| Why do so many of us fail or give up our efforts to | | | | meals. Imagine the energy that you get when you |
| lose weight? The reason is that we pay too little | | | | practise healthy eating habits. |
| attention to our emotions and what drive us to eat | | | | 6. Share your gameplan |
| unnecessarily. If you are able to get a grip on these | | | | Set up your support system and share with those |
| emotions, you have a better chance of success and | | | | whom you think can encourage you in your |
| losing weight and keeping it off. | | | | weightloss effort. Decide what you want friends and |
| Here's a motivation checklist: | | | | family to do to encourage you. For example, remind |
| 1. Make a commitment | | | | them to be mindful of what or what not to offer |
| As with every goal in life, make a commitment to | | | | you in terms of food. |
| lose weight that no matter what happens, rain or | | | | 7. Stop thinking little things have no calories |
| shine, you are committed to make that trip to the | | | | Sometimes we tend to forget little bites like a |
| gym. Adopt that "I can do it" attitude and remember | | | | handful of potato chips, sweets, jelly beans - are too |
| to draw on these successes when the next time you | | | | small to have any calories. They all add up. Think of |
| are faced with yet another challenge. | | | | how little satisfaction you get from these little bites |
| 2. Give yourself 10 good reasons | | | | and how they negate your effort to lose weight. |
| List 10 things that drive your weight-loss desires, for | | | | Over time, you will adjust your eating pattern and will |
| example , "lower my cholesterol level" or "increase | | | | no longer be tempted by these little distractions. |
| my energy level" or "fit into that new bikini". Keep | | | | 8. Post a note strategically |
| the list handy , either in your purse, or at your desk | | | | Put signs in your kitchen or refrigerator to remind |
| where you cannot miss it. When you suffer a dip in | | | | you, "what you are looking for is not here". |
| motivation, looking at the list will guarantee a | | | | Sometimes we have a tendency to overcome any |
| recharge. | | | | emotional upset by eating. Instead go out and |
| 3. Downsize the less than healthy foods | | | | exercise and release the emotional baggage. That is |
| Who says you cannot enjoy your life while dieting. | | | | guaranteed to make you feel better than eating |
| The key is to eat in moderation all the things that | | | | anyway. |
| you love. Eat with awareness. If you must have your | | | | 9. Recharge your motivation battery |
| regular fix of icecream or chocolate, plan your eating | | | | There will be down times when you are in no mood |
| habit. Establish how much you consume in a week, | | | | to exercise or cook healthy food. You might think it |
| cut it by half or a third, either through size or | | | | is easier to just order pizza. It is time you revist your |
| frequency. | | | | goals and remind yourself you got this far, so why |
| 5. Practise never-miss-a-meal habit | | | | blow it now. Just get up and run. |
| It is a fact and reality that whenever we skip meals | | | | 10. Celebrate the smallest of victories |
| and become extremely hungry and sluggish, we tend | | | | Focus on your successes, no matter how small they |
| to grab any food to satisfy hunger for example | | | | are. Write them down and put the list where you can |
| potato chips or some snacks. Or we could gobble | | | | see them to motivate you. You will feel gratified and |
| down in larger volume for the next meal. So the | | | | happy that you have made achievements and will |
| lesson here is to ensure you never miss your healthy | | | | encourage you to increase your successes. |