motivation – Page 3 – Fat Girls Fitness

Froyo For Your Super Tuesday Hangover

It’s primary season here in the USA. And apparently, every last one of us has lost our goddam minds.

But that’s OK, America! There are still three things we can ALL agree on:

Jeb Bush is irrelevant
Ice cream is amazing
Froyo will never be ice cream

I feel legitimately sorry for Jeb Bush. But since we’ve rendered him irrelevant together as one People, let’s move on to Indisputable Facts numbers 2 and 3.

Ice Cream is Amazing

America knows this: ice cream is really very good. As a child, you love ice cream. As an adult, your love only grows.

Even though ice cream gives you diarrhea, you’ll never stop eating it. It tastes too much like actual victory. A taste Jeb Bush will never understand.

Blueberry ice cream — adding berries to ice cream removes the calories

Froyo Will Never Be Ice Cream

Just as Jeb Bush will never be president, frozen yogurt will never be ice cream. But unlike the 43rd governor of Florida, our tasty underdog has a hidden versatility we should not hastily ignore.

Unlike ice cream, Froyo can be a decent breakfast choice. In support of this notion, I will now present a series of exhibits.

The People’s Case

Ladies and gentleman of the internet jury, let’s begin with Exhibit A. Here we have a true and accurate photo of the author eating frozen yogurt just hours ago.

Photo on 3-2-16 at 11.28 AM.jpg — Exhibit A. I personally ate frozen yogurt for breakfast this morning

I know what you’re thinking: “Wow! This girl is amazing.”

But even so, you’re a feisty jury. I’ll need more than an amazing photo of a beautiful human eating dessert to satisfy your impossible standards.

Which is why I now submit Exhibit B, a true and accurate photo of the nutrition label pertaining to the yogurt in question.

Look with your eyes please, upon the above Exhibit B. Even a most cursory glance will reveal that this particular treat contains:

only 80 calories;
a perfect amount of carbohydrates; and
an impressive amount of protein! 6 (SIX) grams

I know what you’re thinking now.

“How? What? Why?”

Contain yourselves, ladies and gentleman! Just try to relax.

All will be revealed by way of Exhibit C, “The Great Reveal.”

In Sum

tastes decent & is decent for you
low calories, high satiety factor.
live cultures, which I suppose is better than dead cultures or no cultures at all
not insanely processed
ATTN: Gluten Hawks – it’s gluten free.

I’ve tried other brands of Greek Frozen Yogurt, but they taste a bit off. Yasso Chocolate Fudge is the brand and flavor I like most.

That said, this is neither Ben nor Jerry. So don’t expect miracles here. The consistency is um… different. I still like it for breakfast 🙂

I rest my case.

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Leap (year) into Whole Foods

Sandwich with avocado and poached egg

Leap years are weird. But not as weird as spending the precious days of your life torturing yourself on one insane diet or exercise regimen after another, never quite satisfied with the results.

This leap year, I challenge you to take the biggest leap ever:

Shorten the food chain.
Say NO to a diet consisting mostly of processed foods.

But we are all starting in different places. So try one of two challenges, depending on where you are now.

Option One: One Small Step

My whole life, I ate a standard western diet consisting of 100% processed foods.

I didn’t think this was particularly unhealthy. I ate things like Weight Watchers meals, rice cakes, whole wheat bread with peanut butter and jelly. I ate things that I made in the microwave.

I started slowly. I couldn’t stomach REAL whole food. Even by my mid-twenties, I had never tried a salad.

How did I start my health journey? By eating iceberg lettuce with popcorn chicken. I kid you not. It was a small step. I go into more detail in my post Help! I HATE Healthy Food.

If this is where you are, here is your leap day challenge:

eat a salad for lunch EVERY work day for the entire month of March

This isn’t a diet. This is eating salads for lunch. So the good news is that you can still get wasted beyond belief on St. Patricks day!

Option Two: A Giant Leap

If you feel up to it, go big!

Here is your challenge:

eat ZERO processed foods for the month of March; OR;
eat ZERO processed foods during the work week; OR
severely limit your processed foods ONLY AS NEEDED for the month of March (ahem ahem, you too can eat and drink some crap on St. Patricks day).

I wish I could tell you how much whole foods changed my life. There are no cravings, there is no suffering. I look forward to every delicious meal.

And when I want a processed item, I have it. I am no longer addicted.

