7 ways to keep your weight loss motivation

MAKE A PROMISE
It’s hard to cancel a commitment you’ve made to lots of people. “Join an athletic event to raise money, so, if you default on training, you’re not just letting yourself down but also the charity and everyone who sponsored you,” says Dr Daniel Hamner, author of Peak Energy.

LIFT THE WEIGHT YOU’VE LOST
Keep yourself from sliding into “just this once” eating mode when your weight loss plateaus: use dumbbells that correspond to the number of kilos you’ve already fried. Feel how much you’re struggling to lift? That used to be on your bum.

GET A CHEER SQUAD
Surround yourself with people who’ll encourage you. A study by the University of NSW found that overweight people are more likely to avoid exercise if their loved ones tease them. So ditch the downers and you might ditch a few kilos, too.

BE A CHEAPSKATE
We bet you never miss a bikini wax appointment (even though having one is about as fun as cleaning up cat spew). Why? Because you’ll get charged whether you show or not. Buy a package of personal training sessions, yoga or dance classes and schedule all your appointments now. Who would throw away workouts that are already paid for?

LOOK IN THE MIRROR
A study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that staring at your body in the mirror and stifling the usual criticisms can improve body image, which can keep you committed to healthy eating. Avoid using any negatively charged words. For example, instead of saying to yourself, “I have a huge bum,” say, “My waist looks small thanks to my curves.”

BECOME A REGULAR
Join a group exercise class and make friends with fellow regulars. Seeing your mates will inspire you to attend even when you'd rather stay at home. The guilt factor can help here too. After all, in a place where everybody knows your name, they’ll also know when you’ve missed a workout. Busted!

ROCK OUT
A recent study by the North American Association for the Study of Obesity found that women are more likely to stick to an exercise program if they listen to music when working out.