Motivation to Lose Weight - Intrinsic Or Extrinsic Motivation?

Finding the motivation to lose weight can be difficult for many people. The desire to be slender often gets in the way of making wise food choices and giving up bad habits. While being motivated can be a great thing, it's important to realize that it's often only a short term motivation that will eventually wear off. So how do you find the motivation to lose weight permanently?

The best way to get the motivation to lose weight long-term is to know where to search. In short, there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from a personal goal and feeling of satisfaction you get from reaching the goal. Intrinsic motivation is usually what helps you stick to a diet and/or exercise routine. Your source of extrinsic motivation is short-term: if you workout just for the feeling of achievement you get at the end of a workout then your motivation for losing weight may be intrinsically motivated.

But what about extrinsic motivation? There are times when our drive to get started on our weight loss journey is more short-term than intrinsic. These are typically the times when we're tired or stressed out, and our bodies feel like they need a nap. This is usually the time when we make impulsive decisions or we make decisions without thinking. For this type of motivation to really work, we need to get started at a slower pace, allowing ample recovery time between each workout session.

It's difficult to say whether extrinsic motivation actually wins the race to weight loss more often than internal motivation. Sometimes the decision to start is more driven by short-term moods and needs than by long-term considerations. At other times, both internal and extrinsic motivation contribute to our ultimate success. We all need help getting started on our weight loss journey. Here are some tips for choosing the best motivation to lose weight.

Intrinsic motivation comes from knowing that you can achieve your weight loss goals. You have an interest in eating healthy and maintaining a healthy body weight. You know that a healthy lifestyle will keep you focused on your long-term goals and that working toward your goals will make you healthier. Intrinsic motivation will inspire you to eat right and exercise.

When you choose to use intrinsic motivation as your guide to losing weight, it's important that you don't forget the important elements of your journey to weight loss. You still need to motivate yourself every day. Remember to plan short-term goals that will help you stay motivated to continue. Make sure you are taking short-term steps that you can accomplish comfortably.

On the other hand, extrinsic motivation can come from various sources. For example, you might gain motivation from a spouse or significant other when they are happy. This type of extrinsic motivation might lead you to eat more foods that you otherwise would not have. Additionally, some people gain temporary weight loss motivation from things such as a trip to the gym or the movie theater.

Whether you decide to use intrinsic or extrinsic motivation to lose weight, you should remember that they aren't effective if you don't take short-term steps to achieve your goals. If you are inspired to exercise, then you should set realistic short-term goals and work hard to achieve them. Your overall health and your health as a whole are better off when you eat right and get plenty of rest. Choose the type of weight loss motivation that works best for you.

When it comes to choosing between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to lose weight, research suggests that extrinsic motivation is more effective for long-term weight loss than intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation works for three to four weeks in a row. Once you have succeeded at the first hurdle, however, your success with intrinsic motivation wanes as you become familiar with it and fail to achieve your long-term goals.

You will also find that you have a greater chance of success with intrinsic motivation to lose weight if you have others to support you. Consider having a friend or a family member helping you with your weight loss plan. Having others with you who are motivated to lose weight gives you the boost of additional motivation to keep going. Likewise, have a friend or family member working with you on your weight loss plan. Keep them motivated as well by giving them a variety of options as well as encouraging them to give you feedback on how they are doing. Encourage them to bring friends with them too.

You may be wondering how the heck you actually go about starting your journey to lose weight. One way is to get started by introducing your family and friends to it. Then you can begin to really push yourself by going for a short walk, joining a gym, or even just by starting an exercise routine. If you find that you do not like the exercise you are doing, then you can always make it a little bit more fun by incorporating a little physical activity into your daily routine. When you make it more fun, you are more likely to stick with it and reach your weight loss goals.