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By Serena

Be your own weight loss motivation - inspired by Jason Segel

Actor Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother, Knocked Up) recently lost 30 lbs. His motivation? No, it wasn't for a movie role. His motivation came when his assistant snapped a photo of him passed out, covered in fast food wrappers, and looking more than a little pudgy around the middle (view story about Jason Segal on People).

Most people don't have an assistant to call them out on their bad habits and weight gain. But most people do have a camera. And photos often show us the truth that we don't necessarily see (or choose to ignore) in the mirror.

Take a picture - then take off the weight

Of course, photographs can work both ways. If you have an unflattering photo of yourself (a "before"), looking at it can remind you that you want to get in shape and get healthy so that you will look forward to getting your picture taken in the future. Reminding yourself of how you DON'T want to look and feel can be a powerful motivational tool.

Before & after weight loss photos can motivate and/or inspire

Equally powerful is the "after" photo. This can be a picture of you when you were at a comfortable weight - when you felt good and healthy and happy. It can even be a photo of someone you aspire to be like. It's true that you will probably never have the fit, sculpted body of someone like Dara Torres, but keeping a photo of someone who is strong and healthy can motivate you to work toward a fit physique.

And the motivational tools can still play a role even once you've reached your goals. It's always a good idea to reinforce your accomplishments, while at the same time keeping in mind where you started out. So, get out that camera (or those old photos), and get motivated!