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Staying motivated while on a diet is challenging, especially when it relies on strict rules, pressure, and constantself-control. Yet, research shows that most effective strategies are often simple, unexpected ones that support healthy daily choices without overwhelming your willpower. Here are five such methods – free of force and in harmony with yourself.
Why do we need change in the first place?
Our body is a finely tuned system that works hard every day to function at its best. However, when it is not cared for, it starts to become unwell. At first, it sends subtle signals of overload, such as fatigue or reduced immunity. Unfortunately, we often underestimate these symptoms until they eventually become so bothersome that they can no longer be ignored.
This is when thoughts like “Time to take care of myself” or “Time to get myself together” arise, along with considerations about making changes to our daily routine. The same is true for dietary adjustments. Healthy eating habits are the fuel without which the body cannot function properly. And this is where the biggest challenge appears – motivation.
What is motivation?
The word motivation comes from the Latin word movere, which means “to move” or “to set in motion”, and also from the expression se movere - “to take charge of something”. Motivation, then, is a form of dynamism, an impulse that propels us forward. In Polish psychological studies, it is understood as a process that leads from the current situation to a different, more favourable one from the individual’s perspective. In his work “Teoria motywacji i emocji”, Janusz Reykowski defines it as “a regulatory process that directs actions so that they lead to a specific outcome – a change in the environment, in oneself, or in one’s position”.
This is where theory meets practice. Most of us know how difficult it can be to stay motivated to eat healthily. Healthy eating is often associated with sacrifice, strict routines, self-control, andconstant reliance on willpower. In the beginning, we may feel energised – counting calories, giving up favourite treats, sticking to schedules, and creating perfect menus… yet after just a few days, that initial enthusiasm usually begins to fade.
Psychology, however, offers a different perspective. Research shows that subtle, less obvious, and more human mechanisms are what truly drive effective, lasting motivation – approaches that do not rely on pressure, punishment, or self-criticism, but instead support us in making daily healthy choices.
Here are five surprising, scientifically supported ways to stay motivated while dieting and build healthy habits without constantly fighting against yourself.
1. The contrast of tomorrow – imagine two versions of yourself
One unusual, yet highly effective technique for maintaining motivation, according to psychologists, is to imaginatively contrast the future with the present reality. Experts in motivation emphasize that imagination is one of the most powerful tools for change. Research(Oettingen, 2014) shows that visualizing two alternative scenarios – one in which we consciously make healthy choices and one in which we abandon them – is crucial. Most importantly, it helps us see what truly matters, allowing us tomake better decisions.
This is known as the mental contrastingtechnique, which combines imagining the desired future outcome with reflectingon the current reality and the obstacles that might prevent us from achieving it. How can you put it into practice easily? Simply juxtapose the image of your desired outcome with the consequences of not acting (for example: “If I give in today, I will feel disappointed in myself tomorrow”).
The goal of this contrast-based technique is not to create fear, but to stimulate intrinsic motivation – the kind that matters most and helps us make choices aligned with our values: health, energy, and well-being. Following a diet, then, becomes less about “I have to” and more about “I choose to, because I can see the meaningful difference”.
2. Diet as a project – turn weight reduction into a personal experiment
Isn’t treating a diet as a challenge an effective approach? According to experts, rather than seeing a diet as a testof willpower, it is more effective to treat it as a personal research project. This perspective has a stronger impact on motivation. According to Edward Deciand Richard Ryan’s self-determination theory, we act most effectively when three basic needs – autonomy, competence, and relatedness – are satisfied,reinforcing a sense of control over our own decisions. This approach combines curiosity, the learning process, and our natural desire to master new skills.
How can you treat your diet as a “research project”?
· Test different hypotheses (e.g. “What happens if I have dinner no later than 6 p.m.?”).
· Observe how your body reacts.
· Look for patterns.
· Record your conclusions like a researcher, not like a judge.
This approach protects usfrom discouragement when things don’t go as planned. Importantly, shifting our mindset from perfectionism to growth enhances our persistence and makes lasting change more achievable.
3. “Micro changes” – don’t make a revolution
Research shows that the brain works more efficiently when it knows it has a task that only requires a few minutes to complete. According to B. J. Fogg, author of the concept of “tiny habits”, sustained motivation is not created from big resolutions, but from small steps that the brain does not even have time to “notice”.
The brain is not keen on revolutions; it prefers micro-steps that require minimal energy. That’s why small changes – like adding one piece of fruit to a meal or replacing a sugary drink with water– are much more effective. Fogg’s research confirms that these micro-habits create a snowball effect: one small change naturally leads to another. Overtime, these tiny steps build a strong, healthy, and sustainable lifestyle.
4. Not just the goal – focus on the process
For many people, maintaining a healthy diet is often reduced to an outcome – “I want to lose 5 kilos” or “I want to eat perfectly”. However, most motivation researchers agree that the focus should be on the process rather than the goal itself. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in his book "Flow", argues that a state of optimal engagement occurs when we perform aspecific, moderately challenging task while receiving clear feedback on our progress. In this state, we trust our abilities and feel a sense of control, whichnaturally motivates us to take the next steps.
Similar conclusions are drawn by Robert E.Franken in “Human motivation”: the greatest satisfaction comes not from reaching the goal, but from moving toward it. This is why many people feel the most joy not when they cross the finish line, but during the regular actions that bring them closer to it. In the context of healthy eating, this means that what you do today – like swapping chips for an apple – is more important than a distant weight goal in the future.
5. Minimum plan – take real action
Is a minimum plan possible when it comes to dieting? Yes. It simply means choosing a feeding strategy that you can realistically stick to – even on difficult days when energy or time is limited.
Decision psychology researchers Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner highlight what they call the planning error. Most of us tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in a short period while underestimating the significant impact of small, consistently repeated actions.
In everyday dietary choices, we often start with an ambitious plan, pressure ourselves for quick results, and after a few days, fatigue and frustration set in. That’s why having a minimum plan is so helpful: it defines the smallest realistic level of action that we can always achieve, even on weaker days.
This could mean eating dinner without snacking afterward, adding one vegetable to each meal, or limiting sweets to a single portion rather than giving them up entirely. In this way, healthy habits no longer depend on willpower alone – they become consistent behaviours because the minimum plan is simple enough that it’s hard not to follow.
References:
1. Hopkin K., David M.,Roberts K., Johnson A., Heald R., Walter P., “Podstawy biologii komórki. Part1”, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2024.
2. Lewandowska A., “Żyj zdrowo i aktywnie”, Burda Publishing Polska, 2014.
3. Gasiul H., “Teorie emocji i motywacji”, wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego, Warszawa, 2007.
4. Franken R. E., “Psychologia motywacji” , Gdańskie WydawnictwoPsychologiczne, Gdańsk, 2005.
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5123225/
6. https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_SDT.pdf
7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251449615_The_Planning_Fallacy
