Starting a diet can almost be fun. We are motivated to lose weight and are excited to get started. Hopefully, we have done our homework and have found the right diet to follow to reach our weight loss goal. We are ready to get going, we have the right diet plan to follow, and we KNOW we will lose weight! Then, reality sets in. Losing weight is a commitment, and once the "excitement" of starting the new diet wears off, we are faced with the work of sticking to it to reach our goals. First, understand that motivation is what gets your started on your diet, but it is discipline that will keep you on your diet. Before you begin that new diet you need to understand this. You will start with excitement, but by day 5 your real world has set in and your have most likely slipped into old habits. You need to include in your diet plan a way to handle the realities of life. Like waking up late, rushing out of the house to get to work on time, and grabbing a muffin to eat in the car. Or, traffic is a nightmare on the way home and by the time you are almost at the gym, you are so tired and frustrated you decide to skip it and just go home. This is life, and if you have don't have a game plan to deal with temptation, you will end up slipping into old habits. So, what to do? First, do not get so frustrated that you give up on your diet! Instead, understand that you need to learn to cultivate your motivation. And the way to do this is to plan for and commit to small successes. Small successes, like grabbing some fruit instead of the muffin, will keep you motivated. Then, when you are face with a temptation like skipping the gym you can motivate yourself to stick to your workout goals. Stay committed to your plan, and you will be surprised how much motivation this will give you the next time you are face with a temptation. Do not wait until you "feel better" or "feel like it". You never will! Use temptation to your advantage and follow through with your plan, whatever it was, and you will be building your motivation. Once you prove to yourself that you can do it, you will be more motivated to stick to your goals the next time you are face with temptation. Bottom line, losing weight and reaching your goals is all up to YOU. When starting a diet you will be motivated, but understand that will end, and you will need to work through temptations. If you choose to work through them, you will be increasing your motivation, and you will reach your weight loss goals. If you are planning on starting a diet soon, or have started one and have reach a point where you are struggling with motivation, take this advice. Work motivation goals into your diet plan, anticipate times of struggle and know what you will do when faced with it. Then, you will find weight loss
