ones wish you only the best. This is why they might think that everything is fine with you. If you cannot find support in your environment, you can contact a psychologist.
• The dishonesty of prospective specialist doctors and only focusing on results obtained quickly can cause trauma for both health and soul. They do not teach how to maintain the results obtained, what to do in case of relapse.
• Persistent distractions and relapses (which require support from specialists when treating eating disorders) reduce motivation and mood.
• Slow weight loss with a comprehensive approach is appropriate, so short programs are chosen. An example of such a choice is the goal "lose weight by summer. "

These factors negatively impact weight loss motivation and lead to an inability to cope with problems on their own. A person losing weight goes through certain stages: at the beginning of the weight loss marathon, after the euphoria of the group, he strictly follows the recommendations, and then his enthusiasm disappears. Apathy sets in, often protest, followed by breakdown.

Food addiction

Almost everyone who is overweight has a food addiction. This conclusion arises because of the relationship between well-being and behavior. This means that someone who is not experiencing any addiction will change their behavior when their health worsens.

If the behavior does not change and continues to harm a person's health, we can talk about hidden reasons for being in this state. With excess weight comes many physiological problems (illness, lack of energy, poor condition of skin and hair) and psychological problems (low self-esteem, shame, guilt, constant anxiety, depression, chronic depression), but the personin do not rush to change anything, then he continues to overeat, that is, we are talking about food addiction.

Day after day, food is used, among other things, as an antidepressant and sedative, to dampen the feelings and emotions that arise in the race in the circle: diet - distraction - guilt - diet. Food relaxes, improves mood and even relieves pain.

The child's psyche develops on the basis of "paired relationships": mother - child, breast milk - mouth, mouth - stomach, care - support. Food fulfills a baby's important desires from the start of life.

For him, delicious food is a mother's dream. A mother who understands and accepts anyone and everyone. It is important to remember that food has not only physiological meaning for a person, but also psychological. It is a powerful regulator of psychological balance. That is why it is very difficult and takes a lot of time to overcome excess weight and food addiction, with breakdowns, setbacks and relapses.

Reasons for low motivation

In the process of working with excess weight, a person is simultaneously influenced by multipolar motives: on the one hand, the fear of losing the ideal image and condemnation from society, and on the other hand, the fear of losing a powerful tool for maintaining emotions. balance.

The emotions and feelings that make those who are losing weight unbalanced are quite serious conditions. The most common: shame, guilt, fear, anxiety, helplessness, hopelessness, melancholy, boredom, fatigue. Every day we experience many different feelings and emotions.

Let's discuss some of them in detail to understand the depth of the problem and next time when motivation wanes, don't rush to blame yourself. Try to find out where the demotivating factors come from.

1. Fatigue. This is the loss of strength after working for a long time. But this need requires sleep and rest, not food. However, apart from physical fatigue, psychological fatigue can also appear when suppressed emotions consume too much energy. The inability or unwillingness to seek other means of self-regulation makes people tired of taking food. The idea of constantly overcoming oneself for the sake of something or someone is combined with the inability to replenish resources with rest. How to solve a problem? Take a walk in the fresh air, meditate, read a book, plan to go to bed early, take a magnesium bath.
2. Boredom. Did you know that the feeling of waiting too long causes prolonged fatigue and boredom? With the loss of meaning in life and what happens seems meaningless, talking about motivation to lose weight is pointless. Melancholy, despair, emptiness. . . Strong and complex emotions cause discomfort, and in the case of food addiction, only food helps to overcome them. How to solve a problem? Find something to do that fuels your passion! When was the last time you drew? Have you bought the new book? Have you tried cooking a new dish?
3. Fear of hunger. Genetically and historically, fear of hunger triggers an increase in appetite. Therefore, many people eat more than their stomach capacity. A party table or cupboards and refrigerator full of food will definitely reduce motivation. How to solve a problem? Don't forget to drink water! Eat slowly, without being distracted by gadgets and conversations. The salad plate should be deep - a bowl is ideal. The size of a flat plate should not exceed two palms. Remember the principle of balance - the right combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates helps to satisfy hunger for at least 3-4 hours.
   Cheat sheet on macronutrients and water intake:
   • protein - 1 g per 1 kg of weight;
   • fat - 1 g per 1 kg of weight;
   • carbohydrates - 3-4 g per 1 kg of weight. Don't forget fiber! The norm is 20–30 g per day;
   • water - 30–35 ml per 1 kg of weight.
4. Shame and guilt. These are the two most powerful feelings. Weight loss is a process that is usually accompanied by ups and downs, disruptions and setbacks. And every time a relapse occurs, a person experiences shame and guilt for his weakness. And to punish himself for this offense, he went on a strict diet, which again led to a breakdown. And so on in a circle.

I eat, which means I exist. A passionate desire to feel active is one of the motives for overeating. A society in which material values are the measure of social success leads to a series of negative feelings, without effort through which you will not be able to increase your motivation.

How to set the right goals to increase motivation

So, negative emotions interfere with weight loss. In other words, consciousness is filled with experiences that take away the energy that is so necessary to mobilize forces for weight loss. And the range of these feelings is very wide: from finding yourself to fighting loneliness.

