Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Start a motivation routine
• Method 2 of 3: Motivate your diet and exercise schedule
• Method 3 of 3: Make your routine stick
• Tips
• Warnings

It's Monday morning and you've promised yourself that this time around. The next three days will be all about running, salads, and granola bars. But Thursday shows itself unexpectedly quickly, and you are back on the couch with a bowl of Ben & Jerry's. What happened? Lack of motivation is what happened. But don't worry - if you put your head to it, you can avoid the yo-yo effect and make sure you look fabulous!

To step

Method 1 of 3: Start a motivation routine

1. Set a realistic goal. If you want to lose 25 pounds in a few months, your motivation plummets almost immediately. Your head falls directly on the table as soon as you write this down. Not really a good way to start the road to the new you, right? If you keep your goals realistic, then you can actually start achieving them - if you are close to reaching your goals, you will be all the happier. And the happier you are, the easier you will eventually achieve the goal.
   • One pound is 3,500 calories. So if you take 500 calories less per day, you will lose a pound per week, without having to exercise extra. Which schedule do you want to follow? To actually keep the weight off, it is best to start slowly but gradually. Don't try to lose more than a few pounds per week.
2. Find a partner in your knockout race. Wouldn't it be nice to cut your worries in half? If you have a partner, then you can share what you are going through. This immediately reduces the mental tension a lot. Moreover, it is a lot easier to let yourself go without a partner. To tell yourself "Well, I only missed one workout" or "Oh well, it's only my third Big Mac. And I didn't even have cheese on it!" When you have a partner, it is a lot more difficult to let yourself go - all the more so because it also disappoints him / her.
   • Depending on your schedule, this person will need to help you eat more healthily, exercise more, or do both. Even someone who goes shopping with you already helps! Just make sure you choose someone who can help you through the process, not someone who is trying to make it a competition.
3. Take lessons. If a weight loss partner doesn't seem feasible, take sports classes. It's like having thirty waste partners (and one drill sergeant, let's be honest). If the lessons are good, then you will want to participate. You will also feel bad if you skip once (which you are not going to do). In addition, you run the risk of falling behind the rest, and of course you don't want to.
   • Chances are there is at least one lesson out there that doesn't feel like sports. If you like to dance, take a dance class. Do you like to blow your frustrations off? Sign up for kickboxing training. Would you rather de-stress? Yoga. There are so many different options; all you have to do is explore them.
4. Start an exercise diary. Write down your progress, make everything concrete. You can keep track of this however you want, but here are two examples:
   • Start an exercise (and nutrition) diary. Here you write down how many calories you have burned, how close you are to your goal, and what you have eaten. If you have a partner, exchange each other's information so that you have a big stick.
   • Start a workout blog. This is published on the internet, allowing your progress to be seen around the world (if anyone reads it, of course). This allows you to walk a somewhat more creative route. It covers all aspects of a regular training diary, but also includes how you feel about it, what obstacles you encounter along the way, and what it feels like to make progress. Make sure you keep track of this!
5. Take a trainer in hand. If you don't have a friend who is NOT chasing you, or who would rather take you to the Starbucks instead? Well, then a personal trainer wouldn't be such a bad idea. Find one whose personality matches yours; someone who makes you feel bad will sell you lame excuses more often.
   • In general, a gym can offer you a personal trainer. It's best if the gym lets you try out a few different trainers to see which one is right for you. Inquire about trainers in good standing. Only work with trainers who know what they are doing and who respect your waste goals.
6. Register for a running event. If you have an official "due date" for your physical condition, then it is crystal clear where you should be working towards. Are you not able to train for a 5 kilometer at the moment? No problem, just register for a competition in a few months. When you know it's coming, get off your lazy ass right away!
   • There are many training programs and apps that can help you prepare. Many of them alternate between walking and running. It's okay if you take occasional breaks in between!
   • If it isn't already, then the internet should be your best friend right now. Sites such as HardloopKalender.nl and DutchRunners offer you extensive lists of upcoming running races. No more excuses: registering for a competition is just a few clicks away!
