Motivation tips for 2011 weight loss, exercise and diet resolutions

Hello, everyone!

I recently received an e-mail from someone at EverydayHealth.com about 10 frequently asked motivation questions that they recently gathered and posed to a panel of their 25 nutritionists and psychologists. Their answers can be found here.  As a part of a follow-up post  I was asked to answer these 10 questions as well as provide counterpoint to any of their experts’ answers.

This sounded like a fun and exciting opportunity to me, so without further ado, here are my answers/comments to these 10 motivation questions!

1) We all make New Year's resolutions, and often these resolutions involve weight loss or fitness goals. But many of us quickly lose traction and don't achieve our goals. What are the psychological and emotional reasons behind these failures?

I think a lot of failures occur due to lack of preparation.  Many times new year’s resolutions are just a quick decision in our minds simply because of the time of year, or others around us in the media or at the office speaking of resolutions for the new year.  In order to be successful in such goals, it’s important to plan ahead, research, and prepare for these changes nutritionally, physically, and emotionally speaking.  This might include researching what foods to avoid, what foods to consume, and allotting a specific time of day for exercise.

2) What is the biggest mistake people make when making a resolution? Are you setting yourself up for failure when you make a New Year's resolution to lose weight or get fit?

The biggest mistake people make when making a resolution is often-times setting unrealistic goals. When changing something in your lifestyle or diet, changes occur one thing at a time.  If you make realistic goals, and have a plan to achieve it, you won’t be setting yourself up for failure.

3) How do you set reasonable, healthy expectations when you resolve to lose weight or shape up at this time of year or any other time of year?

Take weight loss one week at a time.  Make small, achievable goals for each week that you can feel good about accomplishing.  These can be simple things like, I’m going to work out three to four days a week, I’m going to eat a serving of fruit and/or vegetables at every meal, or I’m going to drink water instead of soda. Each little thing will add up, and one at a time these changes will easily become a part of your life.

4 ) What kind of support should you seek to help you achieve your goals?

Fitness blogs and weight loss forums can be a supportive tool to those looking for a push, or just some helpful knowledge and motivation.  Others may choose to watch specific workout videos, hire a personal trainer, or join an online workout program to get started.

5) What are three things you can do to improve your chances of success before you make a healthy lifestyle change?

One: look into the future, and decide why it is you want to achieve this resolution.  Whether it’s to improve your health to enjoy your family longer, to boost your self confidence, or to tone up, keep this specific reason in mind and let it keep you motivated.

Two: make a plan, and track your progress.  Plan specific workout times, and healthy meals so that there is a time you will without a doubt work out, and you have meal ideas ready to make.

Three: remove temptation.  Whether it’s the candy dish at your desk at work, or the Oreos in your cupboard at home, if it’s not there you won’t be able to mindlessly reach for it when tempted.

6) Why is it so hard to keep the weight off after a diet, and what can you do to maintain weight loss?

More so than just a quick fix, success truly is found in a lifestyle change not an on and off diet.  Most of the time it’s hard to keep weight off after a diet because most diets are very unrealistic long term.  In order to maintain weight loss and stay on track, it’s important to find a way of living, eating, and exercising that you can realistically see yourself doing the rest of your life. 

7) Can you rearrange your life in any way to make it easier to avoid diet temptations?

Definitely! The one thing that worked for me when changing my lifestyle was to simply keep temptations out of my house.  Chances are, if you keep junk food in the house, it’ll be very easy to consume it since it’s right there in front of you.  On the other hand, if you have to jump in the car and drive to the store to get it, you’re a lot more likely to avoid it.

Along with that, let your close family members who you will be eating and shopping with you know what you’re doing, what your goals are, and ask them to keep you accountable.  That way when temptation comes knocking,  it won’t be as easy to eat something you said you were going to avoid.

8) What advice do you have for people who just don’t like to exercise or who avoid it for other reasons?

Being one who once hated exercise, and always avoided it myself, my answer would be to JUST DO IT.  Perhaps that’s cliché, but there comes a moment where you just have to decide you’re just going to do it.  Period. No matter what.  You don’t have to run marathons or hike for two hours at a time.  You don’t even have to exercise at the gym.  Find something you enjoy doing. Start by walking around the block with your kids, or popping a workout DVD into your TV, and progress from there.  And when your predetermined workout time arrives, don’t let excuses stop you, just do it.  You’ll never be disappointed that you did!

9) When you’re making a resolution to improve your health, who should you recruit to be on your wellness team?

It’s always a huge help to have friends and family on board.  Try to find a health conscious friend to workout with.  You’ll be able to motivate, and push each other.

10) It’s easy to make excuses when you’re juggling work and family responsibilities. How can you make time for your resolutions in a hectic schedule?

It might take a few sacrifices, but there’s always a way to fit in exercise.  Schedule in your workout as you would any other appointment, get up 30 minutes earlier than usual, walk on your lunch break, or involve your family by playing a game outside instead of watching TV.  Making small sacrifices now can add the gift of health and vibrancy  to your life later on!

End notes:  I found myself definitely agreeing with most of the nutritional experts’ responses, and while there are a lot of different avenues taken, I think most of them are all after the same goal of overall health and happiness.

Having previously interviewed Tosca Reno on Lesley Lifting Life, I found I have gotten a lot of my own health and fitness ideas from her, and found her answers to these questions to be the ones that rang most true in my own life.  Thanks for reading!

Do you make New Year’s resolutions?  If so, what keeps you motivated?