Excerpted from the “Welcome” in my book, 100 MORE Days of Weight Loss.
Weight-loss motivation is tricky. Often it’s there one day and gone the next. But the most important thing is not whether you feel motivated every single day. Instead, it’s your ability to revive motivation over and over when it slips away.
Whether you’ve been doing great with your program or you are just getting started, these seven keys will help you successfully complete the lessons in the 100 MORE Days book as well as manage your weight long-term.
Even if you’ve completed the 7 keys worksheet in the past, I encourage you to do it again to see what’s changed and where you need to adjust your focus. Click on this link to download and print the worksheet: 7 Keys Worksheet
Here are the seven keys to success!
Key #1 – Always move forward!
Your past does not determine your future. So it doesn’t matter if you’ve fallen off your diet or gained weight back in the past. This is now!
Tell yourself that starting today, you are moving forward and never going back. Pump your fist in the air and proclaim, “From this moment on, I’m moving forward!” Then celebrate the beginning of your new life.
Key #2 – Do what worked before
Think about times when you have been successful in the past. What did you do? Was there a specific diet plan that worked? Did you get up early and exercise before going to work? Maybe you cooked more meals at home instead of eating at restaurants. Make a list of specific things that worked for you before. Put a star or check mark beside the ones you plan to use during your 100 MORE days.
Key #3 – No more excuses
Think about all the reasons you haven’t been making progress. Whine a bunch about why you can’t lose weight or exercise regularly.
Write down your biggest reasons, then read your list of excuses out loud Listen to how weak they sound. Now tell yourself that none of them work any more.
From now on, catch your excuses as soon as they come out of your mouth. Remind yourself they don’t matter and you have to do your program anyway. Then go do it.
Key #4 – Create a finish line
Build a vision of how this project will look when you reach the end of this book. How will you look, feel, and act when you cross the 100 MORE Days finish line? In addition to your new weight, picture yourself having confidence, energy and renewed zest for life.
Create a visual image of the finish line for your weight loss efforts. Perhaps you could make a collage of your new life. Or pull out a favorite thin outfit or pair of jeans and hang it where you can see it often. Try it on every week or two and see how the fit is changing. Use it to remind yourself of where you plan to be in the days ahead.
Key #5 – Kick the roadblocks
Think about what gets in your way when you’re working on losing weight. What might keep you from success? Is it related to people, energy, money? When you’ve struggled with this in the past, what caused you to slip up or kept you from making progress?
Identify everything you can think of. Write them all down. If you’re brave, make a copy of the page, then crumple the paper into a ball and kick it around the room for a few minutes.
Picture every one of the roadblocks as being gone. You can also type your list on the computer and then delete the roadblocks one at time. Cheer each time one goes away.
Key #6 – Line up a support system
It really helps if you have someone who cares about you and your efforts to complete the 100 MORE Days book. Get a buddy, hire a cheerleader or enlist your family members.
Key #7 – Learn and grow forever
The lessons in this book are only the beginning. For the months ahead, plan all the ways you can continue with your personal growth. Maybe you could read more books, take yoga or Pilates classes or hire a life coach or a personal trainer.
Use these seven keys any time you need to renew your motivation and commitment to your weight-management goals. Don’t forget to download and print the 7 keys worksheet: