NEVER lose motivation with these 10 tips!
While trying to lose the pounds, get fit and eat healthier, it is hard to stay focused and motivated 100 per cent of the time.
It’s so easy to lapse back into old habits (like two sugary biscuits with every cup of tea or hitting the snooze button on your alarm instead of getting up to exercise).
We have put together a series of tips that will keep you motivated until you reach your goal.
Weight loss is a marathon not a sprint, so you do need to pace yourself so that you don’t burn out too quickly.
1. Keep track of your progress
This is so so so important. Being able to see how far you’ve come is the best motivator when you are having a tough day or week. Each week you may only be seeing small achievements so it’s important to step back and look at the bigger picture. Sure, you may have lost 200g this week but in the past 6 weeks you may have lost 3kg and that’s amazing!
Or perhaps you can now run for 10 minutes without stopping whereas you used to only be able to manage 3 minutes. Look how far you’ve come! You might have lost 2cm off your thighs but if you’re not measuring, you might not have noticed.
On the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge – MAKE SURE you do your fitness test to RECORD your improvements
2. Use photos as a trigger
Another great tool is to use your ‘before’ shots as a way of motivating yourself to stay on track. Take one now if you haven’t already, and keep it in a drawer ready to peek at whenever you feel your motivation lagging. Take another photo in the same position and compare the two. You might see things that you hadn’t noticed with the naked eye.
For instance you might notice that your tummy has shrunk down, or that your thighs are not as close together. Maybe your posture is better, or your butt might look a little higher. When you look in the mirror and try to remember what the old you looked like to compare, it’s almost impossible. We are human and we pick fault with what we see in front of us.
Having the photos gives you concrete proof of the changes that are happening as a result of your healthier habits. And that’s a great way to boost your esteem and get you focused on keeping it up.
3. Set up some rewards to use as ‘bait’
There is nothing like dangling a tempting carrot in front of yourself to get you focused. But if a carrot isn’t going to cut it, how about a full body massage when you lose 10lbs Or a new dress when you have lost 10cm from your body measurements?
Having a reward to focus on (one that’s not food which could undo all of your hard work) is a great way to give yourself a mental kick in the behind when necessary.
4. Save time in the kitchen
Instead of making cooking healthy meals a drag, why not cut down the time you spend on doing it? Making bolognese? Make double and freeze a batch for a night you don’t feel like cooking.
Baking some healthy muffins? Make double and freeze them individually so that you can throw one in your bag in the morning for afternoon tea. Just bought loads of fresh melon and pineapple? Chop it up and put it in a see-through container so that you can grab a quick snack when you’re hungry. This is also handy for your Healthy Mummy Smoothies.
And USE the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge meal planner customiser – this will save you SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY!!
5. Recruit a friend
Sometimes just having someone to text or talk to can be a great way to keep motivated.
Get your friend to do the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge with you and take it in turns to cook the meals so you each get a night off
Can’t get off the couch? Text your buddy and see if they want to walk with you to the park to let the kids run around.
6. Try something new
We can get stuck into a rut of the same recipes for meals and snacks.
But there are over 3,000 recipes on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge hub, so there are HEAPS of options out there for you to try.
Plus, you can also mix up some of these yummy smoothie options, too.
7. Beat the hormones
PMT and hormones are one of the common issues which cause us problems when losing weight. And many mums have no energy, crave junk food and are in a bad mood which means weight gain and a feeling of demotivation.
Preparation and damage control are the keys to surviving this week!
Bloating, cramps, swelling, mood swings, cravings, binge eating, and weight gain are all side effects of the hormones present in a woman’s body at that time of the month.
Plus, there is the very common side effect of water retention which can send your weight and measurements off. During the time of the month our bodies hold onto fluids like a drought is coming and the best advice is not to weigh yourself at this time.
8. Take measurements and don’t overly focus on the scales
The scales are without doubt a great way to measure your weight loss, but it isn’t the ONLY way. Some people can get slightly obsessed with weighing in and do it too often, literally letting it rule their lives and then get demotivated if it doesn’t move one week – or if it goes up
It is important to understand how the scales work and make sure that you take measurements too. Never trust the scales completely!!
As you begin doing exercise and light weight bearing exercise you will gain lean muscle tissue, a substance which weighs more and is denser than fat. So you may actually see the number on the scales increase. Even though the scale may not be moving, it doesn’t mean that you’re not getting smaller. Muscle is more dense than fat, so it takes up less space. You can be in a smaller pants size and not be any lighter on the scale – and this is why we advise to take measurements each week as well as weighing yourself.
It is also a good point to note that this extra lean muscle tissue has added benefits too – not only will you appear smaller, but muscle will help raise your metabolism too which helps to burn more fat – win win!
9. Don’t ban treats
Many people start their weight loss journey deciding to cut out all chocolate, all treats and try to go cold turkey! They then experience huge cravings – and end up eating all the ‘banned’ foods and then feel guilty, think they have failed and then the weight loss journey stops there.
The solution is not to ban foods! Instead aim for eating healthy foods 80% of the time and then allow 20% of the time to be more relaxed so you can have a treat. This way your brain won’t crave the bad foods as you are not totally banning everything and you will find the weight loss plan easier to stick to.
This is why on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge we never say no to healthy desserts.
10. Join our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge
If you are inspired by Leah’s before and after pic and want to take charge of your own health and weight – then join our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge TODAY.
With more than 3,500 delicious (and healthy) recipes, 350 exercises & 24/7 support – the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is designed (and proven) to help busy mums like you lose weight!
To learn more about our challenge OR to join – click here.
Leah’s 2.6st Weight Loss Story
Leah says, “In this pic, I’m holding the amount of weight I’ve lost since joining The Healthy Mummy 2 years ago- 2.6st!!!! (I weighed the tins on my trusty WW scales!!)”
The inspirational mum has lost the equivalent of FIVE full, paint tins…and has been maintaining her new weight and healthy eating plan since!
“The paint tins were heavy, they were hard to lift, but then I thought, this is what I used to carry around with me every day. This is why I was unhappy and felt so uncomfortable. That is why I needed to change.”
Leah began her journey with The Healthy Mummy in 2015 and she hasn’t looked back since!
“I was 75 kg* and I felt tired, lacked energy and I constantly felt bloated. I 100% stuck to the meal plans and exercise plans for 6 months. I steadily lost 17kg*, averaging a loss of 500g-1kg per week,” she says.
“I quickly learnt that I had been eating way too much and completely the wrong things.
“The biggest changes were making my portion sizes smaller and cutting out refined sugars. The Healthy Mummy meals are absolutely delicious, easy to make and the choice of meals is endless,” Leah says.
“I also love that 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is not a diet. It’s a healthy lifestyle choice. The Healthy Mummy has changed my life. I am fit, healthy, confident, so happy and I know I am a wonderful role model for my boys.”
