Esta Morenikeji: My little secret to EASY weight loss (Y! Superblogger)

by Esta Morenikeji

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The truth about my successful weight loss may surprise you:  I did not deliberately set out to lose weight. My two major goals were to be physically healthy and fit! I was able to stay on track because weight loss was not a direct goal, being healthy and fit were the goals.

You will agree with me that weight loss business is now a big business in many countries, including Nigeria. There are many weight loss programs claiming to be the real deal. People are spending thousands of Naira on weight loss programs in hope to find that one magic formula. Everyone seems to be looking for the secret formula that will give them flat abs and sculpted butts.

I have a little secret that will make you lose weight without wasting money. I discovered the secret in December 2007 when I tipped the scale at 92 kg,  and my little secret has been proven to be the REAL DEAL. Want to know the secret? I found my own intrinsic (internal) motivation!

What is intrinsic motivation?

“Intrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by internal rewards. In other words, the motivation to engage in a behavior arises from within the individual because it is intrinsically rewarding. This contrasts with extrinsic motivation, which involves engaging in a behavior in order to earn external rewards or avoid punishments.”  (Kendra Cherry)

“Intrinsic motivation occurs when we act without any obvious external rewards. We simply enjoy an activity or see it as an opportunity to explore, learn, and actualize our potentials.” (Coon & Mitterer)

Your intrinsic motivation is what makes you look beyond physical appearance as the only reason for exercising. Your intrinsic motivation is what inspires you to get up and exercise when you don’t  feel like working out. Your intrinsic motivation is the reason why you choose to enjoy plain water instead of abusing your body with sugar filled beverages. Your intrinsic motivation will let you create time out of your busy schedule to cook, and refrigerate your meals on weekends, so that you can eat homemade foods during the week.

The truth about my successful weight loss may surprise you:  I did not deliberately set out to lose weight. My two major goals were to be physically healthy and fit! I was able to stay on track because weight loss was not a direct goal, being healthy and fit were the goals. Weight loss was a byproduct of the health behaviors I was practicing. When you find a good reason for engaging in regular physical activities and eating healthy, you will begin to view exercise as something to be enjoyed and not a punishment for overeating.  You will also begin to love the taste of healthy foods that your body really needs.

The secret to a sustainable weight loss is not in a bottle, or in any specially formulated exercise program and diet plan. The secret to a sustainable weight loss is in finding your own personal reason for living an active and healthy life. A sustainable weight loss is a reward that comes from how you eat and move every day. Therefore  if you desire to lose weight and keep it off, remove your focus from losing weight (external  motivation) and put your focus of being fit and healthy (internal motivation).  A sustainable and safe weight loss is a byproduct of living healthy. Now you know my little secret!

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Esta Morenikeji is a fitness instructor and fitness blogger. Once upon a time she weighed 92kg, now weighing in at 67kg, she teaches people how to lose weight and keep fit in a fun way. She blogs about fitness and weight loss at www.zonefitness.com.ng and tweets from @estamorenikeji

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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