How to Discipline Yourself to Lose Weight

How can we be more disciplined to lose weight?

We are all motivated to lose weight but motivation will come and go.  What we really need is discipline to lose weight but what is discipline – basically it is self-control.

I have been there I am all fired up I tell myself I am going to go to the gym at least 4 times a week, cut out junk food and move more.  Which is great when you are full of motivation but we don’t feel motivated all the time and this is when we give up.   Discipline is what is important.  Discipline is creating a habit in our lives.  We have to work at creating a habit and if you do something enough times it becomes a habit.

Make a list

Sit down and really think about your life and what areas you really want to improve and change.  If you are trying to change food habits or start to form exercise habits into your life write it down.  If you don’t know what you want to change you don’t know where to start.  When you look at your list or goals in black and white you will also start to get a clearer picture of what is stopping you from making these changes.  Take on small changes and when you feel you have accomplished them add new goals to your list.  So where do we start?

How to start making changes.

By having a full list of what you want to change you will start identifying your weakness or barriers that are stopping you from making the change.  Is it sitting on the couch mindlessly scrolling through Instagram when you could be out for a walk or at the gym or even doing a few jobs around the house?  Is it buying junk food in your weekly shop and then wonder why you end up reaching for that bar of chocolate or crips in the evening while watching TV.   You need to be aware of these influences and try to reduce them in your life.  For example, if social media is eating into your free time where you could be more productive maybe turn off your phone in the evening or set an alarm to remind you to stop scrolling and get on with what you should be doing.

Take control

Take a look at a typical week.  For each day write down when you wake,  how many hours you work, time commuting, etc anything that is concrete in your week.  Once you have your week schedule done see what free time you have and where you can fit in a walk or an exercise class and slot this into your schedule.  If you can get a friend involved do.  You are more likely to stick to exercise if you have someone doing it with you. Make it part of your week – you are forming new healthy habits.

Track

Keep a food diary for a week or print our template to help you see where your downfall is.  Look at each meal and if you bite it write it.  Then the following week try and improve on this.  Even if it is one small change.  Every little step will help make a difference.  Monitor your exercise, sleep patterns, and water intake.  Use technology such as Fitbit to help with this.

One Small Step at a Time.

Keep it simple.  When we try to change too much at once we end up getting fed up and we lose our motivated.  Try to do one thing at a time consistently and when it becomes a habit take on another task.  For example, start preparing a healthy lunch each evening for the next day to bring to work or go for a walk after work.

Keep the end goal in sight.  There is nothing like the feeling when you start to lose weight and seeing a difference in your clothes, when friends comment on how well you look, your energy level and confidence.  Hold onto that feeling when you start feeling demotivated and remember why you started,  Once you start creating new habits it starts feeling a new good normal.