Staying Motivated

There is something very motivational about achieving a goal, no matter how small it is. The fact that you set out to accomplish something and succeeded is such a lift any way you look at it.

Last week I set out to get back on track with my weight loss, set a goal to lose 4 lbs. by Sat. and in fact lost 5 lbs. It was a hard week for me. I had to re-adjust my mind set to be aware of keeping my calorie intake in check. I'm not one to count calories and I know intuitively when I'm going over the limit.  It's really a matter of developing the mind set to break away from old habits. Changing my thought process and staying accountable to my goal was what motivated me through the week.

I honestly feel like we all know inside ourselves what we need to change to lose weight. With me it involves portion control, eating late at night, and being conscious of what I eat. For instance when I stop for gas, frequently I will go inside the station and buy a small bag of chips, or an ice cream bar. I realize that it is not wrong to buy something to eat, just make it something that is not going to put on the extra pounds. So now I buy a bottle of water and a pack of gum, or some pistachios. I've become much more conscious of what I eat in between meals, in addition to the meals themselves.

For me... staying motivated involves meeting goals and having things to look forward to. The sense of accomplishment drives me to stick with it while having things to look forward to propels me forward. They both work hand in hand. It's a mindset that allows you to stay focused and accept new behaviors into your psyche.

 

Routines can help us to stay motivated. Friends and support groups can be very motivational. I think it is good to use outside support systems to develop our inner strengths. Being connected to a group can give us new insights into how we relate to food and provide a stable support system. The connections we make can help us lift each other towards achieving our goals and provide accountability. This is true for all aspects of our lives and not just for weight loss.

I ate tons of the Southwest chicken lime soup! OMG it is the easiest, best recipe and I just never get tired of it. I also ate lots of my fresh Asian rolls which have vermicelli rice noodles, mint, shrimp, avocado, pickled vegetables and lettuce. They are so fresh, light and low calorie. I'll post my recipe for these later in the week...

Next week starts the 2-1/2 lbs. per week weight loss. 236.5 by next Sunday.