How to Get and Stay Motivated to Lose Weight

Staying motivated during your weight loss journey isn’t always easy. Knowing why it can sometimes be challenging can help you deal with difficulties and keep moving forward.

By recognising the common hurdles and learning how to address them, you can stay on track and build momentum toward your goals.

Psychological and emotional challenges

You could sometimes end up feeling frustrated if your expectations are set too high. Everyone wants to get fast results, so this is understandable. But remember, progress takes time. You must not lose hope, and continue. Everyone’s weight loss journey looks different.

You can set yourself up for success when you set realistic, achievable goals. In turn, this will lower the chances that you’ll feel like you can’t keep up with them.

If you’re afraid of failing, remind yourself that every small step counts – with each healthy meal, and with each workout, every effort matters, and you are getting there slowly but surely.

Practical challenges

Life can be busy, and finding time for weight loss efforts can feel too much. But you can make small changes that fit into your schedule.

For example, you might begin your journey by regularly having healthy snacks or taking short 10-minute walks on your lunch break. These small changes add up and you can build on them.

When you focus on what you can do, instead of what you can’t, you’ll start to feel motivated and more in control of your journey.

Ups and downs in your weight loss journey

Your weight loss progress won’t always be consistent. Like anything you’re likely to have ups and downs as you go.

Ups and downs can make staying motivated hard, this is completely normal and the same for anyone losing weight. Having a setback does not mean you’re failing.

Instead of fearing failure, you should celebrate your wins instead. For example, since starting your weight loss journey you could be feeling more energised, or sleeping better. You could even simply celebrate being able to stick to a new habit. By celebrating your wins, you’ll keep yourself motivated even when your weight hasn’t changed.

By staying patient, focusing on what you can do, and celebrating every victory, you’ll overcome challenges and keep moving toward your weight loss goals.

Motivation plays a key role in your weight loss journey, helping you take the steps needed to reach your goals. By understanding how motivation works and how to harness it, you can stay focused and make consistent progress toward a healthier, happier you.

How motivation works

Motivation is what drives you to take action. It’s what pushes you to make choices that align with your goals. While motivation can go up and down, the key is to find ways to keep it going strong, especially when challenges come up. You can do this through 2 types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation comes from within you – you do something because it is in line with your values or makes you happy. For weight loss, this might mean that you’re motivated by:

• feeling healthier
• having more energy
• improving your confidence.

On the other hand, extrinsic motivation comes from outside sources, like fitting into your favourite outfit or getting praised by others for losing weight.

Both types of motivation can be helpful, but focusing on intrinsic motivation often leads to longer-lasting success because it’s deeply personal and meaningful to you.

Well-known psychology studies have found that ongoing motivation generated from within yourself, also called self-determination, is a key indicator for long-term success in losing weight.

In a clinical review of 19 studies assessing barriers to motivation in weight loss, the most important indicators for being motivated to lose weight were:

• self-determination
• health concerns
• body satisfaction
• getting your body back to the way it was before
• emotional encouragement from others
• being supported by family

How goals and habits interact with motivation

When you set clear, specific goals, you give yourself a target to aim for, which can boost your motivation. But goals alone aren’t enough – you also need habits to help you maintain your goals when you reach them.

Habits are the daily actions you take that make progress toward your goals automatic over time. Positive habits that can help you progress may include preparing balanced meals or exercising regularly.

By combining your motivation with actionable habits and meaningful goals, you can create a powerful system for success. Even when motivation dips, your habits will keep you going and achieving small wins will reignite your drive. With the right approach, you can stay motivated and make steady progress toward your weight loss goals.

Starting your weight loss journey is easier when you know how to get your motivation and have a plan to help you keep it. These practical tips will help you stay focused, inspired, and ready to reach your goals.

1. Set realistic goals

Begin by setting clear and achievable goals that fit your lifestyle. Instead of aiming for big changes straight away, try to focus on small and manageable steps, like losing 0.5kg per week or walking for 10 to 15 minutes a day.

Realistic goals set you up for success and give you a steady stream of wins to celebrate along the way.

Alongside short-term realistic goals, it can help to have a long-term target to aim towards. Research by the University of Oxford assessing goal setting and weight loss involving over 4,500 participants over 24 weeks found that those aiming to lose more than 10% of their weight by the end achieved more weight loss and were less likely to drop out than those trying to lose 5 to 10%.

So, you should be realistic with short-term goals but don’t be afraid to set your sights on building towards a long-term target.

2. Identify your reasons

Take a moment to reflect on why losing weight is important to you. Whether it’s to feel healthier, boost your confidence, have more energy for your family, and friends, or play sports, write down your reasons and keep them somewhere you can see them.

When you have strong reasons behind your weight loss journey, you’ll find it easier to keep your motivation during any tough moments.

3. Visualise success

Imagine yourself reaching your weight loss goals. Think about how you’ll feel about it and what your life will look like when you’ve achieved them.

You might get inspiration from other people. Try reading some success stories, or joining online communities. Seeing what’s possible can remind you that you’re capable of succeeding, too.

4. Build a support system

Surround yourself with people who encourage you to achieve your goals. Share your journey with family and friends to create accountability and get help and support.

If you prefer to keep your journey more private, you might consider searching for an online community or attending local events such as fitness classes for people trying to lose weight. Having the support of others and a sense of a community willing you on can make all the difference to keeping your motivation.

