You’ve set your weight goal, stocked up on nutritious food and signed up at your local gym. Now all you have to do is keep up the enthusiasm! Try these simple tips to stay motivated for the long haul.

1. Stick with some (easy) good habits

If you notice that your motivation is fading, make an effort to keep up at least some of your new healthy habits, like making (and mostly sticking to) a meal plan for the week, and drinking lots of water.

2. Look at your ‘before’ pictures

Since you see yourself in the mirror every day, you tend not to notice how much your body (and your face) has changed. Compare what you look like today to your ‘before’ picture, and you’re bound to be encouraged by the progress you’ve made.

3. Try on your goal-weight item

Whatever it is, try it on and if it’s still as snug as before, use this to renew and strengthen your resolve to stick to your plan. And if it fits a little bit better than before, use that as motivation to keep doing what you’re doing. Either way you win!

4. Ditch the daily weigh-in

Hormones, water retention, stress, a late dinner… all of these can cause an overnight (and temporary) spike in weight. Instead of weighing every day, step on the scale once a week – or even every two weeks – to better track your progress.

5. Steer clear of unrealistic pictures

Studies have shown that Pinning and posting pictures of super thin models creates unrealistic self-standards – discouraging women instead of inspiring them. Rather stay inspired by posting images of you at your healthiest weight.

6. Focus on how you feel

Concentrate on your mood after you’ve eaten a healthy meal or how you feel after a great workout – motivation doesn’t always have to come before an activity.

7. Become a class regular

Join a group exercise class and make friends with your fellow regulars. Seeing your pals will inspire you to attend even when you don’t feel like it. Plus, the guilt factor is highly motivating.

8. Reward yourself

Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal (which could take months or even years) to reward yourself. Set mini goals and spoil yourself when you reach them, and plan something amazing for the halfway point to keep you motivated in the long run.

9. Tell a friend

Studies have proven that support from other people can keep you motivated to lose weight. So phone a friend for some moral support or join a social media healthy living group for online encouragement and inspiration.

10. Fake it ‘till you make it

Don’t wait “until you lose the weight” to take that vacation or try that dance class; live out your goals now, and enjoy them along the way. Schedule those goals now and shift your mindset from “punishment mode” to a rewarding and empowering one to stay motivated.