If you’re still getting a large portion of your nutritional needs from processed foods, I sincerely hope you take this challenge with me!

Happy leaping 🙂

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Six Ways Herman Helps Me Stay Fit

This is my puppy Herman Cainine.

Herman is a Shih Tzu mix, which means he’s kind of an asshole. He is the cutest and fuzziest dictator you ever will see. He also votes Republican as a rule.

Herman keeps me fit in countless ways:

1. He loves the park

Well actually he hates it. But he does enjoy walking there and then immediately throwing a tantrum until we leave.

I don’t get it, but I don’t question his highness. Or the exercise it brings.

Screenshot 2016-02-28 13.32.35.png — some days he prefers to drive

2. He sleeps on my laptop bag

Want to spend some time on the computer?

No such luck. Herman is sleeping on it. If you approach him, he will unleash all of his puppy anger. I suppose I’ll just lift some weights while I wait…

Screenshot 2016-02-28 13.31.19.png — tiny but lethal

3. He eats all of my food, but never shares his.

Screenshot 2016-02-28 13.58.59.png — Even my veggies 😦

Screenshot 2016-02-28 13.31.53.png — more coffee please!

4. He only weighs 12 pounds.

Although I understand that target weights vary by species, I am inspired by Herman’s weight of only 12 pounds. #fitspo

Screenshot 2016-02-28 14.02.12.png — As a baby he weighed even less! Go Herman Go!

5. He Urinates.

Herman is fully housebroken. But if he feels I’m taking too long to put on my coat or fumble for my keys, he will look me dead in the eye as he pees all over the kitchen floor.

Rushing to get Herman out the door, while stressing about the possibility of urine gets my heart rate up. And once urine happens, cleaning it also burns calories. Cardio, my friends.

6. He loves to play.

Once he’s done eating all of my food and peeing on my floor, Herman barks at me until I chase him around the apartment in circles. I am confident that my downstairs neighbors enjoy this just as much as I do.

Screenshot 2016-02-28 14.00.15.png — It’s 3 AM. Why aren’t we playing yet?

Incidentally, Herman is betting on Trump as our future president, but really he would have preferred Rand Paul. Herman recently devoured the “Art of the Deal,” but found it a bit difficult to digest.

Even though he spat most of it out, he continues to knock my books off the shelf, and chew on them until we play chase. The exercise won’t end, even if I want it to.

Screenshot 2016-02-28 13.39.12.png — Bad boy Herman! That book is for Democrats.

Even though he’s a Trump supporter, I love my Herman.

Luckily, I still have a bit more time to see if I can influence his vote. Lest ye forget Herman, who controls the treats in this home..

Screenshot 2016-02-28 13.33.35.png — Open Borders Herman! Open Borders!

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Finding Your Happy Chemicals

Was this song written about carbohydrates?
Or maybe it’s about that moment when you finally exit the gym.

God knows! I’ve got to make it on my own!

Yesterday I wrote a post about called There is No Such Thing as Emotional Eating.

Today, I want to backtrack just a little bit. Because one of the comments on my post got me thinking (yes it was yours The Farmer’s Diet!)

Eating as an Emotional Crutch

So the premise of yesterday’s post was this: when you think you are eating emotionally, you’re not. You are actually eating habitually.

This is important because:

many disordered eaters believe they must address their underlying emotional issues in order to fix their disordered eating
I believe the opposite is true! you need to address your disordered eating first, and then your emotional issues will begin to fall away

The Emotional Crutch

I think it’s helpful to forget about emotional eating, and instead focus on habitual eating.

Even so, there are still three major ways emotions come into play:

Emotions are intertwined with habits. When you do things in a highly emotional state, the behaviors you do are more likely to stick.
Emotions can prevent you from ever starting! Food feels good, and it’s a wonderful crutch
Once you begin to lose weight, you lose a lot of your happy chemicals. You have to learn to make them a different way.

When it comes to emotions, I don’t know how much I can help.

As far as #1, read a book about habit formation. I love “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg. It might change the way you look at the world

As far as #2, you just have to be strong. That’s all I can say. Make one small step.

Where Did All the Happy Chemicals Go?

As far as #3, dear god I still struggle with this. I can’t personally deprive myself of food constantly and live a happy life.

I also don’t enjoy doing extreme exercise. I lose my weight in “spurts” and maintain for long periods in between. I find that if I lose weight relatively quickly over relatively short periods of time, it’s less taxing on my emotions.

