Yes, I Can Lose Weight!

It's hard to feel good if you don't look good, and it's hard to stick to your diet if your self-confidence is in the gutter. But how do you boost your confidence if you feel bad about your body? Many dieters wait until they are the perfect size to invest any time or effort into their appearance. But they've got it backwards. You need to invest in yourself everyday, starting at the beginning of your diet, so that you look fabulous., feel empowered and believe that you are capable of doing everything you set out to do.

Self-efficacy is your belief that you can successfully carry out a specific task. if you start your weight loss journal with the words, " I can lose weight!", your self-efficacy with regards to weight loss is probably high. Self-efficacy generally relates to a specific goal. For example, you may have strong beliefs that you are capable of skipping a high-calorie late-night snack. That means your self-efficacy regarding late-night snacking is high, but you might have doubts about whether you're going to get up early the next morning to work out. Your self-efficacy regarding the morning workout is low.

Ways to Improve Self-Efficacy to Lose Weight

1. Set and reach goals. Always start with small goals that will act as stepping stones to larger accomplishments. The completion of each small task will build your level of self-efficacy for completing larger tasks in the future.

2.  Surround yourself with positive messages. If the people that surround you are successfully completing the goal that you want to achieve, you're more likely to believe that you can do it, too. Find friends that have some habits that you admire. Instead of going to happy hour with your friends, find some new friends that want to hit the gym and exercise.

3. Social persuasion. Talk to your family and friends. Let them know that their encouragement  and positive messages make a difference. If your family or friends are not supportive, this is another area where social media can help. Get connected with me. Visit my blog for your motivational support!!!

4. Learn to Relax. If you have intense emotional reactions to situations, your self-efficacy with regards to your ability to handle that situation will probably be low. Take some time to identify the situations that cause you to react strongly. Then, learn relaxation techniques that will help you to manage them with a calm demeanor.