Diet and sport are the two pillars on which we must base ourselves if we want to lose weight and eliminate the extra kilos, but also maintaining motivation is essential to achieve that goal and not get discouraged before time. There will be times when training becomes very uphill and therefore it is key to know how to motivate yourself to lose weight by exercising and avoid throwing in the towel after a few weeks.
If you have decided to lose weight to gain health and look better, congratulations! But keep in mind that your goal involves time and effort. There are no miracles when it comes to getting rid of the kilos and accumulated fat and losing them should always be a progressive process, in which it is normal for there to be moments of discouragement due to not obtaining the results we want immediately.
Increasing your physical activity will make you burn more calories and thus, with sports and a balanced diet, you will lose weight in a healthy way. Motivating yourself to lose weight by exercising will help you reach your goal, because it is not always easy. Look at the ideas you should keep in mind and the actions you can take to maintain your motivation to lose weight by training. Keep reading!
6 keys to find motivation and lose weight by exercising
That motivation that you need so much to lose weight with exercise is based both on keeping intact a series of positive principles and thoughts that encourage you, and on putting into practice concrete actions that reinforce your decision even in the most difficult moments. Whether your goal is to lose weight at home or lose weight at the gym, take note of these tips to motivate yourself and lose weight by exercising every week:
1. Be realistic and make a plan
If you start from the idea that this is going to be “simple and easy”, discouragement will come sooner rather than later. Analyze your starting point taking into account how many kilos you need to lose and what your physical condition is. Before you start running, set a not too ambitious minimum period, for example, two – three months of training. Make a plan that determines the days, hours, and type of sessions. Ask for the advice you need froma qualified personal trainer or monitor and if you have the support of a trainer to monitor your progress, the better.
2. Short goals
It is one of the keys to getting motivated while exercising to lose weight. You cannot pretend (nor is it healthy) to try to shed 5 kilos in a month. If you have this idea in your head, you will not achieve your goal and discouragement will come before you see the first results of your effort. Go slowly, establish, for example, a weight loss rate of 1 kilo per month, something relatively easy to achieve. Thus, if you reach that first and “small” goal (which you will probably exceed) your motivation to lose weight by exercising will skyrocket.
3. At your own pace and without comparisons
Each person’s body is unique and is not comparable to that of another. If you want to maintain your motivation by losing weight in the gym, don’t ever focus on what any partner (more than you) may have lost weight. Thus, you will begin to think that you are doing worse because you are doing it “wrong”, not “worth it” or “you will never get it.” Immediately banish those ideas and enjoy your individual accomplishments. Each of them, no matter how minimal, will strengthen your self-esteem and encourage you to keep moving forward.
4. Have fun
Alternate exercises, group classes and sports activities that you like with others that may cost you a little more. If you love swimming, running or cycling, make these activities part of your training so that, in this way, at least part of the exercise you do costs you very little.
5. Reward yourself for every win
As long as the award is not a “binge” on unhealthy fats, any self-award will boost your motivation to continue losing weight while playing sports. An afternoon of rest without the planned training, some shopping that you feel like, or a good massage or beauty treatment… you’ve earned it!
6. Much more than losing pounds
There is nothing that can motivate you more to exercise to lose weight than to think about the many benefits of sports. Think of them when the moments of discouragement arrive. Improve your cardiovascular health, increase your agility and flexibility , feel stronger and with a greater capacity for physical resistance and also, more comfortable with your body … Have a future perspective and when you need motivation to lose weight by exercising , imagine how well you are doing to be in a matter of a few months.
