When you’re motivated, you feel ready for anything. You’re fired up, ready to lose those pounds, ready to take on the world!

But what about a few weeks down the track? Will you feel the same? Probably not. Motivation is like a fire that constantly needs refueling and stoking, otherwise it goes out. Reminding yourself again and again of what you want, why you want it, and what you’ll do to get it is one way to keep your motivation burning (see part one of this article). Try these five other motivation strategies to further fan the flame.

To keep motivated, you need to recognize and prepare for the different phases of motivation.

The first phase of motivation is one of enthusiasm and strong vision, and it’s great for getting you started. But rule number one: Don't expect this initial motivation “high” to last.

The second phase of motivation is all about trial and error. You need to test different avenues for achieving your goals to see what works for you and what doesn’t. During this phase you experience success and failure. Make sure you acknowledge the successes and learn from the setbacks. Bouncing back from perceived failure is crucial here.

In phase three your motivation starts to ebb. You find yourself remembering when your motivation was high and you felt like you could overcome huge obstacles. Now that it’s low, everything seems too difficult and not worth the struggle. This is a high-risk phase. The symptoms of this stage can be anything from slipping back to old habits and finding excuses for not exercising, to doing and thinking things to sabotage your own success. When you feel motivation slipping, don't delay; enlist the aid of family and friends for support and encouragement, and log onto the Calorieking.com Community for support and advice in the forums, chats and meetings.