Motivation to lose weight

Why does motivation go through the roof at the beginning of the weight loss process, and then it disappears somewhere? What can demotivate and who can be the best motivator? Many people who want to lose weight are interested in these questions. In this article, we will consider the reasons that prevent you from starting a new, "harmonious" life.

It is obvious that a person is not indifferent to his appearance and the appearance of others, regardless of gender and age. One of the most interesting things is to look at an attractive person and fantasize about his character and lifestyle. Our appearance also attracts our attention. We try to understand our preferences and maybe we are hiding something - both from ourselves and from others.

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

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

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

What is motivation?

The term "motivation" is derived from the word "motive" (Latin movere - "to set in motion, push"). Motivation is not only internal, but also a set of external forces that encourage some kind of activity. Needs and feelings are the main motivational factors. Feelings of hunger, sex drive, thirst and insecurity are always accompanied by emotions.

Emotions are a psychological factor. For example, positive emotions indicate a satisfied need, while negative emotions indicate an unmet need. Due to the high emotionality of women, they often experience strong emotional stress.

The experience of an unmet need causes anxiety and a desire to eliminate it. For example, if a woman is unhappy with her weight, she wants to get rid of this deficiency, and it seems that there should be enough motivation to achieve the goal.

So why are there problems with this driving force? How to find motivation to lose weight? It is important to understand that human activity is multi-motivated, that is, different motives that may conflict with each other influence simultaneously. This is where the problems begin.

Factors of lack of motivation

• Lack of knowledge. Ignoring the psychological causes of being overweight in the first place. It should be noted that more and more clients of nutritionists and nutritionists are talking about the possible causes of overeating.
• Lack of support, even if loved ones wish you only the best. Because of this, they may think that everything is fine with you anyway. If you can't find support around you, you can contact a psychologist.
• The dishonesty of would-be experts and focusing only on quick and traumatic results for both health and psyche. They do not teach how to maintain the obtained results, what to do if a relapse occurs.
• Constant disruptions and relapses (requiring professional support when working with eating disorders) reduce motivation and mood.
• Slow weight loss with the right comprehensive approach, as a result of which short programs are selected. An example of such a choice is the goal of "losing weight by summer".

These factors have a negative effect on motivation when losing weight and lead to the inability to cope with the problem alone. A person losing weight goes through certain stages: at the beginning of a weight loss marathon, he strictly follows the recommendations against the background of group euphoria, and then the enthusiasm disappears. Apathy appears, often protests, then breaks down.

Food addiction

Almost every overweight person has a food addiction. This result is evident due to the relationship between well-being and behavior. That is, a person with no addiction will change his behavior when his health deteriorates.

If the behavior does not change and continues to disrupt a person's health, we can talk about a hidden reason for being in this situation. With excess weight comes a host of physiological problems (sickness, lack of energy, bad skin and hair) and psychological problems (self-esteem, shame, guilt, constant anxiety, depression, chronic depression), but a person is in this state. don't rush to change anything. then he continues to overeat, that is, we are talking about food addiction.

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

The child's psyche develops on the basis of "couple relationships": mother - child, mother - milk, mouth - stomach, care - support. Food satisfies the baby's important needs from the first days of his life.

For him, delicious food is the ideal mother. A mother who understands and accepts anyone or everyone. It should be remembered that food has not only physiological but also psychological importance for a person. It is a powerful regulator of psychological balance. Therefore, working with excess weight and food addiction, failures, failures and relapses is very difficult and takes a lot of time.

Reasons for low motivation

In the process of working with excess weight, a person is simultaneously affected by multipolar motives: on the one hand, the fear of losing his ideal image and condemnation by society, and on the other hand, the fear of losing a powerful means of maintaining an emotional state. balance.

Emotions and feelings that throw weight loss off balance 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 consider some of them in detail to understand the depth of the problem, and don't rush to blame yourself the next time you lose motivation. Try to understand where the demotivating factors come from.

1. Tiredness. This is a loss of strength after prolonged work. But this need requires sleep and rest, not food. However, in addition to physical fatigue, psychological fatigue can also occur when repressed emotions take up too much energy. The inability or unwillingness to seek other means of self-regulation drives tired people to eat. The idea of constantly overdoing oneself for the sake of something or someone is combined with the inability to replenish reserves with rest. How to solve the 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 waiting too long can lead to burnout and prolonged boredom? It makes no sense to talk about the motivation to lose weight when the meaning of life is lost and what is happening seems meaningless. Melancholy, despair, emptiness. . . Strong and complex emotions cause discomfort, and in the case of food addiction, only food helps to cope. How to solve the problem? Find something to ignite your passion! When was the last time you took a picture? Have you bought a new book? Have you tried cooking a new dish?
3. Fear of hunger. Genetically and historically, the fear of hunger leads to increased appetite. Therefore, many people eat more food than their stomach capacity allows. A party table or a cupboard and fridge full of food will definitely reduce motivation. How to solve the 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.
   False reporting of macronutrient and water intake:
   • protein - 1 g per 1 kg of weight;
   • fats - 1 g per 1 kg of weight;
   • carbohydrates - 3-4 g per 1 kg of weight. Don't forget about 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. Losing weight is a process that is usually accompanied by ups and downs, crashes and setbacks. And every time a relapse occurs, the person feels shame and guilt about their weakness. And to punish himself for this crime, he goes on a strict diet, which leads to another breakdown. And so on. in a circle.

