How to Get Motivated to Lose Weight

If you've been trying to lose weight for some time you know how hard it can sometimes be to simply get motivated to lose weight and more importantly to keep it off.

I've been there myself. For years I struggled with "trying to lose weight" and lack of motivation.

I knew I needed to lose weight. I wanted to lose weight but after a long day's work I simply wanted to relax on the couch and order some take out food.

Getting some exercise or even having a healthy meal was just so hard to do. I'd then feel guilty and ashamed of myself for lacking any motivation or will-power.

I struggled with how to get motivated to lose weight until I discovered a few simple ways that got me off that couch, that stopped me from eating the wrong foods and got me to do the "simple things" I needed to do to lose weight and keep it from coming back.

1. I clearly identified "Why" I wanted to lose weight in the first place.

So, to follow in my foot steps ask yourself "Why do I want to lose weight?" Then write down the reasons "Why" you want to lose weight on a piece of paper or better yet in a journal. Go...do it now. And make this the first day that you absolutely start your weight loss process.

1. Be very SPECIFIC about your reasons.

2. Talk about it in the "present tense" like it is already happening.

The more SPECIFIC you get, the more REAL it will be for YOU. Relate your reasons to your present life rather than in the distant future. What do you want NOW and exactly why do you want it?

You should be able to PICTURE your reasons "Why?" visually.

For example:

I'm losing weight so I can have a slimmer face, clear and glowing skin.

Versus: I want to lose weight so I can look better.

My husband or my boyfriend or my crush notice and complement me for how great I look.

Versus: I want people to notice and pay attention to me.

I'm more confident when I talk to my boss at work and I can see how he appreciates the great work I'm doing.

Versus: I can be more confident about myself

See what's happening here?... The more SPECIFIC you're getting to "Why?" you want to lose weight and the more your reasons relate to your present life, the more you get motivated to lose weight and actually making it happen RIGHT NOW.

2. Surround yourself with the right PEOPLE that keep you motivated to lose weight.

Being around the right people all the time is critical to getting and staying motivated to lose weight.

You know there's a saying that goes like.... "tell me who your 5 closest friends are and I'll tell you who you are"

Who you spend time with and surround yourself with makes a huge difference in the actions you take and the habits you form.

Just hang out with slim people long enough and you'll POSITIVELY see the difference in yourself.

If your 5 best friends are slim and fit and you surround yourself with slim people, then there's only 1 of 2 things that can happen.

1. They develop the habits to put on weight or 2. You get influenced to lose weight and become more "like them".

You will subconsciously do the things you need to lose weight from just surrounding yourself with the right people.

Be around positive, reinforcing people. People that support and re-assure you. Stay away from negative people even if they are your current best friends and family!

Negativity can pull you down. But positive vibrations from positive people will lift you up and keep you on track and motivated to keep losing weight and staying healthy.

Start today by associating yourself with the right people online. Your Facebook friends, YouTube friends and even weight loss support groups and communities online will help you with how to get motivated to lose weight and stay motivated.

3. Put together your 2 "What If?...." sheets NOW.

What if I do...? And What if I don't...? On your What if I do...? sheet write down at the top...

"These are GREAT CHANGES that are going to happen to me starting 1) tomorrow, 2) within 2 months and 3) in 1 to 2 years."

Then write down every single GOOD CHANGE you can imagine that will happen to you in the immediate, short term and long term time frames....if you START TAKING ACTION NOW to lose weight.

So for example:

On the What if I do...? sheet you could be writing things like....

- Tomorrow I will feel great about having started to take the actions to lose weight. I will stop feeling guilty. Instead I'm more empowered since I'm on the right track.

- Tomorrow I will simply wake up feeling better and more energetic since I'm going to eat right tonight.

- Within 2 months from today I will have lost XXX (enter your specific goal) pounds or kilos.

- Within 2 months from today, my boyfriend/ my husband will be telling me how I'm losing weight and looking great!

- Within 1 year I'll be shopping for those new clothes that perfectly fit my hourglass figure.

