World leading weight loss expert Donna Krech says that weight loss success is a combination of three things.
Correct Exercise
Correct Nutrition
Correct Motivation
Now, there is nothing particularly sensational about this, but the importance she places on each factor does help us remember why losing weight in todays society is so difficult.
According to Donna 20% of weight loss is due to correct exercise, 30% is due to correct nutrtion and a whole 50% is down to motivation…
So what REALLY works when it comes down to motivation?
Here are my top three strategies for you;
No 1 – Some form of REAL accountability.
Make a promise or involve someone in your goal where there is a REAL consequence of failure if you do not succeed. This is different to just making a promise to a friend that you are going to lose weight. This will not work because invaraiable you will only lose a small amount of face if you give up and this will not be enough motivation.
Accountability has to be real and requires real amounts of pain if it is going to work.
If one of my personal training clients fails to give me 24 hours notice before cancelling a session it will cost them £50. I don’t like doing this but it DOES make them 100% accountable and stops small things getting in the way of there weight loss success.
Top tips to create REAL accountability
1 – Get a trainer or join a bootcamp that marks attendance.
2 – Use this website – www.stikk.com – If you don’t hit your goal money is debited from your account! We use this website with our PT clients now!
Remember the punishment for failure CANNOT be in your hands!
WARNING – But be careful, if you are going to do this method you MUST set realistic goals, or else this approach can become a little masochistic!
Measure Your Progress
One of the simplest, cheapest and yet most effective tools out there to stay motivated, yet so few people do it!
Scientific research has shown that people that weighed themselves at least once a week were more likely to lose weight than those that didn’t.
But be careful.
Measure what you understand and what you can control. (Remember that you can be burning lots of fat but NOT see a change on the scales) and measure often but not TOO often! You will never see change if you are looking every hour!
Also remember to weigh or measure yourself at the same time each week/month.
TOP TIP – Measure yourself rather than weighing yourself is a better way to see progress, more effort but more accurate.
Reward Yourself
Research has shown that it is more likley that you will reinforce positive behaviour if it is rewarded regulalrly yet so few people actually reward them selves. I hear things like, I’ll reward myself when I have lost ALL the weight or I don’t need it.
Believe me, you do, and it is one of the most important factors in your weight loss success.
A reward after every 4 / 6 week cycle, as long as you achieve your goal is, going to turn you into a lean mean goal achieving machine!
So take note, apply some of these tips and watch how things, all of a sudden start to happen for you!
Urban Vitality