Losing weight is an ongoing journey, and once you’ve got some motivation, keeping it going is key to reaching your goals. Here are several practical things you can do to help keep focused, positive, and consistent along the way.

5. Start small

Big changes begin with small but consistent steps. Trying to change your entire routine overnight can often be too much. Instead, start by creating simple healthy habits that are easy to stick to. For example, you might switch sugary drinks for water, add an extra serving of fruit or vegetables to your meals, and take a 10 to 15-minute walk every day. Small victories can help you build confidence and momentum to bring in more changes over time.

As you get used to these new habits in your daily routine, you’ll see that it starts to become easier to make healthier choices to help you lose weight.

Remember, success is about making progress, not being perfect. By starting with small changes, you set yourself up for building towards bigger achievements further down the road.

6. Track your progress

When you keep records of your efforts, you create a good reminder of how far you’ve come, which can be incredibly motivating.

There are many ways to track your progress, you might like to use tools like fitness apps to track exercise, or you may prefer to keep a diary to write down your meals, workouts, and weight changes.

Tracking your progress is not just about numbers. Reflecting and writing down what else you have gained during your weight loss journey can boost your motivation. It is important to reflect on what’s working well and the challenges you’re facing to identify patterns in your progress.

Examples of positive progress markers outside of weight loss may include:

• feeling stronger
• having more energy
• getting better sleep

Focus on the progress you make instead of the end goal. Doing this creates a positive feedback loop that helps you to keep going, even when things get tough.

7. Celebrate your successes

Every achievement deserves some recognition, no matter how small it may seem to you. Whether you’ve reached a weight loss milestone, kept up a new habit, or simply feel better overall, take the time to recognise and reward yourself.

Acknowledging your progress reminds you of the effects of your positive behaviour and keeps you motivated to keep going.

Choose rewards that align with your goals, like treating yourself to new workout gear, a relaxing day off, a healthy meal at a restaurant, or an activity you enjoy. Share your achievement with others if you can.

By celebrating the progress you make, you can create a feeling of accomplishment that can feed your motivation and belief that you can succeed.

8. Embrace setbacks

Having setbacks is a normal part of the weight loss process for everyone, but they don’t have to define your journey. It’s natural to encounter speed bumps along the way, like eating a less healthy meal, missing your exercise, or having no change to your weight for a week or 2. Remind yourself that it is normal for life to sometimes get in the way of your weight loss journey. But instead of letting these things de-motivate you, try to think of them as opportunities to learn.

Think about what might have been the reasons for the setback and how you can do things differently next time. Remember, progress isn’t about being perfect, it’s about trying and doing the best you can. By thinking about setbacks with patience, resilience, and determination to do better next time, you’ll be able to carry on and be more likely to achieve your goals.

9. Make it fun and varied

Staying motivated is much easier when you’re enjoying the journey. If your routine feels repetitive or boring, try changing things around to keep it exciting and fresh. You might want to try out some new healthy recipes, try out a different sport, or join a new exercise class.

You can combine your interests with your weight loss journey. You might find new activities you love, like dancing, hiking, or swimming, that make physical activity feel more like enjoyment than effort. By making your weight loss journey fun and varied, it can become something you are excited to do, which will help you keep motivated in the long term.

10. Focus on the bigger picture

Weight loss is about more than just what you see on the weighing scales. It’s a way to improve your energy, health, and quality of life. Keeping your overall goals in mind can help you stay motivated, especially when things are challenging or you feel doubtful.

Don’t forget why you started your journey and what it is you hope to achieve. Perhaps you want to feel more confident, play with your kids without getting tired out, or you’re concerned about your health in the long term. If you keep in mind the bigger picture, you can stay in touch with the purpose of your efforts and keep going.

11. Cultivate self-compassion

Self-compassion (being kind to yourself) is such an important part of staying motivated and keeping a positive mental attitude. It’s so easy to be hard on yourself when things don’t go exactly as you like, when you don’t quite stick to the plan, or when you miss short-term goals.

Being hard on yourself will only make your journey harder. Instead, try to be forgiving and kind toward yourself as this will allow you to keep going rather than getting caught up in what you ‘should’ have done. Weight loss looks different for everyone, and it takes time.

Remember, setbacks are normal and you are doing what you can each day. It won’t always be perfect. It’s better to pat yourself on the back for your efforts, appreciate what your body can do, and focus on progress rather than perfection. Learning to have love and care for yourself on your weight loss journey is key to keeping your motivation. If today didn’t go as planned, remember that tomorrow is a new day.

12. Get help

You don’t necessarily have to do this alone. You can ask professionals to provide you with the guidance and support you need to create and stick to your plans and achieve your goals.

For example, a nutritionist could help you create a personalised meal plan, a therapist might be helpful for working through any emotional challenges, and your GP can be a great starting point to offer general advice.

You might also consider joining an online community or local weight loss support group where you can speak to other people who are on a similar journey to you. Having supportive people around you can make it much easier to stay motivated, overcome challenges, and celebrate and recognise your progress.

By using these tips in your weight loss journey, you can build the resilience and positive mental attitude needed to keep your motivation going and achieve your goals. Remember, every step forward brings you closer to success.

Asda Online Doctors doctors are always available to help, without the need for a face-to-face consultation. When you begin your weight loss journey with us, we provide trackers and guides to adapt to a healthy lifestyle curated by our in-house nutritionists. If you have already started your weight loss journey with us, simply send a message via your patient account.