- Within 1 year, I'll be talking about my own weight loss success story and inspiring so many others to follow in my foot steps.

- Within 1 year I'll have so much more energy to play with my kids, spend more quality time with my husband and do so many more fun activities.

Now on your 2nd sheet, write down all the THINGS you can imagine that will happen if you DON'T TAKE ACTION NOW to lose weight...

At the end of each sentence also write..... I will not let this happen.

So for example:

On the What if I don't...? sheet you could be writing things like....

- Tomorrow I will feel guilty again for not doing anything to start losing weight. I will not feel good knowing that I'm not on the right track. I will not let this happen.

- Tomorrow I will wake up feeling tired and lethargic again! I'll have a hard time getting out of bed and feel low energy. I will not let this happen.

- In 2 months from today I will be the same. Worse, I could have gained more weight. I'll be scared to stand on the scale and embarrassed with myself. I will not let this happen.

- In 2 months from today my husband will still not see any changes in me and I'll be the same weight and have the same body. I'll feel like I'm letting him down and myself down again. I will not let this happen.

- In 1 year's time I'll still be wearing clothes to "try" to hide my weight and appear thin. I'll be self conscious about going in public and meeting new people because of my weight. I will not let this happen.

- In 1 year's time my boyfriend may not find me physically attractive anymore and may want to leave me. I may have a hard time finding a "significant other" that thinks I'm attractive and wants to be with me. I will not let this happen.

Now that you've written down all the things you can imagine, you have a vivid and clear picture for getting motivated to lose weight. Be aware of your 2 "What If..." lists. Read your lists 3 times a week.

See what's happening? Yes, you're getting motivated to lose weight NOW even as you're reading your lists.

Keep doing this and you'll find yourself taking ACTION. Then your habits are changing quickly. Then you start SEEING RESULTS.

As soon as you see RESULTS, you REINFORCE your actions and that in turn motivates you to take more action. And this is a powerful positive cycle to be in.

I, Dr Ashok Patil guarantee you that you will:

1. get motivated to lose weight

2. start taking the right actions to lose weight and keep it off

3. never want to look back - so you'll stay motivated.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr._Ashok_Patil/622032

3 Easy Steps to Fast and Lasting Weight Loss

3 Steps To Lose Weight That Will Last

When it comes to losing weight there are no magic pills or secret diets that can help you reach your weight loss goals. But you can achieve your goals with these 3 steps to help lose weight.

Like most things in life losing weight (a lot of weight) boils down to conscious effort, discipline, determination and perseverance.

Losing 10, 20, 50 or 100 pounds or more all comes back to what you do on a daily basis. If you do what you're supposed to do (eat right + exercise) day in a day out you will eventually lose all the weight you want.

However, if you throw caution to the wind and don't do what you're supposed to do then you may never see your weight loss dreams come true. This my friend is the saddest scenario there is.

If you're bored of being fat, if your tired of being overweight, if your ready to start your new life today then hold on because I am about to give you the simple yet extremely effective weight loss plan you've been waiting for.

Are you ready? I am going to tell you in no uncertain terms what you have to do to lose all the weight you want in 3 easy to do steps. However, in order for this to work you must maintain your focus and discipline everyday to keep doing the steps until you reach your desired results.

Even if you falter and veer off your weight loss track, it's OK. If you are able to quickly get back on track you will overtime, reap the benefits of dramatic weight loss and improved health.

And now, without further adieu here are your 3 basic steps to weight loss...

1. EAT LESS

2. EAT BETTER

3. EXERCISE

There they are. What do you think? A little anti-climatic, huh? Maybe you were expecting more... Well, let me tell you if you are able to grasp and implement this powerfully safe and effective weight loss plan is you will never again have to spend another unnecessary dime on weight loss products that don't work.

You see, your body is a fine tuned weight loss management machine. If you follow the right plan and give your body only what it needs to survive it will do all the hard work for you.

Given enough time and following the 3 steps above you can lose tens and even hundreds of pounds without starving yourself or resorting to bogus weight loss pills or dangerous body sculpting surgeries.

