Losing weight is a long-term commitment, and sometimes we are tempted to stray off course. Inevitably, you will have days when you wake up feeling energetic and inspired to reach your goals, and other days when you struggle to remember why you’re doing this. On those days, you just need a little reinforcement to remind you of how tough you are, or even just a reward to motivate you. Try these tips, or use them as inspiration to find your own motivators.

Sneak in exercise. If you’ve been sick, or didn’t get enough sleep last night, you might be dreading the gym. And truthfully, the gym is probably not the best place to be when you’re over-stressed anyway. Trade your gym time for a long walk outside, or ask a friend to join you for tennis or golf. The sunlight and fresh air will perk you up, and the change in your routine will help you log exercise in a more fun way.

Resist all temptation to compare yourself to others. Weight loss is not a competition, and it’s not even something you’re doing for others. You’re only doing this for yourself, so it doesn’t matter how much weight anyone else has lost. If you’re tempted to make comparisons, redirect your focus to your own results. You can accomplish this by charting your weight loss or even taking pictures along the way.

Reward yourself without triggering a binge. It’s okay to reward yourself with a treat, but you don’t want to overdo it. If you log everything you eat in a journal, you can reward yourself without losing sight of how many times you’re using this reinforcement.

Talk to a friend. Hopefully, you’ve established at least one “weight loss buddy” by now. Agree to call one another on down days to offer moral support.

Try a new recipe. We often get just plain sick of eating the same foods over and over. If you’re dreading the day ahead of you, ditch your dinner plan and come up with a healthy substitute. Pinterest and other such websites are full of creative, low-calorie dinner ideas. You could even ask your buddy to meal share with you; each of you could bring a few ingredients, and then cook and enjoy the meal together.

These ideas can inspire you to stick with your weight loss plan on difficult days, but don’t be afraid to experiment and discover other methods that work for you. As always, we’re here if you need help with your weight loss plan. Schedule an appointment, and we can review your eating plan, exercise regimen, and any other questions you might have about weight loss.