Failure to Lose Weight – Are These the Reasons You Lack Motivation?

Photo credit: Alan Cleaver CC-BY-2.0

Motivation is the desire to get things done and to set targets that you want to achieve. However, maintaining that level of motivation can be difficult and the end result can leave you feeling like a failure. Here are some reasons why you lack motivation and ways in which you can turn things around to get you back on track.

You Can’t See Immediate Results

A perfect example of this is if you decide that you want to lose weight. You know exactly what you have to do in order to reach your desired weight. You need to eat less and exercise more. The first few days of your weight loss and healthy eating program go very well and you are happy. At the end of the week, you step on the scales and find that you haven’t lost any weight or you have lost less than you expected. You are disappointed and even though you know that if you continue on this path, you will eventually see the results you want, you give up. The thing about motivation is that if you do not see the results that you are after, it is pretty difficult to carry on.

Procrastination and Using Excuses

You are not motivated because you waste a lot of time procrastinating. You know that logically regular exercise and a healthy, balanced eating plan will result in weight loss. However, the procrastinator in you may decide that you can’t work on losing weight until you have signed up to a gym or have enough money to buy the right type of exercise clothes. With regards to food, well you decide that you can’t start cooking healthy meals until you have emptied your cupboards of all the bad foods. You are just putting off the starting date to changing your way of lifestyle and the more excuses you find, the less motivated you become.

Lack of Support from Others

It is a sad fact that a person’s level of motivation can be affected by the people around them and their attitude. It only takes one negative comment for self-doubt to creep in and for you to give up on the goals you have set for yourself. The solution is to find people that share your feelings and can help to keep you motivated. A good way is to either find the right friend or family member who will give you the support you need or you can look at support groups within your community or online. By getting the positive support you need, your motivation level will be right where it needs to be in order for you to start on target.

Important note:  If you’re not reaching your weight loss goals through diet and exercise, then you may want to look at other possible reasons such as lack of sleep, blood-sugar imbalance, too much stress, thyroid issues, or maybe a *hormone imbalance. As you can see, there is a lot more to weight loss than just eating less and exercising more. So, when you feel like giving up, remember the reasons WHY you want to lose weight and get healthier. Is it to avoid expensive medical bills down the road? To live a better quality life? Is it to live long enough to see your grandchildren? Whatever the reason, make it stick so you can stay consistent and focused until you reach your goals.