If you were to ask everyone in the world what they would wish for the most, losing weight would be high on the list next to the meaning of life and getting rich. But even with the high demand, the most difficult part is staying motivated about weight loss and making results happen. It’s not rare to hear those ridiculous percentages of people that failed to keep their New Year’s resolutions alive by the second day of the year. The problem with weight loss, especially in a country like the United States, is that there are too many distractions, comforts, and burger advertisements being shown everywhere you go.
The key to staying motivated to go the extra mile is having a high self-efficacy. It is a relatively strange term for something that simply means “believing in your ability to achieve a goal.” But it is considered one of the greatest determinants of a person’s choices by researchers in the field of psychology today. In order to break down the wall that tries to keep us from going to the next level, we have to see the bigger picture of losing weight, the long-term benefits to our health, and the quality of life.
STOP THINKING – JUST DO IT
When a person is in a spot where he has to choose between comfort and taking on a challenging feat, a lot of stressful things run through his mind. If you believe you cannot accomplish a goal a single time, it makes it that much harder to stay focused. To control your body you must first master your mind. Never let your habitual cravings and inactivity force you into giving up before you even begin.
When you’re running the mile and you feel the painful burning sensation in your legs, the lactic acid is telling your body to stop. But the longer you keep going, the quicker you’re going to be able to fight this same feeling in the future. Every time you conquer your body and exert control over your pain, the benefits are astounding to the point where you don’t even need to convince yourself to stick to a strict diet or exercise regime anymore.
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT JUST ABOUT LOOKING GOOD – IT IS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE
Losing weight went from being a topic of staying healthy to just about looking good. However, it is now known that even though someone might look physically fit or attractive, it does not mean he or she is healthy in the strictest sense. Good health requires proper vitamins and minerals not just a healthy intake of calories per day. Looks are sometimes deceiving.
A century ago, the leading causes of death in society were due to accidents, old age, and disease. However, as medical research reached exponential levels and technology improved, the average human life expectancy has reached an all-time high of 66.12 years for the world, which is nearly double the human life expectancy in the early 1900’s. But such an amazing achievement does not come without a catch.
A deadly catch.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Even though we live longer now than ever, new diseases have emerged in trends, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other illnesses that are a direct consequence of our lifestyle. When you’re deciding whether or not to keep your dream of losing weight alive, think of the long term consequences.
What you do now in exercise and healthy eating habits is going to pay off in the future. Think of it as a bank. The more money you put in now, the much better results you’re going to get when you most need it when you’re old and your health is of the greatest value to you. But if you invest in that health ‘bank’ too late, it is much harder to maintain good health at older ages. Stop looking at numbers and life expectancies. The quality of life is what really matters. When you have to make a choice in giving up or staying strong with the plan you have made, remember that you will not only look good; you will gain a higher self-esteem and enjoy every year of your life as if each was a beautiful lifetime.
That’s the benefit to staying motivated about weight loss. Believe in your ability to achieve a goal and you will finally get the wish you always wanted.