But in general, I don’t think losing weight is “fun” for your body or mind. By definition, if you want to lose weight, you need to eat LESS than your body needs to survive. I don’t care how quickly or slowly you do that – losing fat is taxing on your body. It’s a stressor.

So your emotions might run haywire, and mine often do. It’s better not to become overweight in the first place. Because maintaining your weight can be very easy if you just eat whole foods.

I exercise by walking outdoors and hiking. These things make me feel happy and free. I don’t do exercises that make me miserable, because losing weight makes me miserable enough.

Go easy on willpower. Your willpower is limited. When you use it up, you’re more likely to slip up. And when you slip up, you’re more likely to go hard on yourself. Don’t be hard on yourself for being a freaking human being!!

We all have limited willpower. Fit people don’t keep crappy food in the house. That means they exercise their willpower less. You might even want to plan meals ahead of time. I don’t do this, but it works great for some people. Take away as many bad choices as you can. Making choices drains your willpower, and makes you unhappy.

You have to make sure you’re sleeping enough, and I think having good relationships is important also. I’m very fortunate to have two of my closest friends, Rachel and Val along with me on this journey.

Oh the loneliness! I’m self-employed, which makes things lonely. And I’m single, which makes things lonely. Carbs make lovely friends. So you have to fill up the loneliness. I do it by getting absorbed in books, and lately by writing.

Your happy chemicals are also another reason to set tiny goals. Reaching goals boosts happiness. Once you get a little momentum going, it get’s much easier. Small goals changed everything for me. That’s why I wrote this post: To Lose 30 Pounds, Aim for Eight.

Set BEHAVIORAL rather then PROGRESS goals. You can’t completely control your progress, but you CAN completely control your behavior. And since your progress is a direct result of your behavior, behavioral goals are not only just as valid – they actually WORK BETTER. They give you something to be proud of no matter what.

“Progress Goals” = I want to lose 2 pounds per week
“Behavioral Goals” = I will eat a salad every weekday for lunch

When you generally feel good about yourself, happy chemicals are easier to come by. But I won’t pretend it’s easy in the beginning. You have to slog through it, knowing better days are coming.

In Sum

Don’t set insurmountable goals & take it one day at a time.
Eat whole foods from God’s good earth, so your body is more satisfied and less panicky.
Stay away from carbs or foods that addict you.
A small amount of carbs IS good for mental health, eat them together with fat and protein at the same meal.

And if you have any suggestions for how you deal with your emotions during weight loss, please share.

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You Don’t Need a Clean Slate

“Ok, I’m excited to do this.”

“I’m finally going to take the plunge!”

“Awesome, cool. Let’s start Monday.”

The Fresh Start Hypothesis

How many times have you made a decision NOW, but only to start Monday? How many times have you vowed to take up a skill, or to make a big change beginning on New Years Day?

These are both features of what social scientists call the “Fresh Start Hypothesis.” This hypothesis states that we have a general tendency to correlate changes in behavior with temporal triggers or changes in environment.

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

If you understand more about human nature, you understand more about yourself. And if you understand more about yourself, you have greater control of your outcomes.

We can recognize the “Fresh Start Hypothesis” for what it is, and consider how we can exploit this natural tendency to our benefit. On the other hand, we can also think about how such tendencies might create psychological barriers to success.

In other words, the desire for a “clean slate” can be helpful. But it can also block you. And there is nothing more tragic than someone standing in the way of their own success.

Know Yourself.

There is no right or wrong answer here. Everyone is different. We all have different motivations at different times in our lives.

A “fresh start” may be just what you need! On the other hand, if you find yourself making a “fresh start” every Monday – it might be time to recognize that this approach isn’t working for you. You have too much emotional baggage, and it’s associated with the Fresh Start.

“But it will be different this time!” Maybe it will. Who am I to say? But maybe you are simply sabotaging yourself.

Example 1: It’s December 27th and it’s a Friday. You are miserable. Kids throw jelly donuts at you, and at 5’1 you weigh 220 pounds. You have never attempted to lose weight before, and in fact your weight hasn’t really bothered you until recently. You have zero healthy habits, and you barely know where to begin.
- Solution: If you’re going to do a major life overhaul, you can start on January 1st. But until then, see if you can substitute one meal a day with a salad.
Example 2: At 5’2′ you weigh 160 pounds. You aren’t happy with your weight, but you’re always dieting. Almost every Monday you find yourself vowing that this week will be different. By Thursday or Friday, you’ve usually fallen off the wagon. You feel guilty and you binge all weekend. Next Monday you know you’ll get it right!
- Solution: Stop starting Monday. Start right now. For you, the BREAK from starting on Mondays is the REAL fresh start. Don’t be hard on yourself, either. Just make one change for the better.
- Alternative solution: start Monday, but also start implementing one specific change right now.

