Weight Loss Motivation: It's More Complicated Than Willpower

Medically reviewed by: Kristin Baier, MD

The factors that motivate someone to want to lose weight—and take action on that desire—are incredibly personal. 

As a society, we tend to oversimplify: “Oh, they just want to look more attractive” or “They want to take control of their health.” Those things might be true, but the psychology of motivation is more complicated than that. 

First, what is motivation? Psychology Today defines it as “the desire to act in service of a goal.” Broadly speaking, there are two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic. 

Intrinsic motivation comes from within, such as the desire to improve at something because it’s inherently enjoyable or satisfying, or for the sake of self-improvement alone. Extrinsic motivation is when someone is inspired to act by outside forces; for example, impressing other people, avoiding a punishment, or receiving a reward. 

Many diets and weight loss programs are constantly reminding participants to “find their why,” or name their motivation for reaching their goal. But if it’s not the right source of motivation—and if you’re lacking the physical foundation for change—all the focus in the world may still leave you high and dry when things get challenging. 

Read on for a closer look at the psychology of weight loss motivation, the link between motivation and biology, and why it’s so much more than willpower. 

UNLOCKING INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Taking the first steps towards a weight loss goal is often portrayed as a battle against external factors—societal standards, peer pressure, or even the number on the scale. However, what truly drives lasting success lies within: intrinsic motivation.

Unlike external motivators, which can be fleeting and are often tied to temporary rewards, intrinsic motivation stems from personal satisfaction, enjoyment, and a genuine desire for self-improvement.

Even scientific research proves out the idea that intrinsic motivation is more powerful. When it comes to long-term weight loss and related health outcomes, studies have found that those who are internally or intrinsically motivated are more likely to sustain the behavior change that leads to weight loss. 

How do you shift your motivation from (mostly) extrinsic to (mostly) intrinsic when it comes to weight loss, though? It’s a complicated question. 

In terms of motivating students, educators have found that making the journey fun, breaking down big milestones into smaller steps, and considering the bigger picture are all helpful. With weight loss, your biology plays a key role, as well. 

By removing biological barriers to weight loss, it becomes easier to build momentum and harness the psychological satisfaction that comes with improving your health and all the great things it enables you to do. That’s why Calibrate’s program is centered on your unique biology—not a one-size-fits-all set of rules and restrictions. 

MOTIVATION & THE SCIENCE OF WEIGHT LOSS

Here’s an unforgiving truth: diets don’t work.

When it comes to losing weight, most Americans rely heavily on traditional or fad diets. Though diets that focus on cutting calories may help you with your initial weight loss goals, studies show that the results are rarely long-lasting. In fact, researchers have found that 80% of people who lose at least 10% of their weight will gain it back within the first year. 

The problem isn’t necessarily loss of intrinsic motivation or lack of willpower. To keep weight off, you need to reprogram your metabolic system to have a healthy response—not just to food, but to sleep, exercise, and emotional triggers, too.

For many people, losing weight is a battle with the scale (a hallmark extrinsic motivator). At first, the numbers go down, but eventually, the number gets stuck: you hit a plateau. No matter how hard you try to adhere to your diet, and no matter how much you try to shift your motivation internally, the number refuses to budge. In the long term, it might even start to creep back up. 

This isn’t a reflection of your loss of willpower—it’s often because your metabolism is programmed to do everything it can to maintain your weight.

What is the metabolic set point?

Studies show that we each have something called a biological “set point,” which is the weight our bodies work hard to maintain—whether or not that weight is healthy for us. 

Your set point is determined by the interaction of your biology, genetics, and environment, and it’s regulated closely by your brain. Specifically, your set point is the result of how your unique metabolism (your biology and genetics) responds to things like the food you eat, the amount you sleep and exercise, and even the emotional stress you’re under (factors that are determined by your environment).

When the number on the scale gets stuck, it’s often a reflection of how hard your body is working to protect your set point. 

In an effort to support survival, your body slows your metabolism so it can save energy and make each calorie last longer. It also increases the production of hunger hormones and decreases the production of fullness hormones to encourage you to replace lost calories by eating more.

