We've all been there — starting a weight loss journey full of enthusiasm, only to hit a wall when motivation wanes. Did you know that approximately 80% of people who set out to lose weight regain the weight they lost within a year? The struggle to stay motivated is real, but it doesn't have to be inevitable. In this article, we'll explore both short-term boosters and long-term strategies to keep you on track, drawing insights from best-selling books like 'The 4-Hour Body' by Timothy Ferriss, 'Thinner Leaner Stronger' by Michael Matthews, and 'The Willpower Instinct' by Kelly McGonigal. Whether you're just starting or trying to maintain progress, these tools will help you sustain motivation for the long haul.
Understanding weight loss motivation
Losing weight is not just a physical process but a complex path and hard work that includes healthy eating, physical activity, a mindset shift, and lifestyle changes in general. One of the key elements of successful weight loss is motivation. It helps you stay on the right path, overcome difficulties, and achieve set goals.
Motivation is an incentive that helps you overcome challenges and take the necessary actions to achieve your desired goal weight.
Internal and external motivation
There are two types of motivation: achieving success and avoiding discomfort. Internal motivation, working for yourself, is considered more effective than external motivation, working for others.
The main signs of escape motivation are:
At the beginning, a strong desire that gradually fades
The results please less and less
The aversion to physical exertion and diet grows
Thus, the struggle with excess weight leads to more weight gain and constant stress. This behavior turns the process of losing weight into a mania.
What is the plateau effect?
The plateau effect is when a person following a weight loss plan loses very little or no weight for several weeks. Intensity can refer to any exercise stimulus, from duration to volume and speed. It can refer to any physical parameter and skill you are working on.
There are two types of plateaus – mental and physical. The former is expressed in a hostile and unmotivated attitude toward training. A physical plateau is a literal inability to progress in a sport. Usually, these conditions co-occur.
Research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that weight loss plateaus after six months of a low-calorie diet.
Doctors aren't sure exactly why this happens, but the main theories are as follows:
The body adapts to weight loss
Metabolism slows down with rapid weight loss
Let's consider this in more detail. Rapid weight loss occurs initially because you are cutting calories. At the same time, the body, in need of energy, releases glycogen reserves. Glycogen is partly made up of water. Accordingly, the body gets rid of excess fluid first.
Then, as you lose weight, you lose not only fat but also muscle. And muscle mass helps maintain the rate of calorie burning.
A slowed metabolism makes it harder to lose weight, even if you're eating the same number of calories that helped you lose weight. At this stage, a plateau effect occurs.
Сravings
There are times when you are on a diet to lose weight, but you often feel a strong desire to eat unhealthy and sugary foods. And this feeling does not go away until you give in to the thoughts.
Each of us has our eating habits. And to be honest, we all love to eat, partly because it can stimulate the reward system in our brain, which detects pleasure by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is why we feel good and satisfied. That's why sometimes allowing yourself a dessert, a piece of chocolate with coffee, or a bowl of nuts in front of the TV quickly becomes a regular occurrence in our daily lives, and we don't even realize it.
If you're not getting enough protein in your diet, you'll develop cravings and overeat in an unconscious attempt to reach critical protein levels.
Short-term motivation boosters
Timothy Ferriss, author of 'The 4-Hour Body,' discusses the need for a Harajuku Moment (internal solid motivation) and the "cold shower" you need to take at the beginning of the journey. During this shower, you understand that you do not like your body the way it is.
Tim Ferriss says you only need 2.5% of the effort usually put into improving your body and physical condition. From all the methods, choose to do the minimum of the most effective ones. This is the minimum effective dose (MED) necessary to achieve weight loss success. Anything beyond it is a waste of effort, time, and money.
You should also plan to build muscle mass and do the minimum to trigger the mechanisms of muscle growth. Unfortunately, many continue to doubt that they are capable of positive transformations and resign themselves to their obesity. But Tim Ferriss is sure: almost everything can be changed. And the most compelling reason for improving your body is the confidence you will feel.
Weight loss motivation tips from 'The 4-Hour Body'
The following tips will help keep you motivated to achieve your desired body weight.
Regularly take pictures of yourself and your food (food diary), and you will understand how your diet affects your body.
"What gets measured gets managed. Keep a record of your journey." – Timothy Ferriss, 'The 4-Hour Body'
Turn your workouts into a game — add points for each result and give yourself small gifts for victories.
"Make it fun. If you don't enjoy the process, you won't stick with it." – Timothy Ferriss
Compete with others. Even minor progress will increase your confidence and motivation. And by comparing yourself with those whose results are better, you will feel inspired – after all, you are capable of more!
"Share your goals. The more people you tell, the more likely you are to follow through." – Timothy Ferriss
You can also bet on the result. Choose an achievable goal, such as losing 10 pounds in a month, and bet with someone who thinks it is impossible.
"Start small. You can't build a castle overnight, but you can lay a brick today." – Timothy Ferriss
Break the journey into small milestones and do not try to reach the end result in the shortest time with incredible effort. Let the results be small but stable and attainable.
