WEEK 9: Real Motivators

Making healthy changes to lose weight takes commitment for the long haul. Here are three other ways to keep you motivated:

• Practice optimism. It can be much easier to focus on what you aren’t doing perfectly or the difficult situations that tripped you up than reflecting on everything you are doing right. Learn lessons from any slipups and give yourself a pat on the back for all the successful big and small changes you have made.

• Treat yourself. It is important to reward yourself along the way for all your hard work. Give yourself non-food treats as you make progress, such as a massage, a facial, a long bath, a quiet night watching movies, a romance novel, a new magazine to catch up on celebrity gossip, a new outfit or a manicure.

• Buddy up. Working with someone else can help you be more successful at sticking with your healthy habits. Your partner can be a family member, a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor or even an Internet acquaintance. (Don’t forget your dog, which probably would be happy to go for more walks.) Team up to exercise together, exchange healthy recipes with one another or just share your struggles and successes. Healthy behaviors are contagious, so keep connected to people who want to be active and who encourage you to succeed.

THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT: Choose one of the three motivational tips above and complete it this week. If you feel like you need an extra push, do all three! Also, join the discussion with your fellow Reality Checked Diet participants on our Facebook page (just click on the discussion tab). Share what's working for you, what's not and more!