7. Find an old photo that you look good on. Most people have a few pictures that make them think something like "So, I don't know what happened, but um ... If I could look like this again!" Find that photo, and stick it on your fridge, bathroom door, or desk - anywhere, make sure you find the motivation. Seeing that your goals can be achieved will make it easier to stay on track.
   • Not a fan of photos? Then you might want to browse the Victoria's Secret catalog every now and then. This may be a lot less pleasant than comparing yourself to yourself, but by regularly looking at beautiful models you can also press your nose to the facts.
8. Hang "the outfit" on the bedroom door. Remember that one pair of pants you bought a few weeks ago but became a size too small? Instead of putting it away in a drawer, it is better to hang it on your door. There are your pants, and your pants won't run off. When you have achieved your goals, isn't it great to be able to put on those pants? Yes, that is unbelievably delicious.
   • Don't have a magical outfit that you want to fit in? Well, then you can of course buy one. You can also try it the other way around. Hang your "thick pants" on the door. Every time you see your thick pants you will think you don't want to be able to fit in them anymore. Thinking about your thick pants every time is of course not easy; but the farther you get from that measure, the better you will feel.
9. Tell your family / roommates / friends about your plans. If you have been paying attention, you will have seen that much of the above advice is designed to make you responsible for your actions. If you share your plans with your environment, then you do exactly that. How else can your friends take this into account when you go out for dinner? They must be aware of it! If they know, they can help you too.
   • You absolutely must tell the people you live with. They can assist you in your eating decisions, and can help you resist or avoid temptations. They may even want to join you!
10. Look for books, blogs, and other success stories. When you discover that there are hundreds of people who have been through the same thing as you, it can be incredibly motivating. Some of their stories can even move you a bit. Why can't you be one of them? Want to hear something crazy: you can do it, and you will be.
    • Success stories can be found everywhere online. Try AfvalMetNederland.nl, for example, but there are thousands of these sites. Not only will you be motivated, but you can also use them as source material for your personal knockout race.
11. Establish a reward system. Man is so developed that it can train itself, but not yet so developed that it cannot be manipulated by certain tricks of the trade. If you set up a good reward system for yourself, your brain will be like wax in your hands.
    • Some people draw up a points system. You get a point for every good decision (in terms of nutrition or sports). When you've scored 100 points, treat yourself to something you like. Think of a massage or a day of shopping.
    • Some tie hard cash to it. After every good day, you can put some money in a jar. You keep that money for your reward, whatever it is.
    • Your reward does not necessarily have to come at the end of the ride. You can set rewards for a specific number of miles walked, a specific amount of pounds lost, or a specific number of days you have not sinned. If you keep the rewards consistent, you will not lose sight of your goals.
12. Establish a penal system. Okay, sometimes rewards just aren't enough. Certainly not if this means that you deprive yourself of certain pleasures (eating and being lazy, everyone likes that, right?). If the idea of ​​an upcoming massage can't motivate you, how would you like to donate € 100 to the Hitler Youth?
    • Okay, not the Hitler Youth, but you understand. Give a certain amount to a friend (if you don't trust yourself enough. Tell him / her that if you don't stick to your goals, you will give him / her some money. They should donate this money to an organization , an organization that is not particularly close to your heart, they would love to be of service to you!
13. Think positive. If your line of thought consists of nothing more than "I'm so fat, I'll never make progress," then chances are you are fueling a self-fulfilling prediction. If you think positively, the thought that you are achieving something difficult will come across as more believable. That's because you feel better about yourself. You know you can. And you can do it too.
    • If you don't find it easy to think positively (which is not surprising at all), try to set aside a few minutes each day to focus on it. If you start to think negatively, stop and try again. What do you like about yourself? What do others like about you? What are you good at? Over time it gets a lot easier, just as it does with other things.

