How do you keep your weight loss motivation?

[TeenLifeMum]

I’ve been losing weight since the end of March and it’s a bit up and down but more down so it is working. I’ve lost 13lbs, clothes that were too tight are now fitting and I’m feeling much happier about myself… but, I still need to lose 1.5 stone (at this point one stone off would be enough).

i am enjoying the food I’m eating and plan to continue this way anyway but I’m frustrated. I just want to be my goal weight so I can shift my brain power to other things. I find weight loss becomes a bit all consuming. Argh, help, how do you stay enthusiastic.

Do you have an event or holiday plans that you can use as motivation? Or even something like Christmas- if you'll be seeing people you haven't seen for a while. I'm 19lbs down (with about 100 more to go) in a month and using an upcoming Spain holiday to keep me on track!

Can you create mini milestones? My first was to get back under 160lb which was six pounds. Then 1/2 stone, which was just one lb more to lose. Then 10lb off in total, which is 155lb, then under 11 stone which is just 2 more lb. Then it will be 10.5 st. Then into healthy bmi etc etc. Each molestone gets a small non food reward. Especially good if the reward is fitness related - new yoga mat or pants, new water bottle or trainers etc. Or a fancy bath foam or salts.
You can also start adding fitness goals.

I just realised you are only 1lb away from your first stone. Plan a really good reward when that pound comes off and stays off for one week

I get enthusiasm from progress and clothes fitting better! I keep a diary and I try and remind myself about the heath benefits. But sometimes no amount of willpower keeps me on track. I have supportive friends too, we all seem to struggle with weight.

The thing is you will need to keep thinking about it once your goal weight is reached. I made healthy choices during weight loss and they just became everyday so that when it was all off I kept making the good choices.
I found it best to just accept this is how it is now and let time do its thing. Before you know it 6 months will have passed and imagine where you'll be!

This is really good advice. The ideal is to be losing weight slowly by eating a healthy diet you can stick to forever. It's demoralising to lose by starving or denying and then it all piles on again as soon as you return to 'normal'. A friend of mine does this and she gets heavier each year even though she spends half her life on strict diets. Better toreduce portions, eat healtholy and have treats only on special occasions.

I absolutely learned that fasting doesn’t work for me and I need 3 healthy meals a day then I don’t binge/snack.

Sensible me knows it’s working but I’m impatient. Also I don’t talk about it with friends as I don’t want to be a diet bore and they’re all skinnier than me anyway. No idea how considering the amount of takeaways and alcohol they drink. I hardly drink. Feels unfair.

And yes, I have a holiday end of July plus big family gathering in August.

It is unfair. I just have to have one takeaway and the pounds go on!
As I've got older though I've realised those who are always skinny are those who have a lot of nervous energy and adrenaline or they actually don't eat much over the day.

@Disturbia81 they seem to constantly socialise and go for meals/get takeaway and I did understand 1. How they afford it 2. Why they’re not the size of a house

Do they exercise a lot, have a lot of muscle, go without eating at times you can't see maybe?

I give myself treats when I hit milestones.
It might be a new workout outfit, more weights or just a home facial but it's great to acknowledge the progress.

@TeenLifeMum congratulations on your weight loss so far; a stone in six weeks is very impressive. You've reached nearly the halfway point towards your goal, so I'll second all the advice given here to reward yourself. At the halfway point it's easy to get frustrated as the initial momentum fades, but you're on track to reach your target by your holiday if you stick to it. I always say, the time will pass anyway.

I’ve no idea. Maybe that’s all they eat but that amount of alcohol (a bottle of wine a night and 2 at weekends) would add weight on me… actually, I’d probably vomit so much the next morning maybe it wouldn’t.