It turns out there is a desire to lose weight, but this motivation quickly disappears. The fact is that those who dream of losing weight ignore the issues that are really important for them and, when formulating motivation, are guided only by secondary and superficial desires.

Many girls who really want to lose weight, repeatedly try to force themselves to do it, but at the same time they remain overweight, having tried different methods. Have you ever thought this was strange? The only correct strategy: it is important to strive not to get rid of something, but to gain something.

The most important thing in increasing motivation to lose weight is to have a clear vision and plan for that "something". Goal setting training is based on this secret, essentially teaching you to "grant wishes correctly. "It is difficult to lose weight if you do not understand in detail what slimming will give you. It's not easy for a girl to refuse candy again if she doesn't remember the swimsuit she's going to parade along that beach in and pay attention to her appearance. No principles of rational nutrition will help you lose weight without interesting fantasies about yourself and how you would feel in a slim body, in different clothes, in different life situations.

Swimsuits aren't the only motivator. The body of an overweight person experiences serious stress. The consequences of the accumulation of fat tissue and deficiency of muscle tissue are premature aging, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, disruption of detoxification processes. . . This is not the entire list of the consequences of being overweight.

It is better to forget about abstract words that once did not help you find harmony - "I will lose weight, become more confident, healthier and more beautiful" - and start thinking about the joyful moments that await you.

Correctly set goals are the best motivator in losing weight.

List of basic rules for setting goals:

1. Your goal (in our case, these are thoughts about becoming slim) should be framed in a small plot (story, script, history, essay - as you like) with you in the main role, where you describe in detail the situation in which you would be very comfortablethanks to your slim body. These stories should start with a detailed description of your figure in certain clothes (or without clothes), then - your appearance as a whole, including accessories, hairstyle and makeup; your actions in this situation (how you came, sat, turned your head, moved your eyes, etc. ) and most importantly - a description of your sensations and feelings (how you felt your body, how happy you were, proud of yourself, how confident and satisfiedYou). As a result of this design, fantasy acquires the energy that is in the feelings and that charges you with the desire for happiness - and that will guide you, even if you are not fully aware of it.
2. Important: in your goals, explain only what you will gain with harmony, what you will become, and not what you will lose! And all this is in the present tense, as if it had already happened. You can't write for your own purposes about loss of folds, swelling, shortness of breath! Depict slender legs, graceful ankles, thin waist and easy breathing. Our unconscious, our inner girl, cannot see what is no longer there. You only need wishful thinking - then the subconscious mind will perceive these images as a fait accompli and force your body to lose extra pounds.
3. You should have several such fantasies or stories, at least seven. They should be reflected in various areas of your life: personal life, communication with loved ones, work, leisure, health, self-realization. Everyone has their own list. After all, harmony is needed not as an end in itself, but as a means of improving life in all its manifestations. Being slim in itself does not bring happiness, but oddly enough, it can be planned in the form of pleasant situations associated with being slim. Remember that achieving your goals should bring you real joy, not profit, so that they are appreciated and supported by your inner child. You dream and write goals for them.
4. Each of your goals should have a time frame and space so that at a certain time you can say to yourself: "Oh! Done! I motivated myself. I lost weight".
5. And for goals to come true, they must be realistic and depend only on you. For example, you can't plan that someone will fall in love with you, but you can assume and portray your confidence, excitement, pride, and admiration for yourself in an important situation, and your mood will help. . .
6. Your goals should be short-term and near-term, as well as long-term and long-term. You need to distribute them over the entire period of weight loss so that, as they are gradually realized, they "warm" you and stimulate you to new achievements. You need to be proud of yourself, praise and reward yourself for every goal that comes true. Remember to update your "fun plan" as it progresses. There is only one condition: the prize cannot be a sweet roll or a burger. What do you like? New clothes, going to the theater, meeting friends? There must be at least seven goals at any time. Once the target is exhausted, the load will stop.
7. You are on the right track if, in the process of fantasizing, thinking and writing goals, you experience excitement, impatience and an itch in your fingertips: "Oh, I wish I could hurry up! "Oh, how I want this! How great it will be! "You can "test" an already achieved goal by mentally holding and weighing it in one hand, while placing your favorite product in the other. Imagine its smell, its taste . . . What is heavier? If the product is still liked, your goal may not yetcomplete or not completely accurate.

Goals are a powerful driving force on your journey to getting fit. They will work somewhere in the depths of consciousness, showing the right direction.

What to do - step by step plan

This article is not an instruction or guide to action. This may force you to start analyzing the possible reasons for your decreased motivation. As practice shows, motivating incentives in working with overweight are much less than demotivating incentives, so the latter need to be worked with carefully.

• Determine the relevance of the goal: do you really want to lose weight?
• Remember the importance of a balanced diet. Deficiency of vitamin D, chromium, B vitamins and complete fats in the diet leads to increased appetite.
• Seek professional help. If you are sure that you have a desire to lose weight and it is relevant today, it is better to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist, because it is often difficult to overcome the problem on your own due to internal barriers.

And before you start putting the knowledge gained into practice, we will give you the main advice: do not fight with complex fat, force yourself to lose weight. It's important to build a friendship and partnership with your own body. The most valuable motivator is yourself.