Weight Loss Motivation is an internal and external art when it is done properly. So what does it take to become motivated and excited about getting into the gym?

Before we dive into getting motivated we first need to think about how you get motivated to master the art of weight loss. There are basically two ways. There is an internal conversation that you have prior to getting physically active. There are also external influences that can affect you. For this blog we’ll discuss both methods for diet motivation.

Define the internal conversations you have:

The internal motivation for weight loss is very important. This conversation is about the things you say to yourself in your head to become motivated or unmotivated.

Have you ever had this conversation in your head? Some time during your day you think: I’m going to get to the gym and work out. But later when it actually comes time to workout you flounder? You begin to think of all the things you have to get done and working out just falls off the list. Perhaps something gets in the way. The reason really doesn’t matter, the end result is that you miss a workout.

This all happens internally. At some point during the day you felt good and wanted to go to the gym. For what ever reason that is, you emotionally felt like you should be there.

When you finally had time to get to the gym, other things come up and you deviated. Perhaps you weren’t as excited about it now that the time had come to go do it.

Again, this is an internal conversation that at one point had you motivated, and at another point the steam was lost.

Before we talk about a strategy for recapturing that moment of motivation and reusing it we will discuss our external conversations and motivations.

Define the external conversations you have:

Your external motivation for weight loss is also very important, but it comes in many different forms. Unlike the internal conversation that happens from solely your perspective, external conversations can happen in many ways. It can be a literal conversation with someone else. And, it can also be factors that influence you that you are consuming. A motivational speaker, this blog, or a book. These are all forms of external conversations that you have.

Listening to audio, reading books, and working with other people (like on this blog or in the gym) are all very solid ways to find external conversations to have in order to your diet motivation high. But there is a few key secrets to these items that can make all the difference.

And example of these items might be when you listen to an audio book like How to Get What You Want by Zig Ziglar. In this audio he talks about setting goals and specifically uses is personal weight loss story as the foundation for the discussion.

When you feed your mind with content like this your are having an external conversation.

So with internal and external conversations defined how do you go about using this information to keep your weight loss motivation in high gear?

Two keys to doing this are critical to staying motivated. Getting into the habit of consuming high quality motivational information and then internalizing it so it becomes a normal part of your daily internal conversations. Focus on using the things that really excite you. For many this is hard to find so you need to catch yourself when you are excited and really focus on it.

Here is a personal story that will help you to understand where this is coming from. Often times when I would complain/joke about running. I used to think: Why the heck would you want to run… you do all that work just to end up in the same place that you started!

Well little did I know but this was a paradigm that was actually stifling my weight loss and keeping me UN-motivated. I thought to myself that is stupid and I shouldn’t have to run to get into shape. And all the while I thought this I kept gaining weight. Day after day, month after month. The paradigm shift happened and my weight loss motivation shot through the roof when I started to learn about how your body works to lose weight. That is something that got me excited but for you it may be something else.

The point behind this personal experience is simple: I was unmotivated to workout until I found what motivated me and got me excited, I spent a lot of time searching for other things that would get me thinking correctly. That audio CD I mentioned by Zig Ziglar is one of those things that I happened to find.

Key number 1 find what you personally get excited about. If you aren’t sure catch yourself and think about what is exciting you the next time you’re feeling jazzed about something. Is it money that excites you? Figure out how to make that a motivator for weight loss. Is it sex that motivates you? Figure out how to create weight loss motivation using that as the catalyst.

An example of this in the case of money. Say you opened a GNC (General Nutrition Center) or sell weight loss products online. Use your story to sell these products. Because you are telling your story it is motivating to lose weight to prove to others the products you sell work. (I’m not telling you to open a store or sell vitamins… this is just an example of diet motivation planning.)

An example of this in the case of sex. If you want more sex, it makes perfectly good sense that other people seek healthy lean strong people to be sexual partners. Losing weight translates into better more attractive sexual partners. (I’m not telling you to have multiple sexual partners… this is just an example to find ways to get your weight loss motivation mind set going.)

Key number 2 is to believe that you can actually lose weight. I personally have lost 30 pounds and now I’m packing on lean strong muscle. You are not different than me and I’m 100% confident you can do the same. But you have to believe you can.

Be sure to focus on your beliefs. And, here is basically how they are formed.

If you say I’m going to the gym. And don’t make it… you reduce your own faith in your ability to deliver on your promises to your self. (Please read that again to be sure you understand it.)

Every time you say internally, “I’m going to the gym” and you don’t actually do it… You are breaking down your personal confidence and creating diet UN-Motivation.

Every time you say internally, “I’m going to the gym” and you DO actually make it… You are improving your personal confidence and creating Weight Loss Motivation.

So how do your recapture that moment of motivation?

You must focus on your feelings at that moment. Stir up your emotions by doing the same thing or thinking the same thoughts.

And example of this. I was confronted by a huge number of stairs, and thought about racing up them as fast as I could. Then I lept into action. There was not perticular reason… it just seemed like a fun thing to do in that moment (and it was). So I replay that moment in my mind when I’m thinking about skipping my workout. I think to myself. If I had not been working out… leaping up the stairs 4 to 6 steps at a time would not have been possible. Perhaps if I workout I’ll be able to reach 8 steps…

You see focusing on the possibilities… is what weight loss motivation is all about. Is it possible for you to be lean strong and healthy? Absolutely! Is it possible to be motivated and excited about losing weight? Absolutely!