Trying to lose weight is a lot like doing an endurance run – it takes time and effort to get to the goal. Whether you are doing keto, intermittent fasting, or other kinds of diet, it’s easy to lose steam. To power through these tough moments, you may want to give yourself a pep talk, take a leaf out of other people’s success stories, or look for some encouraging motivational quotes that you can apply to your weight loss journey to help you get back up and at ’em again.
READ MORE: This 4-Week Bodyweight Challenge Is The Ultimate New Year Workout Plan
But why does that happen? Hitting a plateau while trying to lose weight is totally normal and inevitable, says Kate Lemere, the chief trainer at Barry’s Chicago. “Our energy expenditure naturally decreases as we lose weight due to physiological changes such as hormonal changes and body composition,” she explains. Subconsciously, you move less as this happens. At times like these, Lemere recommends creating a new caloric deficit or making changes to your training programme.
Whether you are fatigued by your workouts, crave your favourite junk food, have a big fitness challenge ahead, or just need some serious self-love, there are words for every hurdle you run into. Here, a roundup of 24 motivational quotes from celebrities, Olympic athletes, personal trainers, and fitness influencers for when you need that extra push in life. They can apply to any big goal.
When you get down on yourself…
”I think no matter what you look like, the key is to, first of all, be happy with yourself. And then you know if you want to try to improve things that you don’t like about yourself, then do it after you appreciate yourself.”
—Adele to Mirror
When you feel like you need other people’s validation…
“I think a lot of women wait for someone else to tell them the things that they want to hear, but what’s worked excellently for me is telling myself the things I want to hear as daily affirmations.” —Nadia Jaftha to WH
When you feel like you’re not making progress…
“Even if you have to crawl towards your goals, keep going x it will be worth it. Try and give a little bit of effort each day. I know some days are frustrating as hell, you feel like giving up, you get annoyed at the lack of progress…but good things are coming your way.”
—Rebel Wilson on Instagram
When you really don’t feel like going to the gym…
“You know what, there are days I go, ‘I can’t’ and ‘I don’t want to,’ and I think you just have to listen to your body. So sometimes you just don’t work out. And then there are times when you go, ‘Really? Do you really not want to?’ And then if you just say, ‘OK, I’m going to get on some machine for 10 minutes,’ you just start to get the endorphins going. Then you feel great, and you just keep going. So sometimes you can actually override the ‘I don’t want to work out.”
—Jennifer Aniston to WH
READ MORE: 12 Life-Changing Wellness Quotes By Bonnie Mbuli
When you’re frustrated about not seeing changes…
“I promise to stop analysing every angle and every curve and every [kilogram] and every meal. I’m going to keep staying the path because it is a journey and as long as I’m always working towards my goals, one day I’ll reach them.”
—Carrie Underwood on Instagram
When you’re worried your cravings might get the best of you…
“I’m a chocolate person. I have to have it in my freezer so that when I feel cravings start, I can have a block and not end up eating everything in the fridge. It’s important to manage your impulses so you don’t get too wild when the cravings go crazy.” —Thembi Seete to WH
When you just don’t have it in you to eat healthy…
“If you’ve lost your motivation don’t beat yourself up about it, negative thoughts only turn into negative realities. By keeping positive about your body, your inner health, your mental sanity, your fitness, and what you’re trying to achieve, you’re way more likely to succeed.”
—Khloe Kardashian on Instagram
When you question if you are actually getting somewhere…
“One of the greatest moments in life is realising that two weeks ago, your body couldn’t do what it just did.”
—Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn, founders of Tone It Up
When you feel like working out is, well, work…
“Exercise is a blessing. Not a chore.”
—Kayla Itsines, personal trainer, author, and entrepreneur, on her blog
When you fall into the comparison trap…
“Have confidence! At the end of the day, you need to be your biggest cheerleader and believe in yourself. It is definitely a challenge and doesn’t happen overnight, but confidence can be learned – fake it ‘til you make it!”
—Venus Williams, professional tennis player, to Forbes
When you feel like you’re failing…
“Excellence is the result of a journey, a journey taken by a committed individual, who begins the trip knowing her path will include a thousand failures. But the only real failure is the failure to get back up.”
—Lindsey Vonn, former Olympic skier, in a video for the Lindsey Vonn Foundation
READ MORE: “Science Says You Can Be Fat and Fit: So Why Do I Feel Like the Odd One Out?”
When you forget why you are doing this…
“One step at a time. One round at a time. Know your why. It’s really just one step at a time. Whether that’s a race or in real life. You just have to know your why.”
—Allyson Felix, Olympic track and field athlete, on Instagram
When you beat yourself up about indulging a little or taking a break…
“It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens.”
—Jillian Michaels in her book Slim for Life: My Insider Secrets to Simple, Fast, and Lasting Weight Loss
When the pressure starts getting to you…
“I’m healthy, I enjoy my life so everyone else can juuust wait a bit! And the pressure leaves with that. Do I feel like I’m thriving and I’m moving up in my space? Yes. Am I on your level? Not necessarily. I’m living for me. That’s what’s important. Live at your pace with what you want for yourself.”—Liesl Laurie to WH
When you feel weak…
“You just gotta keep going and fighting for everything, and one day you’ll get to where you want.”
—Naomi Osaka, professional tennis player, to Teen Vogue
When you still don’t see results…
“Getting healthy is not a two-week process, it’s a change of lifestyle.”
—Kate Hudson to Shape
When you tell yourself you can’t do it…
“That wall is your mind playing tricks on you. You just need to say ‘One more step, I can do this. I have more in me.’ You’ll be so proud of yourself once you push past your threshold.”
—Kerri Walsh Jennings, Olympic beach volleyball player, to Health
READ MORE: A Psychologist’s Guide To Setting Achievable Goals in the New Year
When you’re struggling to find your space in the gym…
“Being a strong feminine force in any male-dominated space requires a thick skin and indomitable will. There’s a long list of stereotypes around what women should look like and how they should behave. I like to throw these stereotypes square on their head.” —Nicole Bessick to WH
When you don’t think you can hold one more plank or lift one more time…
“If you think you’re done, you always have at least 40 percent more.”
—Lauren Crandall, Olympic field hockey player, to WH
When life is getting in the way…
“Prioritise movement and your health as no dream cleanse or pill will ever be a long-term solution. It isn’t selfish to put wellness-related time first – commit to yourself and know that it’s important to honour your body.”
—Tracy Anderson, celebrity personal trainer, to Olivia Palermo‘s blog
When you need a push to work out…
“The 30 minutes of exercise you put in during the day, will give you an hour more of energy later in the day.”
—Harley Pasternak, celebrity personal trainer, in his book Harley’s 5-Factor Workout
When you just want to give up…
“It’s okay to struggle, but it’s not okay to give up on yourself or your dreams.”
—Gabriele Grunewald, professional middle-distance runner, for Brooks Running
READ MORE: What Is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (aka DOMS) & How Should You Treat It?
When you think you won’t succeed…
“It’s all about self-motivation because at the end of the day, you can have all the trainers and all the money in the world, but if you don’t have that mindset, it’s not possible.”
—Jennifer Hudson to Oprah
When you think you can’t enjoy a cheat meal…
“How can something tell me what I should eat on Friday? It should be intuitive. If I’ve eaten my pizza on a Sunday, then I know when Monday comes it’s back to veggies. We need to listen to our bodies and not eat out of habit or boredom.” —Marciel Hopkins to WH