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Everyone wants to lose weight but very few people are serious about it. Most people have not found the real motivation to lose weight. Weight loss is going to challenge the core of your character. You are going to need to cultivate habits that may be the exact opposite of your current habits. Without a strong enough “why”, it is very unlikely that you will continue the journey when the going gets tough.
Here are 5 common drivers for most people to lose weight.
1. Losing Weight for Vanity
This is the main reason for many people to lose weight. People want to look good. Carrying excess weight makes one feel miserable and depressed.
Unfortunately, this is the weakest motivation to lose weight unless there is a deep enough desire. Most people who try to lose weight for vanity have to go through a lot of pain. They have to cross a threshold where they can’t take the mental of physical pain anymore. Its only when they cross this threshold that they decide to do something serious about their weight.
2. Losing Weight to Impress the Opposite Sex
This can be a strong motivation for younger people and for those who are looking for partners. Whether one likes it or not, physical appearance does play an important role when trying to woo someone. A lot of people who lose weight to impress the opposite sex do succeed because the desire can be very strong.
3. Losing Weight to Keep up With Spouse
This can be a strong motivation to lose weight for someone whose spouse does not have a weight problem. This desire gets even greater as the couple age. The overweight person tends to age faster than the slim spouse. The slimmer spouse gets more attention from the opposite sex. This can be a very strong motivation for the other spouse to lose weight.
Spouses who try to keep up with each other do end up living very healthy lives. They are able to maintain healthy weight levels as they are constantly competing to keep up with one another.
There are times when the overweight spouse tries to sabotage the slimmer spouse. It is easier for the overweight spouse to drag the other down to his or her level rather than rise up to the challenge and lose weight.
4. Losing Weight for an Occasion
This is an extremely powerful motivation to lose weight. One could be preparing for a wedding, a reunion or a holiday.
People who have such goals almost always achieve them. Setting specific and measurable goals yield unbelievable results. The only downside to this type of motivation is that it is a short term goal. Once the occasion has passed, there are no follow up efforts or concrete steps to maintain the weight loss.
5. Losing Weight for Health
This is another strong motivation to lose weight. Health is something that you do not miss until you start losing it. Most of the time, an increased appreciation for health comes from a wake-up call. This wake-up call could be the sudden death of a friend in the same age group. It could also be attributed to a doctor’s visit.
Increased awareness about health need not come in the form of a health calamity. It could also come from increased awareness via education. People who are lucky enough to have this awareness are the ones who end up having healthy and sustainable weight loss.
Identify Your Motivation to Lose Weight
Find out why you want to lose weight. Make sure that the reasons are not superficial. An example of a superficial reason is trying to lose weight because your friends are doing it. Another superficial reason could be because your spouse wants you to lose weight. Unless there is a deep desire within, you would quit at the first obstacle that comes your way.
Related posts:
- 10 Mental Reasons Why You Cannot Lose Weight
- Forming Habits for Healthy Weight Loss
- Correct Weight Loss Motivation
- Best Way to Lose Weight
- 12 Easy Ways to Lose Weight Without Exercise
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
People generally have their own reasons for losing weight, for me the main reason is for health reasons – a body filled with junk food day in, day out is not going to work efficiently. Being overweight means you are vulnerable to diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, constipation, low immune system, low energy levels, lowered fertility, bad skin – I could go on! Surely good health is the most important thing in anyones life.
One thing that I also find that works great is that when you find out the reason why you want to lose weight eg. losing weight for vanity, or losing weight for health etc.. is to ask yourself some questions like “why do I want this?”, “why do i really want this?”, “what will this do for me?”.
Bascially the idea it to dig down enough until you connect with emotional reasons, not logical reasons. We’re generally moved by emotion, and rarely by logic.
Great post.
Paul´s last blog ..The Real Reason Why You Can’t Lose Weight – It’s Not What You Think
Inspiration to lose weight comes from inside; however, comments to pursue the journey motivate because you know you are not alone!
Thanks for the feedback Paul. You are right. people got to dig deep inside and find the real reason they want to lose weight.
All the above are definitely catalysts for losing fat, but nothing will happen until some sort of trigger event hits home and causes exercising and eating healthy to become a priority in one’s life.
Dane´s last blog ..Losing Tummy Fat – 3 Exercises That Are Not Helping You Lose Your Tummy
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