Staying Motivated & Weight-Loss Success

Losing weight can be a difficult journey, it can be even more difficult when struggling with PCOS. It's a rollercoaster ride into another dimension and there's no way to get off of it. However you cannot let yourself become discouraged, there are many ways you can fight the stress involved in trying to lose weight and becoming healthier. I've put together a short list of ideas:

1. Educate yourself as much as possible on the benefits other women with PCOS experience from their weight loss. Knowing that it will help you will be a major motivator.

2. Once you've been eating differently and exercising for a while, you'll start to see some physical changes. Getting into a smaller pair of pants or putting on some of those items you've got stashed in the back of your closet, as well as taking in the compliments you'll surely start to receive will keep you going.

3. Find support. You don't have to go through this on your own. Find a friend who wants to lose weight too. They don't have to be dealing with PCOS as well. Having a friend to share food recipes and exercise with will keep you from feeling like you're alone.

4. Do it for YOURSELF. Do not, and I say this with sincerity, ever look at models in magazines or actresses and put unnecessary pressure on yourself to look like them. Everybody is different and every body is different. Even at your ideal weight you may not ever look like they do...especially since as a model I know this, their images are photoshopped. Do not cut yourself short by trying to look like someone else. Do this so that you can look YOUR best, and more importantly FEEL your best.

5. Don't set goals that are impossible to keep! Losing weight does not happen overnight, it takes time. If it took 5 months to put on those 15 lbs, don't expect it to take 5 weeks to lose them. Realistic goals can be losing 3-5 lbs per month for the next year.

6. If you go out and go off your diet plan for the night, don't torture yourself. Just pick up where you left off the next day. One meal out of 90 will not ruin your progress.

7. DO NOT weigh yourself everyday. Women's weight can range by 2-4 lbs DAILY. Torturing yourself with what could be water weight from PMS, muscle repair, low water intake will destroy your motivation. When you do weigh yourself always do so in the morning, after you've used the facilities. Pick three days to weigh yourself: Monday, Thursday, Saturday. Allow yourself a weight range (e.g. 175-180 lbs) to stay within and then look for ways to go below the range with diet and exercise.

8. Reward yourself! No I don't mean have that cupcake your coworker is trying to force on you. For every goal you meet, do something nice for yourself. A new scarf, those cute sandals you saw in the mall or yes, that ice cream you wanted while shopping but buy yourself the child portion and pick healthier toppings. Don't reward yourself with something that will later make you feel guilty.

#health #weightloss #life #pcos #motivation