5 Tips To Stick To Your Weight Loss Goals

When people feel like they are starting to lose grip on their goals—especially when their intentions were so good—they can spiral downward with their thinking and give up entirely. If you need a pick-me-up to get back on track with your goals, try some of these tips to think better and lose more weight.

1. Think in terms of two-pound weight loss increments. 

It’s always good to go for the next immediate accomplishment and that’s why I tell people to think in two pound weight loss increments and not the overall weight loss goal. Sure, you can plot out what you’d like to weigh, or what size you’d like to be, but on a daily basis, think of the next short-term goal you can hit. Wouldn’t you rather be excited about all the tiny victories along the way instead of holding out for the end goal? Shorter goals help you develop the habits you need to reach long-term goals by focusing on what you are doing right now, today.

2. Know that you'll have slip ups.

You will have slip ups. You will most likely have days when you justify to yourself why you shouldn’t work out or why it’s okay to emotionally overeat. It happens to many people and it’s best to accept a little room for being human upfront. Don’t get caught in a negative thinking trap, like telling yourself you've failed or that you will never be able to achieve your goals. Negative thinking only makes you feel negative; it won’t accomplish anything. If you slip up, just tell yourself, Okay, I slipped up. Now I’m getting right back on track. Jump back in and look forward.

3. Have your goals written down in a place where you can easily access them to read each day. 

Your goals won’t fade to the background if you remind yourself of them daily. Be clear and specific about your goals so there’s no ambiguity on where you want to go. And when you are reviewing your goals, always remember to ask yourself WHY you want to achieve those goals. Reminding yourself of the reason you want to achieve your goals is where your motivation lives.

4. Look at what's worked for you in the past, and use that to your advantage. 

Is it a bathing suit hanging up in a place where you can see it every morning? Is it pictures of athletes that inspire or old photos of you when you were more fit? Or maybe it’s motivational quotes and sayings. You can easily print these tools for inspiration and place them where you can give yourself this positive input often.

5. Use your accomplishments to champion your warrior spirit. 

You can win the battle over you. I bet you have in a hundred little ways already. Have you successfully lost weight before? Did you participate in a gym class or a sporting event where you felt like you were successful? Use your accomplishments to fuel future accomplishments. It’s the “I did it before, I can do it again” thinking and it works. When you're feeling defeated, think of times when you were your most confident self and operate from that person instead.

If you tweak your thinking just a little bit, you can always put yourself back on the path to a healthy weight and a healthier and happier you. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

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