Weight Loss Motivation!

One of the hardest parts of trying to lose weight is staying motivated, here are 12 tips and tricks that will hopefully help you stay on track with your weigh-loss goal.

Have Lots Of Sex

First off, it’s pretty damn fun. But it can also keep you on the slim track. Having an orgasm releases the same endorphins in your brain that eating chocolate does–without the calories. And research shows that the more weight you lose, the better your sex life gets: Studies suggest that even a 10 percent reduction in weight resulted in major improvements in all areas of the participants’ sex lives, including arousal, feelings of attractiveness, and enjoyment of sexual activity .

Chart Your Progress

Weight loss is serious business. Treat it that way. Weigh yourself every morning–people who do daily weigh-ins are more successful losers–and write the number down. If you’re even vaguely computer savvy, it’s a snap to create a chart with a fever line that shows the pounds dropping away over time. When you get discouraged–say, you haven’t lost a pound in a week–seeing your long-term progress will boost your motivation.

Face Your Reflection

When you feel fat you probably shun mirrors. Turns out you should do the opposite. Mirror-exposure therapy–staring at your body in the mirror and stifling the usual criticisms of your thighs–can improve body image, which, as we said in rule 10, can help keep you committed to healthy eating. Try it: Speak to your reflection without using any negatively charged words. For example, instead of “I have a huge bum,” say, “My waist looks smaller thanks to my curves.”

Get Rubbed

People who accept their bodies are more likely to have better eating habits. And decadent as it may sound, getting a massage can help with that. Allowing yourself to be touched by another person–even when you aren’t at your ideal weight–can help people become more comfortable with their bodies.

Become A Class Regular

Join a group exercise class and make friends with your fellow regulars. Seeing your pals will inspire you to attend even when you feel like giving it a miss. The guilt factor–always highly motivating–can help here too. After all, in a place where everybody knows your name, they’ll also know when you’ve missed a workout.

Call On Your Inner Cheapskate

You don’t blow off the dentist, even though having your teeth drilled is about the most un-fun thing you can imagine. Why? Because you’ll get charged whether you show or not. Consider buying a package of personal training sessions and scheduling all your appointments now. Ditto with yoga or dance classes: Buy a bunch in advance and sign up at the same time. Who would throw away workouts that are already paid for?

Get Chatting

Loads of studies prove that support from other people can keep you motivated to lose weight. A new study suggests that dieters who get counselling over the phone lose just as much as those who get it face to face. So if you can’t make that 5 p.m. Weight Watchers meeting, then how about just ring up a weight-loss compatriot and have the discussion freely whenever you like.

Lift The Weight You’ve Lost

This is a great way to keep yourself from sliding into what-the-hell eating mode when your weight loss plateaus: Use dumbbells that correspond to the number of pounds you’ve already dropped. You can’t possibly forget how far you’ve come when you’re straining to complete sets with the weight that used to be on your on backside.

Get Out Your Sexiest-Skinny Outfit

Take out the outfit you love and haven’t been able to wear for a long time out of the wardrobe and hang it out so you have a constant visual reminder of what goal your looking to achieve.

Rock Out

Studies suggest that people who listen to music when working out are more likely to work harder and for longer than those who don’t. So, crank up the ipod put on your most ferocious playlist and rock out!

Enlist A Dog

Consider adopting a fuzzy friend if you don’t have one already. Studies show that owning a dog can help you drop pounds. Why? Come rain, sleet, or snow, you’ve got to get outside with fido a few times a day (unless you really want urine-soaked carpets). What’s more, most pet owners say they don’t want to let down their exercise-starved doggy at walk time. It’s another version of rule number 2.

Make A Promise

It’s really hard to blow off a commitment you’ve made to lots of people. If you join an athletic event to raise money and you default on your training, you’re not just letting yourself down but also the charity and everyone who sponsored you.