Now, this is not to say that the road to significant weight loss will be easy or that you will not have to suffer a bit to reach your desired results. There will be days when you feel like throwing in the towel and giving up.

On those days you might just cave into your undeniable cravings and go crazy at your local all you can eat artery clogging buffet. But hey,that's OK. You're human. Sometimes you have to go a little nuts to get back on track.

However, if you are truly committed to reaching even your most seemingly unattainable weight loss goals you can and will do it by following the plan above. Now, for your benefit let's go a little deeper into each step of the plan.

1. EAT LESS

There is really no doubt about it. If you want to lose weight you have to start eating less. You have to create a calorie deficiency in order for you body to start shedding pounds.

If you do not begin to limit how much food you take in no amount of exercise will help you reach your goals. Eating less of your favorite greasy, fat filled foods will be the quickest way to dramatic weight loss.

It really doesn't matter how much weight you have to lose. Unless you take control of both your conscious and unconscious eating habits you'll be hard pressed to lose even one pound.

No, you have to start cutting back on the amount of food you are used to eating. I've heard of stories where people would go to Mc Donald's and pack away two Super Sized Big Mac Meals.

Obviously, this is way too much. In this situation even cutting down to one Super Size meal would be an improvement. But, as we will see in our next step, a better plan would be to do away with the Super Size meal all-together and start eating better.

2. EAT BETTER

As the saying goes, "We are what we eat." If we eat crap, guess what? However, if we learn to eat well then not only will our waistline thank us for it but we'll also feel better about ourselves to boot.

One of the quickest changes you can make to your diet when trying to lose weight is to ditch all the junk food you may be used to eating (chips, sodas, pizzas, donuts, cookies, etc) and start eating more vegetables.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. You may still be traumatized by your mother not letting you get up from the dinner table until you finished all your broccoli but let me tell you, your mother was right.

If you can fill half your plate at every meal with high fiber and nutrient packed vegetables you are well on your way to significant and long lasting weight loss. This is probably one of the simplest things you can do to really kickstart your weight loss journey.

While it might not be easy to start eating vegetables at every meal the sooner you begin the better off you'll be and the quicker the weight will start to melt off your body.

3. EXERCISE

In order to kick your weight loss adventure into high gear you have to get your body moving. I don't care if you call it working out, exercising, aerobics or whatever the point is you have to do something to get your heart rate up and your sweat glands working overtime.

Exercise is the key to sustainable, long lasting and real weight loss. For every pound you lose by eating right and exercising that is one more pound that will never come back to haunt you.

Why? Because you now know the "secret" to safe and effective weight loss. If you ever feel yourself creeping back up on the dreaded scale o' fat all you have to do is put these 3 steps into action and watch as you stabilize and contradict any unwanted weight gain.

By exercising on a regular basis you are giving your body the energy boost it needs to ramp up your metabolism rate to start efficiently and effectively losing weight on a daily basis. I don't about you but that sounds pretty darn good to me.

The more you push yourself physically the faster you will see change in your body occur. You may not have to work out with a personal trainer everyday but you do need to do something.

Be it going for a walk, running, swimming, biking, hiking, or any other physical activity you like to do start doing it now. Don't spend another night on the couch watching the latest re-runs. Get your body moving and start losing weight today.

CONCLUSION

Losing weight (even a lot of weight) is not rocket science. So rest assured that anyone can do it, even you. However, it will require all the patience, discipline, determination and perseverance you can muster.

Start slow. Take it one day at a time. You may not reach your ideal weight in one week, one month or even one year but stick with it and reach it you will. By following the 3 steps above you too can become a success story like so many other before you.

So go forth and start losing all that unwanted weight that years of undisciplined living have left behind. Take control of your life starting today. Soon you'll be glad you did. When that day comes there will be no looking back.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Alex_Jones/2159564

Breakfast is the Key to Weight Loss

Medical research shows that people who have regular breakfast everyday are the ones who are the most successful weight losers and usually get defined abs before people who skip breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day which keeps you full, energized and active all day long. 

