No Excuses - Finding Your Motivation for Weight Loss

Excuses are rooted in a fear of change. You get comfortable in your routines and the foods you eat and activity level, and your body adapts to your comfort zone. However, you can face those fears and change your life though. You may have seen season 13 of The Biggest Loser which is focused on breaking down the excuses each contestant used to avoid changing and losing weight. Once they confront their excuses, they start to lose weight fast. It is definitely worth the work to escape your comfort zone. As I discuss in my hub, How to be a Stronger Person Inside and Out, all growth requires some stress- some change that you have to physically and mentally adapt to. In his book, Excuses Begone!, Wayne Dyer identifies 7 questions which I've used to guide my clients through changing their self-defeating thinking habits:

1. Is <my excuse> really true?

2. Where did the excuse come from?

3. What will be the payoff [for overcoming this fear]?

4. What would my life look like if I couldn't use this excuse?

5. Can I create a rational reason to change?

6. Can I [reach out for support] in shedding old habits?

7. How do I continuously reinforce this new way of being?

Read Top Ten Weight Loss Excuses Debunked for specific help with the most common excuses and how to change a few common realities.

Once you've put the work into overcoming your excuses, let's look at how to get and stay motivated in your weight management goals.

Now that you've dropped the excuses, setting a SMART goal is important. Your weight loss goal should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, “I want to lose 30 pounds in 4 months. I will do this by walking/jogging 30 minutes, three times a week, and cutting out soda and fried foods.” You should know specifically what you want to achieve, you should have a way to know when you've achieved it, it should be realistic, relevant to your own habits, and you should have an idea when you want to achieve it by. For help, read my hubs, Setting a SMART Goal, and What Should I Weigh?

Next, define your reasons for making this change. Why is it important to you? Is it to improve a health issue? Feel more attractive? Fit into your wedding dress? Improve your self-esteem? Keep up with your kids/grandchildren? Feel more comfortable in your clothes? Whatever your own reasons are, write them down where you can look back at them when you start to ask yourself, “Why?”

I can't over emphasize the importance of support. Reach out to your friends and family for support, look into social media groups (such as Facebook Groups), or local weight loss groups (such as Weight Watchers). If your goal is more than a little 5 or 10 vanity pounds, you may also consider professional support like a personal trainer. Look for a Certified Personal Trainer with a LWMC (Lifestyle and Weight Management Coaching) certification. A dietician or nutritionist may also help you identify your individual dietary needs. If you are an emotional eater, you may benefit from counseling, and if you are a binge eater, you may want to look into groups like Overeaters Anonymous.

You will be well on your way to lose weight fast once you're in the No Excuses mindset, have a clear goal, reasons to stick to that goal, and have a solid support system. You can do it!

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