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Have you ever wondered, When you start a diet plan or a workout routine, you are very excited and do it regularly with a full heart for the first few weeks? But what's after that, you may find yourself slacking, finding excuses to skip your workout? And when more time passes, you may find yourself on the sofa watching Netflix the whole day.
Don't be disappointed; it happened with most of us. It's not that you cannot get back to your routine now or that you have failed to reach your goals. The reason is that your motivational level has gone down a bit.
Yes, you have heard it right, the motivation is not constant; sometimes you feel extra motivated toward your goal, and just after some time, that same goal may look like the biggest burden for you because you are not that motivated anymore.
Did you know that achieving small goals keeps you motivated? And staying motivated gets you to your goal! Set small frequent goals to keep the weight loss train going!
The most important thing for weight loss is not giving up. That’s the ONLY way you will fail. Push past the plateaus and the days you miss the target. This is more important than a hard workout, eating healthy, and medicine. You can do it!
How Does the Motivational Cycle Work?
You must be thinking about how you feel motivated at first, and then after some time, you are not feeling anything. Well, motivation usually goes in a cycle with different phases, from the hype to ups & downs, from its peak to the bottom. For example, if you have started a new job, you would be all excited to get there early and happy to learn about new things. But after 5-6 years, the job would be the same, but you are totally a different person. Why's that?
The answer is, "You are not as motivated as you were 5 years ago". Let's look at the different phases of motivation so you can get to know how to face these and reach your goals:
Phase-1:
The Peak: This is the time when you have just set your goals, and your motivation is at its peak. You have the will and the power to do anything to reach your goals, and there is nothing that can stop you.
The Honeymoon: Your motivation is increasing day by day; everything seems easy. You are taking more and more steps forward to doing it. This stamina and energy may last for a few more weeks or months and then comes the time for all of it to crash.
Phase-2:
The Fall: You suddenly don't feel that excitement in yourself; you are not as happy to do things as you were a few weeks ago. Well, that may be the time your motivation starts to decrease.
The Bottom: Most of the people who couldn't stand up from their fall get trapped in this phase. Because it becomes comfortable to stay here, doing nothing much. But after some time, doubts and negative thoughts start to creep in. But don’t worry, just remember everyone goes through this; you just don't have to stop here.
Phase-3
Ups and Downs: You didn't stop and fight your doubts to move forward from the bottom. But keep in mind even if you are not at the bottom, your motivation can go up and down. Someday, you will feel like you are all excited and ready to do it, but the next moment, it all seems harder again. But all you have to do is keep yourself pushing forward to snap out of it.
Are You At the Bottom of Your Motivational Phase?
Don't be discouraged if you feel that you are at the fall or bottom of your motivational phase. As experts, we can ensure you that you can snap out of it. Just don't feel disappointed, and keep in mind that it's normal, and you will be on your motivational track soon.
Here are a couple of tips that can help you feel more motivated toward your goal:
Remember Why You Started: Find your why- Ask yourself why you started in the first place? Is it to feel better? To improve your health? Or is it to be able to do something you couldn’t do before? Whatever your reason is, keeping that in mind will keep you motivated.
Appreciate Your Small Successes: Weight loss is not easy, so don't wait until you reach certain goals; instead, take time to appreciate the little progress you've made. Lost a couple pounds in this week? Great! You got this! Feeling a little happy today? That’s also Great! It's important to appreciate both physical and mental changes as a result of your hard work.
Visualize the Positive Outcomes: Visualization is a powerful tool, ignored by most people, which can help you achieve your goals. Just imagine yourself reaching your specific weight loss goal; how will you feel then? What your life will be like? You will be more confident, healthier, or maybe more energetic. These positive thoughts and images are all you need to stay motivated.
Don’t Stop: The most important thing to stay motivated in your weight loss journey is to never give up. Remember that everyone has hard days, and it's normal for you to feel low as well. Just don’t let one setback derail your whole journey; just keep pushing forward, and remember why it is important for you to reach your goal.
Keep Things Fresh: If you do the same exercises and eat the same meals daily, it will become stale and you will quit. Routines are great, they help develop healthy habits. Just remember, everything in moderation. That boredom turns into a down period) and downs can lead to you quitting. So keep things fresh and mix it up.
Don’t be so hard on yourself; weight loss does not mean you must be so strict on yourself. Going to the gym is good, but simple movements are also great if you don't have time. Pay more attention to what and how you are eating. And be mindful of where your motivation level is sitting right now. So, whenever you feel like going back a bit, you can push yourself back into your motivational zone.
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