Studies show that if you miss on breakfast, then you eat more all day, have a slower metabolism and end up gaining more weight. Now you don't want that right. You want a healthy breakfast so that it can set you in the right gear to get defined abs. I have today a breakfast recipe for you that has enough nutrients in it to last you the whole day. It's a smoothie and lets call it the Power smoothie because it really is.

You will need:

• Soy milk (soy milk is full of protein,great to get defined abs, has low fat, vitamin b 12; Protein helps in repairing all the muscles that you tear while exercising)
• Blueberries (have lots of antioxidants)
• Strawberries (full of vitamin c)
• And Mango (naturally sweet, full of vitamin C)

Smoothies are better with frozen dried fruits so use that. When fruits are in season, buy extra and freeze their pulp. To make 25 oz of drink, use 5 oz of each component and blend it all in, in the smoothie maker with some ice cubes. Garnish it with some mint leaves and your delicious smoothie is ready. The delicious drink that will result will be full of Magnesium, Folate, Vitamin 3, Omega 3s, Protein, B carbonate and calcium.

That's pretty much the best way to start your day off with so many nutrients. Make exercise a part of your daily routine. With all this energy that you will get from this smoothie, you can go on for hours and lift weights, do crunches and shape up that abdomen of yours, Go get defined abs!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hina_Hussain

How To Lose Weight In A Week

You want to know how to lose weight in a week because of a looming deadline - perhaps a special someone is coming to town, maybe health reasons, maybe you just want to fit into a bikini, or maybe it's something else. Whatever your motivation, there is every reason to lose weight.

What's the problem? Our society is more obese than ever. People are getting uglier, fatter and lazier.

So what's the solution? Learn how to lose weight in a week. Or simply just learn how to lose weight. You'll feel healthier, look sexier and overall enjoy life more. You'll return to those joy-filled days of childhood, singing songs and running around. Well, almost... Anyway, follow these tips and you'll be shedding pounds within a week.

1. Eat small meals more frequently. Research has shown that eating small meals is more conducive to weight loss. It keeps your metabolism burning for longer. One of the worst ways you can eat is to wait 5 - 6 hours and then pig out.
2. 4 meals a day. Instead of the usual 3, eat 4 smaller meals. This keeps your metabolism burning on high throughout the day and will allow you to lose weight sooner.
3. Calorie shift. This is simply changing your calorie intake at each meal. This keeps your body burning on high so you are more likely to lose weight.
4. Water yourself. Forget about water weight - your body is more likely to retain water if you don't give it enough. So drink up and hydrate yourself, it's good for you and will help to lose weight faster and sooner.
5. Go walking. Actually go outside and walk somewhere. If you prefer jogging, jog! The point is to exercise. You'll be happier and you'll lose weight faster.

With these tips you know how to lose weight in a week. You can't expect to lose a massive amount in a week by any standard, but you will lose weight nonetheless. Stick with it for a few months and you are guaranteed to be slimmer and sexier. Do you want to help some people? Go tell them how to lose weight in a week!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Palmer

Quick Weight Loss - How to Lose Weight Quickly

Let's start by saying that if someone go online and search for these terms "quick weight loss" or "how to lose weight quickly" you will discover that a lot of results will appear.

Let's take for instance you wanted to go to a social gathering and you can't fit in your much loved dress, or to make it worse, your wedding dress does not fit you on the day of your wedding. You may start to wonder how this is possible after you might have tried to lose weight, and admiring yourself in the mirror for at least 5X daily. Anyway we all know the reason why: it is due to your irresistible craving for those jumbo burger or those much loved chocolates.

The real truth is that nobody would want to find his/herself in such a situation. How to lose weight quickly and safely or quick weight loss? Mostly, this kind of question always runs through each person's mind that want to loss weight fast. There is no how you can lose weight straight away but that is not to say that quick weight loss is not possible. Just that you need to follow a step by step system and not just waking up and hoping to loss weight immediately.

