Motivational Strategies for Obese People to Exercise

Exercise is key to achieving a healthy lifestyle. It can reduce your risk of obesity-related disease while increasing your strength, fitness and life expectancy. Still, you'll need motivation to reach a weight loss goal and maintain your health. If you struggle with obesity, motivational strategies can help you succeed in your exercise routine.

A good motivation to maintain an exercise routine is considering the consequences of being overweight. Obesity, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, is an excess of weight measured by your body mass index. The problem of obesity is widespread, affecting more than a third of adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reducing obesity through exercise is one of the greatest contributions you can make to your health, since obesity-related disease is a leading cause of death.

Look for opportunities throughout your day to get extra exercise. Parking farther from the supermarket or office, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking or cycling wherever possible are small steps, but making these changes throughout your day can make a big difference in your weight loss. These small steps provide motivation for being active and contribute to reducing your risk of obesity-related health problems. Plus, many of these activities can be fun and engaging, increasing the likelihood that you will stick to your routine.

Setting goals for yourself along the journey to a healthy lifestyle lets you celebrate small personal victories when you reach milestones like distance during a run, time spent exercising, or even weight lost. Small goals during your workout such as repetitions or resistances in certain exercises can give you a rush of accomplishment that you'll associate with exercise over time. Setting a personal goal can make your exercise a challenge that you'll strive to accomplish, which makes exercising much less of a chore.

Making the changes toward a healthier lifestyle can be stressful at first. Reduce your overall stress by spending more time considering the goals you'll reach through exercising, rather than just promoting a fear of the consequences of obesity. A positive mindset makes you more likely to exercise regularly, which will have a profound effect on your health.

Working out or exercising with a friend or family member can make a big difference in your motivation to lose weight. Obesity is a challenge, and like most challenges, it pays to have a support system. Look for someone who can challenge you physically during a workout, or someone who can sympathize with the difficulty of the exercises. A good support system can help you lose the weight and keep it off, and will benefit both you and your partner.