The Power of Now

If you need to make a change, it’s best to start RIGHT NOW. But maybe don’t start all the way just yet..

You DON’T need:

a funeral procession for your last meal
ritual binge before your “purge.”

The more you see fitness as a “project” the more likely you are to see it as deprivation or hard labor. It doesn’t have to be this way. It could just be simple – eat less shit.

On the other hand, the more you see your fitness journey as a “project” the more likely you are to take it seriously.

So what can we do about this contradiction?

Make a Fresh Start WITHOUT a Fresh Start

Understand that most people have a tendency to correlate behavioral changes with temporal markers.
Understand that our habits do not exist in isolation. They are intertwined with the concepts of time, and also with our physical environments. This will make it easier for you to change them.
Understand also that an absolute NEED for a “clean slate” can be detrimental. And it’s also an illusion. You never need it, you only think you do.
Use this knowledge for good! And Not for evil.

“Starting” can mean taking one small concrete action beginning right now. It could be as simple as replacing one part of dinner with veggies.

Do this PRIOR to taking a big plunge. You can still take the big plunge when you’re ready.

More Ways to Use the Fresh Start for Good

Start NOW!

But use temporal triggers and environmental changes to enhance your efforts.

Examples:

I’m beginning to replace one meal with a salad each day TODAY.
- But beginning on Monday, I’ll start tracking my weight once weekly
I’m going to begin cut down on processed foods TODAY.
- But once the semester starts, I will go to the gym on Mondays and Wednesdays.
I’m going to add more veggies in my diet beginning TODAY.
- But starting on January 1, I’m going to begin my meal plan.
I’m going to try to make as many healthy choices as I can TODAY
- But starting Monday, I’m going to do a 30 day weight loss challenge

The Struggle

I write this post because I struggled with this for a long time. I was always making a fresh start, and I was always failing.

My TRUE fresh start was when I recognized that my need for a clean slate was holding me back. It was crazy and delusional. I would NEVER have a clean slate. And I would never stick perfectly to a diet plan.

And even so, it was difficult to break the pattern. It took time. My brain kept going back to it. I had to break the pattern by reminding myself over and over again that my mind was playing tricks on me.

Remember this: the universe doesn’t have major plans for you. It’s apathetic. It doesn’t care about your clean slate. Only you do. And that’s because it’s a part of your human nature. Forgive yourself. Your slate is as clean RIGHT NOW as it will ever be.

You can use your need for a “fresh start” for good, or you can use it as an excuse to self-sabotage.

I say, if you’re not happy – then start this minute. In whatever small way you can.

Have you struggled with this?

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I Want to See You MOVE!

I am going for the “NOW” music effect here… soon I will have 4893582958520535 playlists for you to choose from. We are so close to the weekend, maybe if we run fast enough, we can get there quicker.

Work out mix #2

Rudimental (feat. Ed Sheeran): Lay It All on Me
Inna (feat. Pitbull): Good Time
Zedd (feat. Selena Gomez): I Want You to Know
Chris Brown: Don’t Wake Me Up
KSHMR: Burn
Years & Years: King
Inna (feat. J Balvin): Cola Song
Edward Maya: Stereo Love
Bob Sinclar: World, Hold On
Florence + The Machine: Shake It Out (I think this is a good cool down/stretching song)

Happy running, lifting, cycling, flipping tires!

Serge (hubby) is so manly and strong. GRRR!

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Tiny Shorts

As I mentioned in my post Willpower and Motivation, a tiny dress can be a great motivator in a world full of donuts and pizza pies.

Today, I’d like to adapt that idea for Summer: Tiny. Fucking. Shorts.

I’ve been given a very cute pair of hand-me-downs from my roommate:
a size 6 khaki short from American Eagle.

While they do “fit” me now, they are inappropriately tight. No one wants to see ANY SHORTS (let alone khakis) residing that far up the fathomless cavern that I call my ass.