I eat, that is, I am. A passionate desire to feel active is one of the motivations for overeating. A society where material values are the measure of social success leads to a series of negative feelings that you cannot increase your motivation without working.

How to set goals correctly to increase motivation

Thus, negative emotions prevent weight loss. In other words, the mind is overloaded with experiences that take away the energy needed to mobilize the strength to lose weight. And the range of these feelings is huge: from self-discovery to struggle with loneliness.

It turns out that there is a desire to lose weight, but the motivation passes quickly. The fact is that those who want to lose weight ignore the issues that are really important to them and are guided only by secondary, superficial desires when forming motivation.

Many girls really want to lose weight, they try to force themselves to do it again and again, but at the same time, trying different methods, they remain overweight. Have you ever thought so strangely? The only correct strategy: it is important not to get rid of something, but to try to get something.

The most important thing in increasing your motivation to lose weight is to have a clear vision and plan for that "something". Goal-setting exercises are essentially based on this secret that teaches you to "get your dreams right. "Losing weight is difficult if you don't understand in detail what weight loss will give you. It's not easy to turn down another piece of candy if a girl doesn't remember the swimsuit she'll be parading along that beach and doesn't see those looks. No rational nutrition principles will help you lose weight, interesting fantasies about yourself and how you feel in a thin body, in different clothes, in different life situations.

Swimwear isn't the only motivator. The body of overweight people is seriously stressed. The consequences of the deposition of fat tissue and lack of muscle tissue are early aging, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and impaired detoxification processes. . . This is not a complete list of overweight consequences.

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

A properly set goal is the best motivator for weight loss.

A list of basic rules for goal setting:

1. Your goals (in our case, these are thoughts about being thin) should be framed in small plots (stories, scenarios, histories, essays - whatever you like) with you as the protagonist, where you describe in detail the situation you find yourself in. it will be very comfortable thanks to your slim body. These stories should begin with a detailed description of your figure in one or another outfit (or without it), then - your overall appearance, including accessories, hairstyle and makeup; your actions within this situation (how you came, sat down, turned your head, moved your eyes, etc. ) and most importantly - the description of your feelings and emotions (how you feel about your body, how happy you are, how proud you are of yourself, how confident and satisfied you are). As a result of this design, fantasy takes on the energy of feeling and fills you with the desire for happiness - and even if you are not fully aware of it, it will guide you.
2. Important: describe in your goals only what you will gain, what you will become with harmony, not what you will get rid of! And all this in the present time, as if it already happened. You cannot write about disappearing wrinkles, puffiness, shortness of breath for your own purposes! Picture slender legs, graceful ankles, a slim waist, and easy breathing. Our unconscious, the girl inside us, cannot see what is no longer there. You just have to dream - then the unconscious mind will accept these images as a completed thing and save your body from extra pounds.
3. You should have several such fantasies or stories, at least seven. They should be reflected in different areas of your life: personal life, communication with loved ones, work, recreation, health, self-realization. Everyone has their own list. After all, harmony is needed not as an end in itself, but as a means to improve life in all its manifestations. Being thin in itself does not bring happiness, but strangely enough, thinness can be planned in the form of pleasant situations. 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 him.
4. Each of your goals should have a time and space frame so that at some point you can say to yourself, "Oh! I'm done! I'm motivating myself. I'm losing weight. "
5. In order for the goals to definitely come true, they must be realistic and depend only on you. For example, you can't plan for someone to fall in love with you, but you can imagine and describe your confidence, joy, pride and admiration in some important situation, and your mood will do the trick. . .
6. Your goals should be both immediate and short-term, and distant and long-term. You should distribute them throughout the weight loss cycle so that they gradually "warm up" you and push you to new achievements. You should be proud of yourself, praise and reward yourself for each goal accomplished. Don't forget to update your "fun plans" as they develop. There is only one condition: the reward should not be in the form of sweet buns or burgers. What do you like? New clothes, going to the theater, meeting friends? There must be at least seven goals at all times. Once the targets are over, the weight will stop.
7. If in the process of dreaming, thinking and writing goals, you feel joyous excitement, impatience and itching at the tips of your fingers, you are on the right track: "Oh, I wish I could do it sooner! "Oh, how I want it! How wonderful it will be! "On the one hand, mentally hold your favorite product, and on the other hand, you can "try" the already completed goal. Imagine its smell, taste . . . What beats it? If the product is still preferred, then your goal may be incomplete or not completely clear.

Goals are a powerful driving force in your journey to fitness. They will work together in the depths of consciousness, they will show the right direction.

What to do - a step-by-step plan

This article is not an instruction or a guide to action. It can force you to analyze possible reasons for your lack of motivation. Experience shows that there are less motivating incentives to work with excess weight than those that reduce motivation, so the latter should be carefully handled.

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

Before you start applying the knowledge you have acquired, we will give you the main advice: do not fight with difficult fats, force yourself to lose weight. Building a friendship and partnership with your own body is important. The most useful motivator is yourself.