Method 2 of 3: Motivate your diet and exercise schedule

1. Set your own pace. It is the first day of your new training schedule, and you have just run 6 miles. It felt great yesterday, but today you are lying in bed and your legs are hard to burn. Instead of becoming temporarily disabled, you had better set your own pace. If you exert yourself too much at one time, you will hurt your body. Only do things that you know your body can handle.
   • If you haven't exercised in a while, start slowly. Spend a week mapping out your physical condition. Once you've figured out what can be done easily and what is difficult, get started with that knowledge in mind. Increase the intensity of your workout by only 10% at a time. It is not good at all to ask too much of your muscles / joints.
2. Keep it fresh, keep it fun. You may have run the same 5km three times a week and can't seem to lose the last ten pounds. Frustrating, isn't it? If this sounds familiar to you, then you should provide a little variety. You and your body may have become bored with your routine. Alternate this with some cross training: find a sports class that you like, or set new specific goals.
   • The best way to lose weight is through cardio and weight training. If you do just one of them, then the problem may lie there.
   • If you really hate strength training, don't waste your time on it. Don't like running? No problem, then you won't. If you hate what you do, then you will not keep it up. Better spend your time and energy on something you do like; make sure you really enjoy it, and will in the long run.
3. Change the way you talk about your diet. Telling yourself and others not to eat certain things, instead of telling yourself not to eat certain things, can improve your ability to stick to your intentions. .
   • In the same vein, it is better to see your training schedule as part of your daily routine. Not as something that feels like an obligation.
4. Count your calories / kilometers / steps. If you are only aiming for weight loss, then there may be a reasonable period of dryness in terms of the results. Instead, choose to look at numbers you can gauge every day. After just one week of walking, you will soon have taken thousands of steps. That number will no doubt impress you!
   • Now your (online) diary comes in handy. Write everything down - you'll soon become addicted to the feeling you get when you see the added numbers. Can you imagine running 15 miles this week, burning 4,500 calories and taking more than 30,000 steps?
   • Not sure how to count your steps? Simple: purchase a pedometer.
5. Limit certain foods, never completely ban them. If your visit to the supermarket consists of avoiding eye contact with the candy shelf, then you have a problem. There will come a day when you ignore your good intentions and feast on all kinds of other forbidden fruits. You can prevent this day by giving yourself some leeway.
   • Never tell yourself that you cannot eat something because you are on a diet. You will only feel robbed yourself. Instead, choose to consume only a quarter of your usual serving. Eat it slowly, taking sips of water in between. If you drink more water and eat more slowly, your cravings will naturally decrease.
   • The color blue suppresses your appetite. If you're going to cheat a bit, consider placing your snack on a blue plate.
6. Put the negativity aside. It's easy to get excited about losing weight. It will never, ever go as fast as we would like. You may feel like you've shown a 120% commitment over the past few weeks, but only lost half a pound. We all know it, and it's annoying. The simple option is to get negative. But don't give in to it. That way you lose motivation.
   • Therefore, rather concentrate on your progress. The diary you kept is beautiful. It is proof that you are on the right track. Review your results. Put your worries aside for a moment. Now is the time to make the right decisions.
7. Keep it short and sweet. We all use excuses like "I don't have time for it" or "Training is soooo boring!" Newsflash: High-effort interval training can be done in just a few minutes and burns a ton of calories. So get rid of those excuses.
   • To do this, you need to alternate periods of intense exercise with periods of inactivity. To say that you burn calories is an understatement - they will disappear like snow in the sun. You can do this in several ways, but a simple example is on the treadmill. Start walking for a few minutes, then run at 90% of your maximum heart rate for 30 seconds, then return to your walking pace. Keep this up for another minute. Then you go back to the super intensive level and do this again for about 30 seconds. Do this 8-10 times in a row. And after that? Then you are done!
   • Before starting this, and you have the slightest heart condition, visit the doctor first. It is not suitable for the faint of heart.
8. Buy some nice new stuff. Starting with a run or going to the gym becomes a lot more fun when you can try out new things with it. Buy new sneakers, new headphones, or a new sports outfit. Whatever to make the session as fun as possible!

