Weight Loss Motivation - What Drives You to Your Ideal Weight?

All of us have our own ideas of what a perfect body should look like. Usually, the common denominator of these varied ideals is a weight that's within at least the normal range for our height. There's an ongoing war being waged against obesity and people are going through great lengths to make sure that they don't gain that extra pound.

Some are lucky, some just aren't

While everybody wants to achieve their ideal weight (which is usually less than what we weigh at present), only a few can actually get that perfect body that they have been gunning for. Janet Jackson, for instance, was able to shed sixty pounds in four months by going through a strict weight loss regimen. Of course, this was through the help of a personal dietitian and fitness trainer. I had a college roommate who found it easy to lose weight without the help of professionals. No, she didn't have to go under the knife to get back in shape. She just had the discipline and the drive to lose all those unwanted calories.

Motivation leads to discipline leads to weight Loss

It goes without saying that discipline really is the key. But what really drives people to discipline themselves into following strict procedures towards losing weight?

People have varied weight loss motivations. The gravity of these justifications is exactly what drives them into being disciplined enough to go through weight-loss programs. Motivation is the key factor into getting a person to do what he must towards a certain goal.

How to develop weight loss motivation

Now, it's one thing to say that you have a good motivation for losing weight and quite another to actually have it driving you towards that ideal body. All of us are motivated up to some extent. The problem lies in what exactly makes us go through a strict diet or run towards the nearest gym. Sometimes, our weight loss motivations are so unrealistic that we end up ignoring them or putting them on hold because our goals seem impossible even to us.

The best way to develop your weight loss motivation is to set very realistic goals. Getting back to your weight ten or twenty years ago is not realistic. Instead, you may want to set your sights on going back to your body say, before you got pregnant or maybe the body you had two years ago. That kind of goal is feasible enough for you to be able to get through your chosen fitness program. While it isn't so bad to dream of becoming ramp-model thin, it's better to stick to a relatively easier goal of becoming thin enough for you to be able to move around and be healthy.

Lose weight to be healthy

You have to lose weight for the right reasons: to lead a healthier lifestyle and to make it easier for you to move around. Your happiness doesn't depend on your ability to shed off those unwanted calories. You are supposed to lose weight because you want a healthier body and being able to look better is just a bonus. Don't stress yourself into believing that the only thing that could make you feel good about yourself is if you were as thin as Victoria Beckham. Putting a lot of pressure on yourself will just drive you into doing the opposite or worse, going through dangerous lengths to lose weight. Again, you are supposed to go through a weight loss program because you want to be healthy, not to get sick.

Think positive

Thinking is being. Don't dwell on what may happen if you don't lose weight. One way to develop your weight loss motivation is by making yourself look forward to what you will be doing once you are already in your ideal body size. Think of all those trendy size 2 dresses that you'll get to wear or how you'll be able to finally reach your toes again. Focus on the body that you want to have and don't sweat on the negative things. Missing one workout session isn't so bad. Just try to do it better the next time.

Love yourself

Above everything, you need to accept and love yourself in order to get that drive to lose weight. Recognize that you are attractive but you also need to shed off those extra pounds to be healthy. Being a bit overweight doesn't make you ugly, it makes you unhealthy. Understand that losing weight is something that you need to do for yourself. It's your responsibility to make sure that you are physically fit.

Once you believe and accept yourself, your goals would seem pretty easy to achieve and following that strict diet program should be a piece of cake for you.

Phillip England is a weight loss expert and Author of the popular report "The Ultimate Weight Loss Secret". To receive your free information on the secret that doctors, and health companies either don't know, or don't want you to know, please see http://www.theultimateweightlosssecret.com/secret

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