Your system is committed to keeping you at what it perceives to be your “target” weight. That’s why, when you diet without working on other important biological and environmental factors, your body thinks it’s going into starvation mode and does everything in its power to defend your set point.

How to readjust your set point

Here’s the good news: your set point isn’t permanently fixed. But a calorie-cutting diet won’t cut it. 

As mentioned, your set point is determined by an interplay of genetics and environment. And while you can’t change your genetics, you can make impactful changes to your environment, which will have a positive impact on how your body responds to it.

With the right tools, a comprehensive program that targets the underlying biology of metabolic health—including food, exercise, sleep, and emotional health—can work to readjust your set point. That’s where Calibrate can help. 

GOING BEYOND MOTIVATION: CALIBRATE'S APPROACH TO WEIGHT LOSS

Metabolic health goes far beyond the number on the scale. It means you’re healthy and balanced on the inside. Your metabolic health affects everything from your immune function and mood to your inflammation levels and risk for chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. 

Calibrate’s program is designed to help you reset your metabolic system by working with your biology, rather than fighting it.

To do this, our approach combines what clinical studies have proven to work: prescription FDA-approved GLP-1 medication paired with behavioral changes focused on food, exercise, sleep, and emotional health—all while you’re supported by a dedicated coach who can help you stay focused on your goal and continue to harness intrinsic motivation

Why GLP-1 medication?

Calibrate's program begins with GLP-1 medication that works with your biology. A Calibrate clinician will review your lab work, weight and health history, and goals before prescribing an FDA-approved metabolic medication that’s the best fit for you. 

The right prescription metabolic medication will help to jumpstart your weight loss—all as you improve your metabolic health.

Specifically, the GLP-1 metabolic medications we use in our program work to support weight loss and improve your metabolic health by influencing how your body handles blood sugar and by sending signals to your brain to regulate metabolism, reduce your appetite, and feel full. They also help your body fight the natural increases in hunger and appetite that occur when you start to lose weight. 

These are not short-term fixes—GLP1s are a tool that can help you reset your metabolic system so that the meaningful lifestyle changes you make set the stage for sustained weight loss.

How are lifestyle factors incorporated?

We know that diets alone rarely work long-term. In fact, studies show that weight loss is most impactful and lasting when lifestyle factors are incorporated. 

Calibrate’s program combines the power of clinically proven metabolic medication with a one-year virtual program that’s designed to target four proven pillars of metabolic health: food, sleep, exercise, and emotional health.

Food

Rather than a diet plan that restricts calories and increases your food cravings, our program helps you to decrease processed and disease-promoting foods from your diet and incorporate high-quality, whole foods that have been proven to lower your blood sugar and improve gut health. Our food philosophy is designed to help you learn how your body reacts to the consumption of certain foods while helping you to feel in control of what you eat.

Sleep

Getting consistent, quality sleep is crucial to supporting and regulating a healthy metabolism and appetite—and is often one of the hardest pillars of our environment to control. Our approach to sleep works by helping you to track your patterns to identify a baseline and build a consistent schedule that can dramatically improve your sleep and its effect on your metabolic health.

Exercise

Regular exercise is important for achieving long-lasting weight loss. In particular, research shows that resistance training will help to burn more calories, build muscle, and improve metabolic health. The type and amount of exercise we recommend helps you to make incremental improvements, no matter where you’re starting from, so that you can learn how to make exercise a consistent and positive part of your life.

Emotional health

Your emotional health can influence hormones that affect your eating habits, metabolism, and weight. Our emotional health strategies will help you to incorporate science-backed and easy-to-achieve daily practices to reduce stress, while also helping you to recognize emotional health triggers that can influence your weight and metabolic health.

WORKING WITH BIOLOGY, NOT WILLPOWER

In addition to losing (on average) 18% of your body weight—and keeping it off—Calibrate’s program can help reduce your risk (or even potentially reverse) diabetes, lower several risk factors for cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and improve mood and energy while also reducing symptoms of depression, arthritis, and sleep apnea. 

Calibrate understands that it’s not just about your willpower or motivation—it’s about your biology. Our one-year program accounts for this to help you make impactful changes that will help you feel better, lose weight, and improve your overall metabolic health.

Interested in a whole-body metabolic reset? Learn more today.