Tiny. Fucking. Shorts. Here we come 🙂

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Tracking Through the Seasons

I weigh my fat self everyday. I measure my fat body parts regularly.

But actually, I’m not much of a tracker.

I don’t:

have great before and after pictures
know exactly how much I’ve lost or exactly when I lost it

I do know:

I’ve lost a lot of weight (currently hovering around 50-60 pounds)
I started in December 2014
I lose most during WARM seasons and maintain during the cold

Progress Through The Seasons

Maybe because I don’t track, I am sometimes surprised by the changes.

Here are two pictures of me and my “friend”, roommate, and co-contributor Valerie. The first was taken March 2015, and the next taken September 2015.

Screenshot 2016-02-22 09.47.46.png — March 2015, road trip! NJ to Tennessee. (I’m the one with the better sneakers)

By this first picture, we had already lost a ton of weight.

I was down about 25-30 ish pounds from my original weight of 188, putting me somewhere in the high 150-ish range.

Val lost weight much faster! (What a bitch!) She started later than me, and by this pic, she was down much more than I was. Incidentally, I happen to think she totally sucks.

Here is the second picture, taken in September 2015. Notice how much Val sucks:

12107008_10100460331918184_7035375522925754202_n — September, 2015. Doing our regular 8 mile walk along the Jersey Shore. (I’m the one with the better face)

I realize these are the worst before/after pictures EVER! Yes. We are wearing sweaters. Yes, we are morons.

It was probably Val’s stupid idea. And I’m sorry. But in any event – I feel as though we look like entirely different people.

The point is – by now I was beginning to feel fit.
And I think Val (the bitch) was beginning to feel the same.

During this period, Val had lost an additional 6 pounds, and I had lost maybe 15.

There was also a lot of muscle gain during this time (we were working out like crazy), so those figures don’t account for additional fat loss.

Two Different Experiences

Because she is a backstabbing ho, Val lost weight consistently throughout her efforts.

But since I, on the other hand, am a good person, I lost it in spurts. And mostly during warm weather.

So even though I lost weight fast, I also spent a lot of time not losing weight at all. Because unlike my so-called friend, I find it intolerable and unpleasant to lose weight when it’s cold. Maybe that’s why Val thinks she’s so much better than me.

Since the Last Photo

We have both lost weight since this period, but not much because we’ve done a lot of toning.

Val has lost 4 additional pounds to date (and gained a ton of muscle). She looks amazing! And I still think she can kiss my ass.

I lost maybe 10 between then and January (most of it in September/October). I then gained 2-3 over the holiday season and on my birthday, then lost it. I’ve stayed the same weight for most of January and February.

In the second photo, I was probably a size 10. Now I am consistently a size 6 or 8. I also have a dimple in my right cheek, and Val doesn’t have any dimples at all.

This was me on New Years 2016 (standing sideways of course!):

New Years Eve, Mexico (137ish pounds?) Never forget to do triangle arms.

Here I am in the mirror yesterday:

My Ultimate Goal

I don’t know what my ultimate goal is. But I’d love to see how I look and feel in my 120’s.

I have NEVER EVER EVER been in my 120’s. I’m pretty sure my weight at birth was 140 pounds, 3 OZ.

After two months of maintaining – I’m finally beginning to see some nice weather here in New York! So I’ve left maintenance and I’m finally trying to go for this final 10-15 pounds.

Because I’ll work hard, and because I remain confident that I’m an overall better person than Val, I know I’m going to succeed.

Wish me luck!!!

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Gym Buddies

This is my swolemate/hubby pushing me around the gym on my chariot (sorry for the terrible quality photograph).

I used to love working out alone, don’t get me wrong, sometimes I still do. I love getting lost in the music and my own thoughts. It’s very rare that we get “me” time or “alone” time. Even though I am not the biggest fan of working out on the treadmill or elliptical (like I mentioned in an earlier post, I like to move around more), it’s sometimes nice to not think about what you are doing and just run and listen to music or sometimes, if I am feeling extra tech-savvy, I will bring my iPad to the gym and binge watch shows that I don’t normally watch when my Husband is around, like “Pretty Little Liars”. There is no excuse to be sitting home on the couch all day. At least go to the gym and move around while catching up on your favorite shows and burning those calories.

When my Husband and I first started working out together, we had a very basic routine. Pick a cardio machine, put our headphones on, and reconvene in about an hour or so. That got old pretty fast so we started to broaden our work out horizons. In addition to the gym, we joined a Pilates studio and fell in love with the Reformer (I highly suggest trying it out. The stretching is amazing and it helped relieve tension and any pain I had in my neck, shoulders and back).

