If you are currently in a highly motivated and productive weight loss stage - CONGRATULATIONS! But don't take it for granted. There are things that you can do to help insure that you will stay motivated and successful.

Becoming aware of our positive triggers (the thoughts that motivate us and keep us going) is just as important as understanding our negative triggers (the thoughts that discourage us and keep us "stuck" - more about that in Motivation Pt II). Some examples of specific and common positive triggers for weight loss are: a milestone life event, a wedding or class reunion or having a pressing health concern. These can be positive and highly motivating triggers keeping you focused and on board with your nutrition and exercise goals. But once the event has passed or your health improves but you're not yet at goal weight, are you prepared with other goals or positive thoughts/triggers that will keep you going?

Here are a couple of suggestions for keeping your motivation going strong:

If you're not clear about all of things that motivate you to stick with it and meet your weight loss goals then one way to become more aware of your positive triggers or thoughts is to take a moment and jot down some ideas about what WILL keep you going beyond your initial weight loss goals. Even if you're feeling really confident right now and are not big into "journaling" (which is just writing things down) having someplace to jot down key thoughts and ideas on what motivates you may become an invaluable tool in the future. There are many theories about why writing things down helps but research shows that people who take the time to write down everything they ate (the dreaded food journal), their goals, concerns, obstacles and triumphs are more successful with their weight loss than those who don't. Because losing weight with the lap band is a slower process then most people anticipate mental preparation is KEY to going strong until you reach your final goal. Have some place where you record these thoughts and ideas NOW that you are in a good positive place. These could serve as your own personal source of motivation and inspiration in the future.

Goals and motivation are usually discussed together and with good reason. However many people find that setting goals actually reduces their motivation. This is where having good goal setting skills comes in.

I have come up with a form to help you create goals for yourself that are specif and attainable (see document link below). Here's a mini tutorial on how to use the form. You start by setting a goal. For example "I will eat healthier this week" is a good goal but NOT a very specific goal. Below the goal you will list three specific behaviors you will commit to engage in, in support meeting your goal, example: 1. limit meal portion size to desert plate serving 2. eat protein first at each mean 3. no drive thru (if that's a behavior you want to eliminate). You can see how tying specific behaviors to your goal makes it much easier for you to access if you're on track and or get back on track if you're not. Also listing behaviors helps you honestly access which SPECIFIC behavior you need to change or incorporate to meet your goal - this is key! At the end of the week you write down how much progress you made toward your goal - how many days out of the last seven did you do all three of your goal behaviors. And more importantly review each behavior and see where you need to adjust and where you need to focus more of your energy and attention. New week, new goal and three new supportive behaviors to meet your goal.

If you get in the habit of using tools which reinforce your positive weight loss behaviors NOW that you're "on a roll" it will be easier for you to regain motivation if for some reason yours begins to slip during times of emotional stress or simply during natural weight loss plateau periods.

In Motivation Part II we will address things you can do to get your motivation back.

I would love to hear from you - what keeps you motivated to reach your weight loss goal?