It is easy to tell yourself that you are going to accomplish something new, but what happens when this task takes longer than you had allowed for?
Usually your motivation starts to disappear and quite often you give up on the idea altogether.
It can be hard to stay focused on certain things. Weight loss is a fine example of this.
I admit that at times I wanted to lose weight. At first I’m super excited because I start losing some of those unwanted pounds. I’m eating better, feeling better but then something happens
A few weeks into the diet I plateau and don’t lose any more weight. At this point it can be easy to stop exercising, abandon my goal and go back to bad habits.
Why does that happen?
There are several reasons. First you may not have recognized that plateauing is a perfectly normal occurrence when it comes to losing weight.
Second, are you using the fact that you didn’t lose any weight as an excuse to have extra goodies or to miss a workout?
Your mind can do wonderful things and is capable of coming up with hundreds of reasons to not do something.
To stay motivated and focused you can do a number of things including:
- Set smaller goals
- Keep a calendar, food journal or exercise planner
- Share your goals with someone else
- Join a group of people with the same goals
By creating smaller goals you won’t feel as overwhelmed when your results start to dwindle or slow down. I like to break things down into weekly goals. I do this in my life and business. For me it’s easier to stay focused longer. It isn’t as hard to do something new from Monday to Friday as it is to think about doing it for months at a time.
When you keep a food journal you’d be surprised at what you are eating. Not long ago I watched an episode of The Today Show as they followed Hoda Kotb around to see what she was eating. She had no idea she was eating that much food. Write down every time you put something into your mouth.
Sharing your goals with someone else is really important. Fortunately, I have my husband who always supports what I do. As a matter of fact, if I feel I need to lose a few pounds he goes on the journey with me.
For the past 4 months we have been juicing everyday as well as eating even more fruits and vegetables. I’m really happy with the results.
Many people find it helpful to join a group of like minded individuals. This becomes your support group.
Next you really need to be honest with yourself. If you have lost 15 pounds before you hit that plateau then congratulate yourself on that achievement. Focus on what you have done and not where you have to go! This is why it is often a good reason to keep photos of your weight loss journey. When you are feeling down take a look at them and remember what you did look like.
You can use these tips for attaining any goal you have in mind.
Having years of experience setting and attaining goals in life and business I put together a Goal Setting Strategies For A Spectacular Year Planner. You might find it helpful along with the bonus audio training. Click here to check it out: Goal Setting
By changing your mindset to be more positive you can stay focused with your goals.
Be Savvy and Successful!
