Stay Motivated

Posted: Dec 16 in Weight Management Strategies by Dr. Lazarus

Compared to losing weight, keeping it off is a whole different ballgame. Losing weight is exciting – seeing 10 pounds, 20 pounds, or even 50 pounds come off quickly helps us stay engaged and motivated.

Unfortunately, keeping the weight off doesn’t give us that reward of seeing the scale number go down, seeing our clothing size shrink, seeing our bodies return to how they were when we were younger. In spite of continuing all the hard work and effort, the same hard work and effort that resulted in weight loss before no longer produces weight loss. In fact, often we have regained some of the weight we worked so hard to lose in the first place.

Medically, I see this as an effective treatment response. We did a treatment, weight was lost – quickly at first, then more gradually, then maintained. But my patients never view it this way – they view it as a weight loss “plateau” and feel compelled to push through the plateau. In fact MOST of the patients we work with lose a lot of weight – but would like to lose more. Unfortunately, if we use tools that are not sustainable at this point (overly restrictive food plans, non-sustainable exercise plans, etc.) it is highly likely that any additional weight that is lost from these unsustainable measures will be regained when the measures are stopped.

Instead of focusing so hard on further weight loss, the key to enhancing long-term maintenance of weight lies in finding ways to stay motivated.

This is the most important thing office visits at CNC help long-term patients with – sustaining motivation. We look at what went right, what went wrong, and plan for future events. In addition, did you know that your patient portal has a specially designed area called “My Journal” that has been designed by Dr. Lazarus specifically to help you maintain your motivation levels? Check it out by visiting your portal and clicking on the My Journal button. As a bonus, you will earn stars that you can redeem at the CNC store! Give it a try – you have nothing to lose!

Finally, we have found group visits to be a powerful tool. If you want help with long-term maintenance, consider checking out our new “Success for a lifetime” group or our “Men’s group”.

Remember, the key to feeling in control of your weight lies in learning to stay motivated.