Often, people trying to lose weight see only the final goal of their desired weight. However, focusing only on the result can be demotivating because it seems too distant at the beginning of the journey. Therefore, it is better to focus on the process of achieving it. To do this, you must divide your path into small intermediate goals.
"See it, believe it. Visualization can be a powerful motivator on your path to success." – Timothy Ferriss
Do not listen to the opinions of others about how you should exercise and look.
"You can't manage what you don't measure. Try different diets to find what fuels you best." – Timothy Ferriss
Tim also recommends keeping a photo journal to help you track your progress. Using a weight loss diary and recording your changing parameters is okay, but keeping a photo diary on social media is even better.
The 30-30-30 rule involves eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning, followed by 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise. Timothy Ferriss first proposed this method in his book The 4-Hour Body. The 30-30-30 principle is easy to remember and implement. It does not require drastic changes in fitness or diet and is simple for everyone.
Long-term strategies for sustained motivation
Losing weight is a vital, long, and complex process. You can only succeed if you have a strong motive. After all, it's hard to get to the finish line if you don't know the road.
1. Support from family members and friends
Research in social psychology shows that people work harder on their tasks when they do it in a group. Therefore, another strong incentive to work on yourself is in a support group, and the best fitness motivation is to train with a relative or friend.
You can also find friends among those who lose weight, improve their training, or lead a healthy lifestyle.
2. Find support for yourself
Social support can greatly increase motivation for weight loss efforts. For example, you can find a training partner to motivate one another and overcome difficulties together.
If you lack the strength to cope independently, seek help from a nutritionist, registered dietitian, or personal trainer who will support you toward achieving your goal. Specialized courses on balanced nutrition, which provide basic knowledge and practical skills in this area, will also be helpful. Evidence shows that people who feel more confident in their understanding and abilities lose weight more effectively.
3. Focus on health and well-being, not just body weight
Instead of focusing only on the numbers on the scales, focus on improving your overall health. Regularly monitor and note how your well-being and mood improve and your energy level increases. This will help you stay motivated even when the weight isn't coming off as fast as you'd like.
4. Building healthy habits
Let’s look at some simple habits that help you stay in shape and lose weight without too much stress.
Full sleep
Your body needs regular and high-quality sleep to function correctly, which also affects losing weight. One of the key factors is regulating the sleep cycle. Regular sleep helps restore the proper functioning of ghrelin, which controls appetite or the feeling of hunger. When you do not sleep sufficiently, your ghrelin level can increase, leading to a constant desire to eat. In addition, during sleep, you also burns calories. Although your body is resting, there are a significant number of processes that support its functioning to ensure vital activity.
Drink a glass of water in the morning
One useful habit that helps maintain health and is great for losing weight is drinking a glass of clean, warm water after waking up. This simple step helps start the digestive tract, improves digestion, and can prevent overeating during the day.
Control the amount of daily calories you eat
Portion control can help reduce calorie intake and maintain a healthy diet plan. In addition, many nutritionists advise eating at the same time every day. This helps establish a regular diet and improves metabolism.
Try meditation and self-care
Several experts believe that morning meditation helps you find mental balance and prepares the nervous system for possible stressful situations during the day. Regular meditation practice can have a positive effect on your general state of mental health, reduce anxiety, and increase concentration during your working day. This, in turn, helps to fight stress.
"Meditation gives the brain the ability to pause before acting. It strengthens the brain's self-control muscle and makes you more aware of your thoughts and feelings." – Kelly McGonigal, 'Willpower Instinct'
Stress and weight gain are usually linked. Cortisol and adrenaline contribute to fat accumulation, especially in the abdominal cavity. In addition, during stress, people tend to overeat or consume high-calorie foods to comfort themselves.
A deeper dive into long-term motivation
Kelly McGonigal is a prominent psychologist who has helped thousands of people train their willpower and achieve their desired results. In her book 'The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It' she says that willpower is a crucial skill that many people neglect to develop.
"Willpower is not a virtue, it's a biological instinct that protects us from ourselves." – Kelly McGonigal, 'Willpower Instinct'
In this book, the author demonstrates how our thinking is built from a scientific point of view and explains why we are so afraid of change and cling to what is normal for us.
Self-control is the management of three forces: "I will," "I will not," and "I want" to help us achieve our goals (or avoid trouble).
"Willpower is the ability to remember what you really want." – Kelly McGonigal
You should be mindful of decisions requiring willpower, as the brain defaults to instinct otherwise.
"The ability to stay focused in the face of temptation—or to refocus when you've been distracted—is essential for maintaining self-control." – Kelly McGonigal
Controlling your physiological state will help you avoid impulsive actions. If you are exposed to chronic stress, your impulsive self must participate in willpower tests. To win, you need to find that state of mind and body that directs energy to self-control, not self-defense.
