Staying motivated is hard, and It is completely natural for your ambition to be at different stages during the lifetime of your goal. But, it is important to dig deep and press on, especially when the outcome is not initially what you expect.
Staying motivated doesn’t have to be impossible. In fact, there are lots of ways to stay motivated. Here are 16 creative ways to keep yourself motivated.
1. Get out of your comfort zone
When it comes to losing weight and getting fit, the first step in any journey is taking a risk. You need to get outside of your normal routine and do something new or different. This will help you break free from old habits and give you some much-needed confidence boost.
2. Make goals for yourself
Write down what you want to accomplish by a certain date. Then make sure those things happen! Don’t let anything stop you from reaching your goal.
3. Find inspiration
There are so many inspiring people who have lost tons of weight. Read about them online or watch their videos on YouTube. Seeing someone else succeed gives us hope and makes us feel like we too could achieve our dreams if only we try hard enough.
4. Keep track of your progress
Keeping track of how far along you are towards achieving your dream body helps motivate you to continue working toward your goal. Track everything: calories burned, pounds lost, inches gained, etc. The more data you collect, the better able you’ll be at seeing where you’re going wrong.
5. Reward yourself
Once you’ve reached your goal, reward yourself with whatever you desire. Maybe treat yourself to an extra dessert after dinner every once in a while? Or maybe take a day off work to go shopping without worrying about counting calories? Whatever works best for you, just don’t forget to enjoy life while you still can!
6. Set realistic expectations
We all tend to set unrealistic expectations for ourselves. But setting reasonable ones instead will help you avoid disappointment later on. For example, saying “I’m gonna lose 10 lbs this week” may sound great but realistically speaking, most people won’t see results as fast as they think. Instead, say “This month I plan to eat healthier and exercise 3 times per week.” That’s way less pressure than thinking you should drop 20 lbs in one week.
7. Be grateful
Every time you look in the mirror, remind yourself why you decided to start this diet in the first place. Remind yourself of all the reasons why you deserve to be healthy and happy. And then tell yourself that you love yourself no matter what size you are right now.
8. Have fun
Losing weight isn’t always easy. Sometimes it feels downright miserable. So remember to find joy in each moment. Enjoying food and eating well shouldn’t be stressful; it should be enjoyable.
9. Think positive
Challenge all your negative thoughts, replace them with positive ones. Try to stay away from dream squashers. They might seem harmless when you hear them, but over time these little naysayers can really add up and become very powerful. If you catch yourself having a negative thought, quickly change it into a positive one. It takes practice, but eventually, you’ll learn to control your mind.
10. Surround yourself with supportive friends and family members.
Having support around you during difficult moments can mean the world. You know you aren’t alone out there because everyone has been through similar situations before. Plus, being surrounded by loving people is contagious – it motivates you to keep moving forward even when you’d rather give up.
11. Get creative
Do something different every day. Go outside and play sports. Take dance classes. Learn new skills. Anything that gets you excited about learning and growing.
12. Remember why you started
When things get tough or feel like giving up, ask yourself if you want to do this for any other reason besides looking good naked. Is losing weight important to you? Are you trying to live longer? Make sure those goals remain strong throughout your journey so you have something else to fall back on.
13. Don’t compare yourself to others
Everyone loses weight differently. Some people gain muscle mass while some lose fat. There’s not much we can do about our genetics, but we CAN choose how we react to them. The only person who knows exactly where he/she stands at any given point is YOU. No one else does. So stop comparing yourself to anyone else. Focus on your own progress instead.
14. Don’t let perfectionism hold you back
Perfectionists often put themselves under extreme amounts of stress which leads to anxiety attacks, depression, and ultimately low energy levels. This doesn’t make sense since perfectionists usually believe that everything must be perfect. However, life isn’t perfect. In fact, it rarely ever goes according to plan. Acceptance is key here. Just accept that sometimes things don’t go perfectly and move on.
16. Find inspiration everywhere
Look at pictures of beautiful women who inspire you. Look at their bodies and think “I could never achieve anything close to that.” Then take action! Start working towards achieving that body today.
17. Keep track of your successes
Write down every single thing you eat and drink. How many calories did you consume? What was the total amount of water consumed? Did you exercise? Record as much information as possible.
18. Go to the library or a coffee shop
Go to the library or a coffee shop and read books about fitness and nutrition. Read magazines such as Women’s Health and Men’s Fitness. These publications will help educate you in ways that no book can.
19. Join an online community dedicated to helping you reach your goal
Whether it’s Facebook groups, Twitter chats, YouTube channels, etc., find communities that are focused on reaching specific health goals. Ask questions and share tips along the way.
20. Set small milestones
Set small milestones along the way to motivate you. For example: “Today I am going to walk 10 minutes more than yesterday.” Or “Tomorrow I am going to work out three times per week.” Small steps lead to big results.
21. Create a vision board
Create a vision board using images from magazines, photos of models, celebrities, motivational quotes, etc. Post these images around your house or office. Every time you look at them, remind yourself what you’re striving for. It’ll keep you motivated when you start feeling discouraged.
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22. Be grateful
Be thankful for all the little things in life. Appreciate the food you eat, the air you breathe, the clothes you wear, the opportunities you’ve been blessed with. If you focus on being happy rather than focusing on what you lack, you’ll stay positive and optimistic.
23. Listen to Motivational Speaker podcasts
Listen to motivational speaker podcasts like TED Talks, Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and other audio programs designed to teach us how to live better lives. They may just change your perspective on life forever.
24. Focus on your Daily Goals
Every day writes down one new goal. Make sure this goal is realistic but also challenging enough so that you feel excited each morning when you wake up. You should have several short-term goals and long-term ones. Write your daily goal down and stick it somewhere where you see them every day. Forming habits is the surest way to achieve long-term goals.
What causes a lack of motivation?
Lack of motivation is caused by a number of factors, such as: feeling overwhelmed, having too much work to do, feeling stressed out, feeling unappreciated, feeling like you don’t know what to do next, feeling like you’re not making any progress, feeling like you’re stuck, feeling like you’re wasting your time, feeling like you’re doing something wrong, feeling like you’re failing, not believing in yourself, listening to negative self-talk, tiredness, fearfulness, current lifestyle, or an end goal that seems far too overwhelming.
16 Creative Ways to Stay Motivated
– If you’re looking for ways to stay motivated, then you’ve come to the right place. Read these creative ways to stay motivated and keep yourself going.
– Staying motivated is one of the hardest things to do. But if you want to succeed at anything, you must be willing to put in the work.
– There are many different ways to stay motivated. Some people like to listen to music or read books. Others prefer to go out and socialize.
– Whether you’re trying to lose weight or just want to improve your life, there are plenty of ways to stay motivated.