Sometimes all we need is a little push.....Part 2

Yesterday I promised I would post tips on how to get motivated. These are tips that I have picked up through out my time in WW and from other sources on the internet.

The first one is a good starting point. Set mini-goals. These are a vital key for your weight loss journey. Weight loss goals include silver sevens, stones, 5% and 10%, drop into a lower BMI category and a drop into a new stone bracket. Do not forget other goals such as exercise goals and clothes goals. The satisfaction you feel when you get to cross off those goals will spur you on. If you have a competitive streak in you then go into competition with yourself. Dare yourself to reach those goals. Some people may prefer to have deadlines for these goals while others prefer to achieve them at their own pace. Do what you feel comfortable doing. Make sure your goals are realistic and your deadlines are reasonable. By putting yourself under pressure you are setting yourself up for failure.

Remember to celebrate the small victories. Half a pound is better than a stay the same or a gain. Being able to zip up your old jeans is an amazing achievement. Running around with your children and not being out of breath is something you should be proud of. Reward yourself with non-food treats. Let go of the fat person inside of you and embrace the new skinny to be you.

A little trick I learned from my leader was to write, on my tracker, all my treats in red pen. This highlights the amount of treats you are eating and it is easier for you to see exactly how many points you are using on
treats. You should always plan your three main meals first. Make good hearty meals with foods that will keep you fuller for longer. Then once you have done that, you can see how many points you have left and you can allow for treats.

Photos are a great motivator. I recently did up a collage of photos with pre weight loss pictures, pictures

from when I lost the weight and pictures since I put the weight back on. I am gutted at how I look now. I had done so well but it does show me that I did it once, I can do it again. That collage is now my background picture on my laptop so I can see it all the time.

Another trick I learned from my leader was to set up a few alarms on your phone. You set them up for times that the cravings tend to kick in. You can name them whatever you like. She suggested naming them after her so it is like she is calling you to remind you to be good. I have on mine 200lbs and heavier since January. This is to remind me that I am now in the 200lbs and if I keep going I was be reaching the 300lbs.

Do not be afraid to get lost in your thoughts. A tip for newcomers or even the old hands at WW, write down your feelings that first day you join WW. Stick it somewhere that you can see. Think about how you feel/felt at your heaviest. Were you happy? Think about how you feel/felt at your lowest weight. Keep focusing on that

feeling. Write down your thoughts so you can refer back to them when you are struggling again. Think about what it would be like to be at goal weight, to wear nice clothes or to have the confidence to walk tall. Visualise yourself in your dream body. How does that make you feel? I know it gives me jitters. My leader said before that we can be that hot girl we are always envious of, if we want it bad enough.

Changing things up is so important. The weight loss journey is a long one and you need to make sure you do not get bored. Make sure you are regularly changing your meals around and not eating the same foods all the time. If you are eating the same things all the time then you are more likely to give up. The internet is your best friend. You can Google recipes. They do not necessarily have to be low fat as you can adjust them yourself to make them WW friendly. The same applies to exercise. You will eventually get bored of the exercise you do. One way to keep your exercise fresh is to try out classes with friends or go for a run/walk with your friends. You will not get bored and they can help motivate you as well.

Tomorrow's post will conclude with more advice and tips for helping you through your journey.