"To exert self-control, you need to find your motivation when it matters most. And the best way to do that is to be present in the moment." – Kelly McGonigal
It’s important to recover from stress and conserve strength; only then will you be on top. When you are under stress, your nervous system goes into overdrive; your heart rate increases and variability decreases. Therefore, you need to show endurance. The parasympathetic nervous system will allow you to calm down and prevent impulsive actions.
"Stress is the enemy of willpower. It shifts the brain into a reward-seeking state and sets you up to give in to temptation." – Kelly McGonigal
Constantly controlling yourself makes it possible to strengthen willpower in general. Willpower is like a muscle, and it can be trained.
"Like a muscle, willpower can be strengthened with practice, but it also gets tired from overuse." – Kelly McGonigal
Before following your desires, determine how they correlate with your long-term goals. High dopamine levels increase the attraction to momentary pleasures, and we are no longer so concerned with remote consequences.
"People with strong willpower have a clear sense of what they want their future to be, and they can make decisions that bring them closer to those long-term goals." – Kelly McGonigal
Lifestyle integration with strategies from 'Thinner Leaner Stronger'
Your body reflects your diet and exercise. Therefore, you must eat right and exercise your muscles to create the figure you dream of.
The 'Thinner, Leaner, Stronger' weight loss program motto is "Get the body you want, without the struggle you hate." This program is successful at any age, with any hormonal status and starting condition of the body, because it is based on simple and scientifically proven rules of nutrition and alternating exercise and rest.
"Getting the body you want is a lot simpler than you've been led to believe. There's no need for fancy diets or special workout routines." – Michael Matthews, 'Thinner Leaner Stronger'
Insufficient or excessive calorie intake, nutrient imbalances, and poor food quality are the main nutritional problems that prevent your body from looking its best.
Michael Matthews insists that the calorie theory, backed by science and proven by over 100 years of practice, should be the basis for planning your diet.
"If you want to lose fat, you must consume fewer calories than you burn. It's as simple as that." – Michael Matthews
The best protein sources are lean meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
"To build muscle, you need to eat enough protein every day—ideally, 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight." – Michael Matthews
The author does not consider simple carbohydrates to be an absolute evil but points out that for people leading a sedentary lifestyle, they are a tool for accumulating fat. A reasonable amount of fat is necessary for healthy skin, hair, nails, and the functioning of the human endocrine system. One problem is that fats are very high in calories.
"The best way to ensure you're getting all the micronutrients you need is by eating a wide variety of whole, minimally processed foods." – Michael Matthews
Common mistakes and how to overcome them
What mistakes can you encounter on the way to the body of your dreams?
Increased physical activity
One of the main mistakes when losing weight is to eat less and exercise more. This approach does not always justify itself. If you overload your body with physical exercises, you will likely lose weight, but only for a period, while you stubbornly exercise. Then, the weight will return to the previous figure.
2 Water shortage
The cause of excess weight may be swelling. If the kidneys are not working correctly, this should be understood comprehensively. If you know that the kilograms you want to lose occurred due to overeating or a sedentary lifestyle, then it is recommended to monitor your water balance.
3 Inconsistency
The body has to get used to a specific regime, whether a training regime or a diet, because inconsistency has an immediate effect on weight. Lack of proper systematicity can confuse the body. Therefore, it is essential to follow the correct daily routine.
4 The desire to get an immediate result
One of the most common mistakes is unrealistic expectations. Regardless of the extra weight, most people want to lose it in a couple of weeks. If this does not happen, they quickly lose inspiration, especially if the starvation diet and exhausting training stop bringing results (and such a result, in this case, is inevitable).
How to overcome common mistakes?
Very often, long efforts do not give the desired effect, and a person becomes disappointed and stops working. According to the Stanford Health Care study, about 80 percent of people eventually regain weight, even though they managed to lose it in a short time. Thus, even those who successfully reach their target weight often make mistakes along the way. But now you know the most common mistakes, how can you overcome them?
Set smart goals
Achieving small goals gives confidence and stimulates further action. Unrealistic tasks often lead to frustration and disruption. Breaking a big goal into small steps allows you to monitor your progress better.
Update your diet
New food, tastes, and textures will make losing weight more exciting and varied. Include more fresh vegetables and fruits, a variety of greens, and healthy fats (avocado, nuts, seeds) in your diet. Experiment with different spices and herbs to give dishes a bright taste and aroma.
Rejoice in your achievements
One key aspect of staying motivated when following a diet is noticing and appreciating your achievements. Often, people focus on the end goal and forget to enjoy the process. However, it is the intermediate successes that help to maintain motivation and move on.
Book summaries on motivation for weight loss in the Headway app
Staying motivated on your weight loss journey doesn't have to be overwhelming. With the Headway app, you can fuel your motivation with quick, bite-sized summaries of the best self-help books and strategies.
In our library, you can choose summaries of books on healthy eating, diet, and perseverance. It's a comfortable way to widen your knowledge and get the best ideas from famous nonfiction books in a short time so that you can implement them in your daily life.
