So what exactly does it take to lose weight? Probably first off, you have to want to do it. “Wanting to” is not a homogeneous motivation. A lot goes into “wanting to”. It can take many experiences over time for you to arrive at “wanting to”. Some of these experiences will be bad and some will be good. The bad experiences will make you want to lose weight to avoid having them again. For example, feeling too full can cause you to want to do something about it. Seeing yourself in the mirror can also start you thinking about the desired effects of losing weight. Blows to your self-esteem because you keep losing self-control can be a catalyst for weight loss.

These bad experiences make you uncomfortable and they start you thinking, maybe even wishing, and perhaps doing some planning as well. There are also the good experiences that make up your motivation to start a weight loss program. Let’s say you were recognized for some achievement you made, and you felt proud of yourself. You might take your pride into the area of weight and feel ready to achieve there too. Or, you could be proud of yourself for not overeating and stuffing at some family social event, and this sows a small seed of wishing and wanting to keep this up. “Wanting to” is part of everyone’s mental preparation for weight loss A lot goes into it. When a lot goes into it, you get a lot out of it. So be patient and keep a keen eye on what’s going on inside of you.