10 Ways to Lose Weight and Improve Your Self Esteem

It is true that a lot of people want to lose weight for health reasons, but it is also true that one of the primary reasons that makes people think of their weight is because they want to look good. This is certainly acceptable because what we look outside greatly affects how we feel about ourselves inside. People who are leaner receive compliments from family and friends and this improves their self-esteem in one way or another.

Fat (overweight) people on the other hand are even criticized for being fat and this has a negative impact on their self-esteem and sometimes it may even cause depression. An overweight or obese person could even hear hurtful words like “you are ugly”, “we don’t have your size”, and “you’ll die young” which could pull their self-esteem to the ground.

Experts say that people with low self-esteem tend to eat more; this is how their defense mechanism works and they do not have the willpower needed to exercise and lose the extra weight. This means, that if you are serious to shed the excess pounds, you should start in conditioning your mind first.

1. Convert negative thoughts to positive ones

Negativism prevents anyone from achieving their goals. A good dose of positive thought will greatly give you the drive to lose weight and be physically fit. This means that instead of saying “I CAN’T do it”, say “I CAN do it”, instead of saying “I DO NOT have the time for workouts”, say “I WILL find time to workout.”

2. Don’t linger in the past

“Past is past; it’s time to move on” as they always say. You may had the biggest butt in high school and your schoolmates make fun of you; NEVER let this past experience pull you down but instead see it as a motivation to prove to them (and yourself) that you CAN have a lean body. So, instead of saying “I am this way ever since and I’ll be this way forever”, tell your self “I may be like this ever since but I am bound to prove to them that I can do this.”

3. Forgive yourself

Go easy on yourself because you are a work in progress. You have to know that losing weight healthy is a gradual process; from a pound of burger to half a pound to a quarter pound until you are satisfied in eating a healthy salad. So, if you are tempted to eat a piece of that blueberry cheesecake, go ahead and have a piece and learn to forgive yourself.

4. Don’t blame your genes

Your parents as well as all the people on top of your family tree are obese; does this give you an excuse for being obese? DEFINITELY NO! Though genes play a part in your body shape and your susceptibility to gain weight, it is still YOU who makes the decisions on what to eat and how much you workout. Don’t let the people around you stop your from being healthy. Be inspired by the sexy Jessica Alba who grew up with a “heavily overweight” family. She was determined to be in shape and she succeeded and now, she is one of the sexiest women in the world.

5. Keep track of your progress

To help you get motivated, keep a journal or a scrapbook where you can post your weight loss progress as well as how you feel about it. This will help you bring out your feelings and motivates you to continue eating healthy and exercise regularly. As you read back on the pages, you would appreciate your efforts and notice that you feel happier each day. Heidi Klum takes a picture of herself nude every week to track her progress in shedding off the post-pregnancy weight; this motivates her to exercise and caused her to lose 30 pounds in 6 months.

6. Praise your progress

If you notice that you lost a pound, give yourself a pat in the back and say “I DID GREAT!” Losing weight is definitely not as easy as it may sound so every progress (big or small) that you achieved should be recognized.

7. Compliment yourself regularly

To help keep you moving, you must constantly remind yourself that you are a beautiful person. You must learn to compliment yourself first before you expect others to compliment you. Personally, I face the mirror every morning and tell my reflection “Good Morning sunshine, you look stunning today!” These words are in my head all day and helps boost my self-esteem.

8. Treat yourself

You have been eating less than you usually do and completed your workout routine for the week; aside from complimenting your progress, you should also treat yourself. You could treat yourself with a day in the spa, a new dress that you have been eyeing for months, or even a bite-size of your favorite chocolate. You deserve it!

9. Have a BFF nearby or someone who can motivate you

Congratulating yourself can keep you motivated, but hearing somebody else’s compliments can greatly boost your self-esteem a gazillion percent. Human as we are, we love to hear that others tell us that we look good and this motivates us to look even better causing us to double our efforts to lose weight.

10. Be a happy person

Depressed persons tend to eat more and don’t have the drive to exercise causing them to gain even more weight and eventually become obese. On the other hand, happy persons have all the energy to workout and think before they eat, thus they are learner and healthier. By simply staying happy, you get to project a positive aura causing people to compliment you thus boosting your self-esteem and your desire to look better by losing weight.