The funny thing is that most people do not want to follow a hale and hearty routine, instead they look for ways which can provide them with sharp results even if it is unsafe but they don't know that it can be dangerous going that way. Quick weight loss or how to lose weight fast? Someone might ask, can I lose weight fast and safe using pills? What are the guidelines for losing weight quickly? All these questions and more are among the types of question that bothers people who are overweight. Do you know some people are even ready to do anything for weight lose quick results.

Now the answer to the question, how to lose weight quickly or how to lose weight quick, comprises a regular exercise, self control and hale and hearty diet.

Let us see the procedure to lose weight quickly and safely with diet.

*You can have all the fruits you want, but keep away from eating bananas on the first day.

*Have vegetables along with vinegar, mustard or soy sauce on the second day.

*Eat only fruits and vegetables on the third day.

*About five bananas and five glasses of milk ought to make up your meal for the fourth day.

*Eat chicken or fish along with vegetables on the fifth day

*You can include beef and vegetables in your diet on sixth day.

*Once more eat beef or chicken together with fresh vegetables on the seventh day.

I want to tell you that these diets will help you lose weight rapidly. Also, you can follow crash diets for a short time till you lose weight although it is better to retrieve to your normal diet later.

Another way to reduce fat is through surgery. This alternative is generally recommended to folks who are very obese. These days, there are lots of diet pills obtainable in the market to lose weight quickly but what I have to say is that someone have to discuss with his/her physician before making use of them to avoid the negative side effects. On the other hand, it is recommended that you ought to keep away from diet pills as they can be dangerous to your health. For this reason it is better to keep to the natural methods of weight loss since it has no or little side effect.

Follow These Tips to Lose Weight Quick-How to Lose Weight Quickly Guidelines

*Reduce your calorie intake. You can lose weight quickly if you burn more calories. For this reason, you have to engage in more physical activity and lessen the calorie intake to lose weight quick. You have to reduce the amount of salt and starches consumption in order to give you speedy results. Therefore, to lose weight quickly, you must eat the right kind of foods as calories matters most in case of weight loss. So it is vital to lose 7 calories per pound of your current body weight.

*Follow a hale and hearty diet and include foods like lean meat, egg whites, soy products, vegetables, fruits and dairy foods with no fats in their every day diet in order to lose weight fast and safely. Stay away from eating junk foods. Also try to add in pastas, salads, and fibrous foods in your every day diet. Replace white bread with brown bread. Make use of skimmed milk instead of the regular one since it has fewer amounts of fats.

*You have to exercise steady. Let me tell you, in case you don't know that cardio exercises decreases fat more rapidly. Therefore exercise no less than 30-45mis daily and it is vital to perspire during exercise.

*Try and consume green tea as it will help you out in losing weight.

Some helpful exercises in quick weight loss are.

*Household everyday jobs like cleaning, washing and even gardening are good forms of exercise but some don't know.

*Weight training exercises like dumbbells are very efficient in muscle toning. They will help in reducing fat plus result in inch loss.

*Aerobic exercises: This will help you build stamina and keep you healthy and fit.

Swimming is as well an effective form of exercise. It will develop your stamina and muscles.

*Crunches or ab exercises are effective if you want to achieve a flat belly.

All these are the ways which tell you how to lose weight fast. Mind you that extreme dieting can lead to a severe health problems.For that reason, it is advisable to have a hale and hearty balanced diet which will promote weight control. Please you have to stay away from too much alcohol and smoking. Since a positive outlook towards life promotes a healthy living. So be optimistic and live a stress free life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roseline_Mark

Nutritious Snacks For Losing Weight

Learn to ride out your food cravings. They peak and subside like ocean waves. When you get an urge to eat, tell yourself that you can satisfy the craving if you really want to. Then wait ten minutes. This ensures that your eating is conscious, not compulsive. Keep in mind that most cravings last only a few minutes. Try doing something to distract yourself.