We ended up canceling our gym membership to join a new more upgraded facility that provided classes. Spin classes, TRX, Zumba, Abs, oh my! Doing the same thing every day becomes so stale so having the class options really helped. We also have a Trainer who’s really opened our eyes to new techniques and moves that you can do anywhere. You don’t need the gym to get in a good work out (I will dedicate a post to a good at home work out routine).

Why Gym Buddies are Awesome

Bets: I can get super competitive especially with my Husband. Friendly wager ideas “Whoever does more squats in a minute wins. Loser has to clean the cat litter for the next week”. You bet your burning buns and thighs that I will win that bet.
Support system: You can still support your loved ones even if you are competitive. Listen, at the end of the day, I love my Husband more than anyone on this planet (although, if you ask him, I love my dog more than him) and I want to see him succeed. I will always support him. “You can do it!”
Motivation: Sometimes you just don’t feel like doing it. Sometimes you are just too tired. Excuses, excuses. Your gym buddy is there to remind you that you are about to eat a slice of pizza for dinner and you need to go to the gym!
Spotter: Your gym buddy is also there to dangle that slice of pizza on a fishing rod and you gotta keep lunging or running towards it if you want to eat said dinner above. And if you aren’t eating pizza for dinner, a spotter is good so you don’t drop that weight on your head. Fun story: the other week, my trainer had me doing kettle bell swings with a much heavier weight. I almost fell to my demise but my husband caught me just in time. Yay!
Bonding: Working out is a great group activity. No cell phones, tv, computer, no distractions. I truly cherish the time I get to spend with my husband doing things that we love to do and also benefits our health.

Dogs are also a great work out companion! Go to your local shelter and walk a dog for the day. Who knows, you may fall in love and go home with a new best friend.

New to town? Join a running, cycling or hiking group!

I am leaving you all an open invitation to join my future silver sneakers club when we retire. We can meet at the mall in matching sweatsuits and briskly walk in circles. Who’s in?

Do you prefer working out alone or in groups? Are you part of any groups? How did you get into it?

Willpower versus Motivation

People blame their shortcomings on a lack of willpower. But do you treat willpower as if it’s a static personality trait?

..Because it’s not. Willpower is simply a measure of two things:
1. your level of motivation for a particular outcome; and
2. your willingness and ability to take a concrete action in furtherance of that outcome

When you see a cheeseburger, you easily conjure the will to eat it. That’s because it’s salient. It makes your brain cells dance, and you suddenly experience a high level of motivation to just stuff it into your mouth.

When you are highly motivated to do things, suddenly it becomes difficult to NOT do them. So really – your willpower problem can actually be seen as a problem of motivation.

And if you know yourself, and you know the things that really interest you – you can increase your willpower by increasing your motivation. Over time, mundane acts (like exercising) will become a source of familiarity and joy as they become habits engrained in your mind.

Here are just a few ways you can increase your motivation, and thus, your willpower:

Temptation Bundling. Research has shown that coupling highly enjoyable acts with less enjoyable acts can increase your motivation to participate in the less enjoyable acts. For more details, check out my post on temptation bundling. And while you’re at it, check out my Serial Challenge for Gym Haters.
Make Exercising Social. Don’t focus on exercising so hard. Instead, focus on making exercise a fun and social event. Take a dance class with a friend or go for walks with coworkers. It’s not exercise, it’s just fun with friends. (But shhh…it’s also exercise.)
Create Small Goals. Maybe you want to lose 50 pounds. Of course it’s doable. But 50 pounds is a lot of weight, and it’s a very demotivating thought when you’re just starting out. But what if you only wanted to lose 4 pounds? Losing 4 pounds is easy. And if you do it over and over again, you’ll eventually get to 50 before you know it. Set small goals to increase your motivation. It works!! See my post about setting small goals here.
Buy one dress that doesn’t fit. When I first started my weight loss journey, I bought an adorable dress that was several sizes too small. I hung it up, and I promised myself that someday soon I would wear that dress. It was bright yellow, so I noticed it every time I opened my closet. When the dress finally fit, it was incredibly rewarding. Say YES to the dress!

Summer 2015, the day the yellow dress fit! I’ve lost about another 20 since.

What are some ways you keep your motivation high?

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