13 Weight-Loss Motivation Techniques

It's hard to walk by an unrolled mat without getting on it to do a few crunches or yoga poses. Leaving workout gear around your house such as dumbbells under the coffee table, a resistance band by your bed, or running sneakers by the front door are in-your-face ways to remind you not to skip workouts.

Put an empty mason jar on your counter where you see it a few times every day. Every time you exercise, throw money in the jar — $1 for regular workouts, $5 for longer ones like workshops, hikes, or races. After the workout piggybank is full, go out and use it to reward your efforts (in a healthy way, of course).

Grab a small mason jar, cut up 20 or so strips of paper, and write down short, one-exercise ideas that take about a minute to complete. Keep it on your bedroom nightstand or dresser, and as soon as you pop out of bed, reach into the jar and pull one out. If you're feeling extra inspired, do another exercise, or do a few. Although not a major calorie-burning workout, a little exercise in the morning can boost your metabolism and can also inspire exercise later in the day.

Keeping a food journal is a great weight-loss strategy, but it's even more effective if you have to email your daily food list to someone else to see. That's one way to keep yourself accountable and honest!

When you feel like giving in to that second cupcake at your friend's birthday party, have one enormously personal reason you want to lose weight that resonates strong and keeps you motivated no matter what. Thinking "I want to be there for my family" is sure to be more effective than "I want to look good in my jeans."

Actually visualizing the pounds lost is serious motivation. Use pom poms, cotton balls, marbles, or rocks.

Instead of always thinking about how to lose the weight, it's nice to visualize what it'll be like once you do. Some people find that buying a revealing dress, a pair of skinny jeans, or another article of clothing that's too small right now but you can wear once the weight is off acts as effective motivation.

Knowing you want to look good in a bathing suit for an upcoming trip might be just the thing to inspire you to stick with your healthy diet and exercise plan until you hop on that plane.