Method 3 of 3: Make your routine stick

1. Reward yourself. Remember that reward system we talked about? Apply it. Do it as often as you want. Nobody told you to only reward yourself at the end of the ride. For example, what do you think of the short-term goals? Set rewards for that too.
   • Maintain your sanity by foul play a little. From time to time, your reward may include nutrition-related things. If nothing will make you happier than that one frappuccino, or that handful of chips, hold out on the lookout for it. If you've walked a certain number of miles, give yourself your treat. Just make sure you don't do this every day.
2. Relax. Now that your body is a lot more active than before, you also need more relaxation. Take some time for yourself every day. Take an extra long shower or take a nap every now and then. You've earned it.
3. Take pictures. If you sometimes struggle to get the engine running, these pictures will remind you how to do it again. Take a photo on the very first day of your schedule, and then do it every week. How is your body changing?
   • When your progress becomes clear, consider hanging the pictures in your room. It will dawn on you that you have already come this far - why give up now?
4. Opt for a new, healthy habit. Just as you should vary your exercise schedule, you may want to consider learning a different healthy habit. Try to eat a vegetarian diet for a week, take vitamins, or pick up another hobby. The new you, what does he actually like?
   • If you don't already, start cooking. It's great to be in control of what goes into your stomach. Not only will you improve the lives of your friends and family, but you will also acquire a lot of new skills. Healthy foods are more and more within reach once you know how to cook.
5. Raise yourself up when you stumble. This should actually be more at the top. Realize that you will sometimes experience setbacks. This is inevitable and happens to everyone. The only thing you can do is get yourself up and find the motivation. If you've skipped a day at the gym, it will be a lot harder to get back on track if you skip another one.
   • It's harder to get to a point than it is to fall back. If you stop exercising for one week, the setback could be such that you reach the point where you were two weeks ago. Keep this in mind if you want to stay in bed again. What will the consequences be?
6. Keep a success journal. This involves a lot of writing, doesn't it? You do not necessarily have to keep your own booklet for it, it can also become part of your (online) diary. Simply make sure that what you write is partly how well you are doing. It will feel great if you can add your successes.
   • If you think you didn't have such a good day, keep looking. What temptations have you resisted? Don't just think about the things you did, think about things you didn't do.
7. Search your theme song. Rocky had his own theme song, why not you? Everyone needs something to get them in the right mood. What is your success number?
   • Take the time to find about 15 songs that will motivate you. A playlist that can motivate you in seconds can get you started.
8. Donate your "thick" clothes to charity. It's time! You can take those pants off your door, you have achieved your goals, and you no longer need your old clothes. Donate your clothes out of selflessness, with a little bit of pride. Congratulations!
   • You can donate your clothes to charity, but you can also transfer your time and wisdom to others. You probably know a few people who are struggling with the same problem you did before. How can you help them?

Tips

• Water is extremely important. Drink at least 8 glasses a day.
• Remember to stay realistic. If you have a friend who is unnaturally slim and you want to become one too, forget it. Find someone who is the same build as you, but in good shape. This will help you.
• Stay realistic. Beauty is in the eye of the observer. There is no ideal of beauty. Your beauty is not determined by a number.
• Don't get discouraged. If it does, talk to your best friend. Tell him / her what's bothering you. They will listen to you and try to help you. Don't be self-aware. They love you!
• Find a shopping buddy. Someone who will not allow you to snack unhealthily. Or call someone who can stop you from having that third piece of cake.

Warnings

• Don't feast on sweets and chips if you're struggling. Stay strong. Your mood will change again.
• If you have health problems, talk to a doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet and exercise habits.