 Also remember that food addiction is the same as any other addiction. That first bite only makes you want more. If you ultimately decide that you really do want that food, then decide how much is reasonable and enjoy it. Really enjoy it. Take one bite and savor the taste. Eat slowly. If you cannot control yourself learn to control it but on the process if you get a strong urge to snack while you're watching television below are my recommended nutritious snacks for losing weight. Another important tip if you must eat snacks occasionally to ward off hunger make sure they are healthy. Good choices include:

o Unsweetend low fat yogurt topped with granola or nuts and fresh fruits.
o Unsweetend gelatin made with fruit juice in place of sugar and water.
o Watermelon, fresh fruit or frozen fruit popsicles.
o Natural sugar free whole grain muffins.
o Celery and carrot sticks
o Low fat cottage cheese topped with fresh applesauce and walnuts.
o Freshly made unsalted popcorn.
o Rice cakes topped with nut butter (but not peanut butter).

One important thing also is do not eat any white flour products during snacks, salt, white rice, or processed foods. Also, avoid fast food restaurants and all junk foods. If the cravings for food persist and cannot be supplemented by nutritious snacks find out what causes your cravings. A craving for salt, chocolate, or sugar may actually be an indication of an underlying condition such as a mineral deficiency, food allergy, hypoglycemia, or hypothyroidism. If you still get a strong urge to snack while try reading a book, drinking a large glass of liquid, or taking a walk instead. If your cravings are triggered by where you are, move. If you're in the kitchen, go outside to relax, take a walk, or do yard word. If you're in the mall, avoid the food court.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Daniel_Rivera

Discover The Best Foods For Losing Weight

Going on a diet can be hard on the body so you want to be sure that you choose a program that is going to keep you healthy while you are losing those pounds. Fortunately, the best foods for losing weight are also foods that are good for your health so eating them can help you drop pounds, gain energy, and improve your health and mood.

Whole Grains - One of the biggest culprits of weight gain is white flour. It is also one of the unhealthiest foods you can eat. If you're looking to lose weight, you should strike any foods made with white flour from your diet immediately. This includes white bread, pasta and most baked goods. But that doesn't mean that you have to stop eating these foods. What you need to do is switch to breads, pastas and baked goods made with whole grains instead. Replace your white bread with whole wheat bread, eat whole wheat pasta or quinoa instead of spaghetti and throw out the white rice in favor of Brown Rice. Foods made with whole grains have nutrients in them that foods made with white flour do not and they will also make you feel fuller and more satisfied.

Vegetables - It goes without saying that vegetables are probably the healthiest food you can eat - they are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants so it stands to reason that a diet high in vegetables is going to be healthy for you and, since they are low in calories, they are also one of the best foods for losing weight. Adding more vegetables into your diet will help you be able to eat a larger volume of food while you still drop pounds. One strategy that I like is to increase the amount of vegetables in the dishes that you make. Stick with stir fries, rice dishes with vegetables or even just adding more vegetables in side dishes to your plate can help in your weight loss efforts.

Fruits - Like vegetables, fruits are low in calories and, if you're trying to lose weight, it's a good strategy to replace desserts in your diet with fruits. There are plenty of delicious recipes using fruit and you can also replace some of the fat and sugar in your baked goods recipes with fruits like mashed banana and apple sauce to create healthy, low-calorie and low-fat desserts. You can even add fruits to your stir fries and salads to add volume and taste.

Beans - Beans are incredibly healthy and have a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and they are also loaded in fiber which can help you feel full. Beans make an excellent substitute for meat in your diet because meat is very high in fat and calories. Switching some of your meals to "meatless" can be a great way to help in your weight loss efforts. Eating things like chile, rice and beans as well as casseroles and soups that have beans in them can be just as satisfying as a full meat dish but have a lot less calories.

When it comes down to it, the best foods for losing weight are those that are low in fat and calories and high in fiber. Choose foods that are low on the glycemic index because these foods will help you feel fuller and help you keep that full feeling for longer. The more full you feel, the less you will eat and the more successful your weight loss efforts will be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins