Part 5 - Success Drive: Getting The Right Motivation For Success

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

Before actually loosing weight, many “dieters” first loose their ambition and their stick-to-itiveness. While initial weight loss and shedding those un-necessary pounds (and water weight) may seem “easy”, continued success and the implementation of a practical maintenance program are NOT. It not only requires serious commitment and dedication, but also “dramatic” lifestyle choices and changes. Besides not seeing results quickly enough and getting discouraged, many loose their enthusiasm and motivation once they realize the process can be tedious and required permanent life/living adjustments.

Experts agree that weight loss requires continual nutrition to your spirit and feeding your desire to taste success.

Motivation and Inspiration:

· Get With The Program: Develop a manageable program that will be easy to follow and lend itself to your personality and lifestyle, and that won’t be stressful and impossible to stick to.
· Keep It Real: Avoid striving for perfection. Accept your bad days along with your good ones and realize that success is not based on 100% compliance.

· Break Harmful Patterns: Weight loss success relies more on shedding bad behaviors than extra weight, and often means gaining control over harmful habits. Experts suggest the following.

o Clean up your act by trashing unhealthy foods and practices. Fill your cupboards with nutritious alternatives and while it’s okay to eat out, you should either have a healthy snack before dining (so you’ll be fairly full and order and eat less) or simply refrain from fast-food restaurants or other places that compromise your goals.

o Dress for success. Get rid of any “roomy” clothes (pants and skirts with elastic waistbands, baggy shirts etc) that allow for “expansion” and overindulgence.

o Identify your eating triggers, including times and emotions. Combat cravings with healthy alternative behaviors that don’t involve food.

o Thwart temptation by avoiding it, one urge at a time (i.e. avoiding environments that lend themselves to eating, including finding alternative routes to those inundated with fast-food establishments and restaurants). Once you’ve successfully defeated one urge, you’ll be better at curbing others.

Next: Part 6 - A Lose-Win Situation >>