Why do some people power through The Biggest Loser trials and tribulations without so much as a blip in motivation, while others struggle with sluggish drive each day?
If we could bottle motivation, we’d be millionaires. Drive is something that drives most of us, well, mad. But it’s more complex than sheer discipline.
Just because you struggle to stick with your diet and exercise plan doesn’t mean you’re a weak person with no willpower – and the good news is there are things you can do to spur you on. This week, our clinical psychologist, Dr Cindy Nour, gets to grips with all things motivation.
Dr Cindy says ...
“I often ask clients why they want to lose weight. It may sound obvious but I think it's an important question. There is a lot of research suggesting that factors such as motivation and self belief can help people make the changes they desire.
The number one fact you need to know about motivation is that it waxes and wanes – and that this is completely normal. How many times have you been committed to a goal at the beginning of March and by May you’ve lost all motivation?
There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Changing from the inside out
If you are intrinsically motivated to lose weight, then it is something that really matters to you personally and offers you a valuable outcome. One example of this is wanting to lose weight so that you will be healthier and ultimately be around longer to see your children grow up.
Psychological research suggests that if you are intrinsically motivated to lose weight then you will be more likely to stick to your weight loss goal, especially if it is a realistic one.
Looking outside for motivation
If you are extrinsically motivated then you might be engaging in weight loss to escape punishment, avoid negative emotions, to please someone else or for a reward. This type of motivation does not tend to lead to long-term weight loss.
When the winners of The Biggest Loser were asked what motivated them to lose the weight, they did not say it was about the prize money, or the fame, or coming first in a competition. Their answers were related to how they wanted to look and feel, the type of parent and person they wanted to be, and how they wanted to live longer.
Lisa Hose wanted to fit into her wedding dress again. She wanted to inspire her daughters and reclaim her sense of identity. She provided personal reasons about wanting to look good and feel happy – definite motivators!
Fridge magnets
Some members ask if putting photos of themselves at their heaviest on the fridge door will motivate them to stop overeating. But this is not a good tactic. Instead of motivating you, it’s likely to make you feel negative about yourself and, if you tend to overeat when you feel low, it definitely won’t work. Try and focus on the positives that keep you motivated. For example, the feeling you get when the number on the scale is going down, the extra energy you have in the mornings, the feeling you get when you put looser clothes on.
The best thing about motivation is it can renew itself. So when you see your weight dropping, this in itself will motivate you to continue following The Biggest Loser Club menu plans and exercising.
You only need to focus on small steps in the right direction, because when you see the inches disappear, your motivation is likely to be easily reinforced. Good luck!"