Motivate Me - A to Z of Motivation

Ever wondered what motivation really is? An invisible force? Or
practical steps you can take to make sure you reach your Goal?
Success does not depend on luck alone, so here are 26 ways to ensure
your motivation is always at its peak.

Adapt Switch™ to suit yourself. It's easier to stick to a food plan
that suits you so make yours fit your preferences rather than the
other way around.

Be specific about your goals. How will you feel when you've achieved
them? What will you see? What will you hear?

Create small goals and rewards to help you keep going. Make goals
the right size for you – whether that's 1lb, 2lb, 7lb or 1st. And
make rewards fit the goals, e.g. a magazine for 1lb, a paperback
book for 7lb and something you really want for 1st.

Do something different. If you always do what you always did, you'll
always get what you always got. So if what you're doing isn't
working, do something different.

Evolve strategies that work. When you find something that does work
for you, build it into your daily or weekly routine.

Find ways to say no and mean it. "No, I shouldn't really" sends the
message that if asked again, you'll say yes. "No thank you" is much
more definite.

Get help. Don't be afraid to ask for the help you need. Get clear
about what you need (e.g. an exercise partner). Think about what's
in it for the other person (e.g. they'll get to spend time with you
while getting fit), and ask at a suitable time.

Have fun. Good moods help people to think more creatively and find
solutions to problems, so look for opportunities to have fun.

Identify your resources, so you can call on them when needed.
Resources could include: your determination to succeed, a role
model, money, a friend to exercise with, this website.

Join Weight Watchers Meetings for a weekly dose of support,
motivation and tips that work. Find a Meeting near you.

Keep going. People who achieve their weight-loss goals don't lose
weight faster than those who don't – they just keep going longer.

Learn and practice new behaviors until they become habits – it
takes approximately 21 'repeats' for something to become a habit.

Manage your emotions. Find ways of coping with anger, sadness,
anxiety, joy or elation that don't involve food, e.g. call a friend
or take a brisk, pavement-pounding walk.

Negotiate. It doesn't have to be either-or... If part of you wants
to eat in a healthy way and part wants to eat chocolate, get
creative and find a solution that means both parts get what they
want. A good solution to this problem would be: fresh strawberries
sprinkled with chocolate shavings.

Overcome setbacks. The way you cope with setbacks will be crucial in
determining your success. Look upon them as challenges or chances to
learn rather than indicators of failure.

Plan ahead. How will you cope with that social event? When will you
do some exercise? Why not plan your food and exercise this week?

Quit unhelpful habits. Identify the habits that don't serve you
well: consider why you do them and what 'benefits' they bring you.
Now find other ways to get those benefits.

Repeat positive phrases, like 'this diet works for others, so it can
work for me' or 'I have the power to make any changes I want to'.

State goals in the positive. Say what you want (e.g. to be healthy)
rather than what you don't want (e.g. not to be fat).

Think healthy. When tempted, ask "What would a healthy person do right
now?" The answer will tell you what YOU need to do.

Unconditionally track your food. Learn to track, no matter what you eat... track it. People who track what they eat are generally more successful on the scales. Having a record helps them know what they're doing as well as make decisions about what to do next.

Visualise. We move towards what we picture in our minds, so take a
minute each day to imagine the healthy you.

Weigh yourself every week and record your progress. Experiment with different foods.

You can do it - believe in yourself.
"Always believe that you will ultimately succeed at whatever you do."
- Edmund O'Neill

Zoom in on the positives. Remember that there's no such thing as
failure, only feedback. Life's most trying times can be positive
events if we learn from, and find the good in, all situations.

This is originally from Weight Watchers UK posted to WWMSG by Anastacia April 2006.