Are you lacking motivation to lose weight?
You see everyone else out there crushing it while you’re over here feeling stuck, like a car spinning its wheels in the mud.
I mean…
Some days you feel super motivated to lose weight and accomplish all the things you know you need to do.
You’re committed to being in a calorie deficit.
You hit the gym, go to the grocery store, meal prep, and get your daily 10K steps.
But then there are days when getting motivated to lose weight feels harder than:
- Catching lightning in a bottle
- Finding a needle in a haystack
- Hitting the jackpot
Instead of going to the gym or keeping up with your nutrition, you stay at home.
You plop down on the couch, open a bag of chips, and start up a Netflix marathon.
You’re probably frustrated and asking yourself:
How do I get motivated to lose weight? And actually keep things that way?
Lucky for you, that’s what this post is all about.
We’re going to be talking about how to stay motivated for weight loss.
But let’s lay some ground rules first.
This isn’t going to be your traditional, cookie-cutter guide about motivation for weight loss.
I’m not going to list off the usual fluffy “hacks”:
- Keep a weight loss journal
- Stay positive
- Make your bed to start the day
Those generic tips aren’t going to help you ACTUALLY get motivated to lose weight.
We’re getting into the nitty-gritty of why you struggle to motivate yourself.
Buckle up.
Why am I not motivated to lose weight?
You think to yourself, “I have no motivation to lose weight.”
Like motivation is something you need first before you can take action.
You’re operating like this:
Motivation → Action → Results
But the truth about weight loss and motivation is that’s the exact OPPOSITE of how you want to be.
Well, then how do I get motivated to lose weight?
Motivation is a feeling and you can’t just let feelings dictate your life if you want to get things done.
Do you just not go into work unless you’re feeling motivated?
How about mowing the grass, doing laundry, or washing the dishes?
Is motivation a prerequisite?
Nope.
Regardless of your feelings, you still handle your business.
And the truth is…
The best way to get motivated to lose weight is actually by taking action FIRST.
You don’t sit on the sidelines like some backup quarterback waiting for the coach to put you in the game, or in this case, for motivation to strike.
No, you’re the starter.
You grab the bull by the horns and create your own motivation.
You stay consistent with your workouts and nutrition regardless of how you feel.
Writer, David J. Schwartz, said it best…
“People who get things done in this world don’t wait for the spirit to move them, they move the spirit.”
So stop looking at being motivated to lose weight like this
Motivation → Action → Results
And start looking at it like this:
Action → Results → Motivation
When you take action, especially on these days you don’t feel like it, you get a positive result:
- You leave the gym feeling like a million bucks after a good strength training workout
- Getting all your meals prepped for the week makes you feel accomplished and now you don’t have to worry about what to eat on your calorie deficit
- You’re on cloud nine after an amazing cardio session
That positive result encourages and motivates you to continue taking action so you can keep getting the results you want.
Over time, by consistently taking action, it’ll become second nature.
Being motivated to lose weight won’t even be a question for you because you’ve built up the discipline and resiliency to take action, even when you don’t want to.
You’ll go from someone who struggles with motivation for weight loss to someone who has the resilience to get the job done no matter what.
Just imagine what taking action would look like for you…
You’re finally able to lose those 20 pounds you want.
You get stronger and have better workout performance (i.e. increase your bench press or do more push-ups or pull-ups).
You’re healthier, happier, and have more confidence.
How to stay motivated for weight loss: The 2-minute rule
Why is it that just getting started and taking that first step always seems to be the hardest part?
Here’s the thing…
The action you take to get the ball rolling doesn’t have to be this huge, monumental one.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about taking action, here’s a tip you can use that I learned from the book Atomic Habits (by James Clear).
It’s called the “2-minute rule.”
This will help you get past that initial resistance you have in your mind with getting started.
Here’s how it works:
You choose a task and commit to doing it for just 2 minutes.
That’s it, only 2 minutes.
So, let’s say you want to workout but you’re having anxiety about getting started.
Don’t worry about lifting heavy and getting your entire workout in.
Just go through the first two minutes of your routine.
That’ll probably look something like a warm-up set or two of your first exercise.
But after 2 minutes is up, you’re done, you stop.
And you’d mark that down as a success for the day.
Or let’s say you’re counting calories and planning out your meals for the week.
Only go as far as two minutes will take you.
You’re probably thinking to yourself, “How will doing something for just two minutes help me make any progress?”
Here’s what usually ends up happening…
By the end of the two minutes, you’ll be feeling so good and in the flow of things that you just want to keep the ball rolling and finish the task.
Just try it and see.
Here’s a quote from the author James Clear himself, describing how one of his readers applied the 2-minute rule to lose weight:
“One of my readers used this strategy to lose over one hundred pounds. In the beginning, he went to the gym each day, but he told himself he wasn’t allowed to stay for more than five minutes. He would go to the gym, exercise for five minutes, and leave as soon as his time was up. After a few weeks, he looked around and thought, “Well, I’m always coming here anyway. I might as well start staying a little longer.” A few years later, the weight was gone.
If you want to read more about the 2-minute rule, here’s a blog post James wrote that explains it in more detail.
Staying motivated to lose weight: Wrap up
The perfect time to take action is NOW, not when you’re “feeling” a little more motivated.
Being motivated to lose weight isn’t something that just comes to you, so don’t wait around like some helpless child.
You create your own motivation by taking action FIRST.
Always remember, you’re the captain of your weight loss ship.
The bus starts and stops with you 💪
Motivation for weight loss FAQs
Is not being motivated to lose weight normal?
It’s 100% normal.
You’re not happy or sad every second of every single day, the same way you won’t always feel motivated.
Motivation is just like any other feeling, it’s not with you 24/7.
If you were to just let your feelings dictate your actions, you’d have no money, your house would be a mess, and your front yard would look like a jungle.
Because, do you ALWAYS feel like going to work every day, cleaning up around the house, or mowing the lawn?
The fact of the matter is becoming motivated to lose weight comes down to taking action even when you don’t “feel” like it.
Why can’t I commit to losing weight?
Losing weight means change and change can make you feel uncomfortable.
Your mind would much rather keep you all wrapped up in your complacent little cocoon where there’s no room to implement the lifestyle habits that will lead to the results you want.
But if you continue to do the same things you’ve done up until this point, you’ll continue to get the same results.
And are you happy with those results?
Staying committed to your weight loss goals takes a mindset shift where it’s like, “Yeah, this isn’t something I’m used to and I feel a little uncomfortable but it’s necessary to get to where I want to be.”
Learn to be comfortable feeling a little bit uncomfortable.
And start taking action, regardless of how you feel, because motivation is just a feeling, and you don’t want to let feelings dictate how you live your life.