10 great ways to find the inspiration to start a weight loss routine

It happens to all of us, like it did me, one day we look down and see that we’re physically not who we want to be.  We let ourselves go again. Yet with each passing day the only thing we do is think about how we should be doing something about it.

I used to be as guilty of inaction as anyone else.  When you find yourself in that repeating pattern of inaction you might wonder if you’ll be able to break out of it, and if so, when?

I recall the days before I really started my effort to lose weight and how I would wonder what trigger would help me to break free and begin down the road of transforming my physical body into something I could be proud of and not be self-conscious of showing off.  As those days would turn into weeks, then weeks into months, I found that I was not finding the motivation to make that big change for myself.  It made me feel defeated and hopeless, and I really wondered if it was even worth it at all.

What I discover later on is that I was being incredibly negative.  I filled my head with “So what” and “doesn’t matter”, when in fact it really did matter to me.  I was simply being a bit immature and refusing to acknowledge that I was being lazy.  I reinforced that laziness with negativity, even though deep inside, I really, really did want to do something about it.

Thankfully, I finally did break free, and after a few months of action I learned that I was only holding myself back.  Of course, right?  No one else was chaining me down, I just had to make that first move myself, for myself, and I’m glad that I did.

Since reaching the initial goals that I set for myself so long ago, I’m in maintenance mode and able to relax a little and not push myself so hard.  It’s an awesome feeling to have reached my own personal goals and I want you to experience that same feeling, and you can if you really want it.

You’ll find below that I’ve compiled the top 10 things I’ve found we can do to inspire ourselves to help us find the motivation to start a weight loss routine for yourself, which in turn will help you transform your body into a healthy, fat-burning machine.  Maybe one or more of these will be the finger in your side that you need to get you on the road to meeting your own goals.  I know I needed it.

There’s no doubt that putting forth the effort is worth it.  If you’re not routinely exercising and maintaining a healthy diet already, you can be.  You can start today, and in the end, you’ll have

• Increased energy everyday
• Increased self-esteem
• Increased endurance and performance
• Better looking skin
• A sharper mind
• A happier disposition and elevated mood
• Better sleep
• Less health issues
• More control over your weight
• An increased desire to do more for yourself

The rewards are great, so it’s time to quit thinking about it and start doing something instead!  We’re talking about transforming your life into what you want it to be, not what you simply accept it to be.  Read the following items and find what works for you.

1. Set a goal for yourself – Take some time to clear your mind and envision how you want your body to look.  Don’t worry about how you might get there, I’ll help you with that in time.  Simply make a clear picture of the body you want, and write it down so you can reflect on it from time to time and remember why you started.  Maybe you want to lose 10 pounds, maybe 150 pounds.  Maybe you want to finally achieve those wash-board abs (my current goal).  By writing down your goals, you can plot a path and establish a target that you can make steps towards reaching each and every day.
2. Push yourself through an exercise – Once you get those endorphins coursing through your body, they will provide you the “feel good” feeling that can help you make the next move, and the next one after that.  There’s no doubt that to lose weight it helps to have some form of exercise in place, but the key is to make it something that you enjoy doing.  Could be walking, could be running.  Maybe it’s “mommy and me” time with baby while doing squats in front of the TV.  Making it fun and being consistent is key to shedding pounds without even knowing it.  Best of all, if you enjoy it, you won’t mind doing it.
3. Start eating right – Eating right can’t be talked about enough.  Since I began eating better, I’ve increased my daily energy, I lose weight without trying, my skin looks healthier, my cholesterol isn’t a problem anymore, and I feel like I’m doing something good for myself.  Your body is no different than a machine in regards to the fuel you put in it.  When you take those road trips, before you hit the freeway, you top off and then go!  Breakfast is the start of your day, so filling up with the right food in the morning is so very important, and sets the pace for the rest of your day.  Getting the right food in you, however, is the key here.
4. Make yourself accountable to someone – Accountability to someone else can be encouraging.  Often times if we know that we’ll have to report to someone on how we ate, or what we did through the day to get some exercise, we’re more likely to do it.  As a health coach, I help over a dozen people by holding them accountable to their own goals that they’ve set.  I get no greater satisfaction than hearing how absolutely fabulous they feel after a few weeks, and it’s because they are doing the right things, and holding themselves accountable.
5. Ask others their honest opinion about your weight – It’s too easy to stand in front of the mirror and be critical about ourselves.  If you ask a friend or two however, they are more likely to tell you exactly what you don’t want to hear about yourself, however it’s up to you to take that and make it your motivation for change.  You can’t let the thoughts of others weigh on your mind and bring you down, you need to take that and do something about it.  It’s the “I’ll show you” approach to motivation.
6. Take a picture of yourself naked – Do you like what you see?  Seeing yourself in the buff can be an incredible motivator for some people.  Much like those stories you might have heard to help people curb their snacking by making them eat food while completely naked in a mirrored room.  I don’t believe in that personally, but I do believe that we can look at ourselves in judgment and tell ourselves that we’re going to make changes so what we see in the mirror is exactly what we want to see.
7. Speak to your doctor – Ask about the negative health effects of being obese or even slightly over-weight.  Ask how it affects your internal organs, your skin, and most importantly your energy.  This was another catalyst of mine.  The doctor told me my cholesterol was starting to worry her and that I should do more cardiovascular exercises.  That was all I needed and I ramped up the cardio efforts. My cholesterol is now in a healthy range, and I feel accomplished.  You can do the exact same thing and get that big, positive win for yourself too.  Just talk with your doctor and listen to them.
8. Buddy up – Don’t think for a second that you’re the only one of your friends and family that is also looking for inspiration and a way to start losing pounds.   Talk with those around you and see if you can buddy up with someone.  By teaming up with someone and sharing a common goal you become accountable to each other, which in turn can be an incredible source of inspiration to keep going once you start!
9. Find out the real reason why you want to lose weight – It’s too easy to say “I want to lose 20 pounds”, what’s the real reason for wanting to lose those 20 pounds?  To fit into a new pair of jeans?  To look good for your significant other?
10. Read about the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle and success stories of others – This works for me personally.  Whenever I read about how others have transformed their lives into something they wanted to be, I take a look at myself and think “why haven’t I done that for myself too?” or  “If they can do it, so can I!”  The success stories of others who have achieved something that you personally want are a sure fire way to become inspired.

Feeling inspired now?  Ready to make a change in your life and take back that energy and use it for more productive purposes?  As far as anyone knows, you only get one pass through this wonderful world of ours, so make the most of it and be the best you can be while you have the opportunity.  No one will make you do that, it’s all up to you.

There are probably many more ways to find the inspiration to lose weight and start leading a healthier lifestyle.  I challenge you to find one and let everyone know in the comments below.

Here’s to your health!

Wayne  (531 Posts)

Wayne John is a health coach for people that want to lose weight, gain weight, improve athletic performance, or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle. Wayne has lost over 55 pounds and improves his current health every day by using simple, straight-forward techniques that anyone can integrate into their lives to achieve the same. Contact Wayne today to realize your own health and fitness goals, or get started now by completing and submitting the free Wellness Profile. He also has been developing websites since 1995 and programming solutions for clients even longer. He'd rather be outside having fun in the sun though.