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Staying motivated is one of the most important things you can do as a part of your weight-loss journey. When we first start out, our motivation is at an all-time high. We are unstoppable, on top of the world, and nothing can stand in our way. Now, sustaining that motivation, well, that might be a different story. As we continue along the course, motivation is often the first thing to diminish. Life gets in the way, excuses come a little easier, and maybe the mindset to stay committed starts to get a little more relaxed. Just about the time you are on the verge of some big breakthroughs, is the point, typically I see people begin to lose their motivation. Stay the course. I promise you, getting through this pivotal crossroad is the road to getting to the finish line. Here are 7 Ways to STAY MOTIVATED that help both my clients and myself: 1. Practice a positive, growth mindset.
When you put in effort and challenge yourself, you will achieve success in reaching your goals. Get out of your own way! You are amazing and you can do anything you set your mind to do! If you think you will crash and burn from the start, most likely you will.
Instead, embrace the fact that new challenges will help you grow as a person and you will continue to try your best. Practice positive statements and gratitude daily for increased success. Better said by Zig Ziglar, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” 2. Set action goals vs. outcome goals. Setting a goal can be counterproductive while setting the right goal is crucial. For example: I will double the amount of water I currently drink or I will exercise 3x/week (action goals) vs. I will lose 20 pounds (outcome goal). 3. Avoid extreme changes.
While there are some people that will succeed on a “cold-turkey” type of mentality, for most, I do not recommend it -- especially for long-term, sustainable results. Stick with small tweaks to your current lifestyle a little bit at a time, and avoid doing an overhaul. For example: Pay closer attention to the portions of what you currently eat and/or just eat until you are 80% full. 4. Try non-food rewards. Celebrate your weight loss progress and healthy changes you are consistently making with things other than food. Examples include:
New piece of clothing or outfit
Mani/pedi
Massage
New workout gear or running shoes
5. Spread the word. Share your plans and achievements with other people; you’ll feel obliged to keep going. 6. Be flexible with your lifestyle. If you are doing workouts or cardio that you dislike, change it up to movement that you love. Bike, swim, hike, dance, or whatever your heart desires. Just do some sort of movement consistently. 7. Hold Yourself Accountable.
Accountability is one of the most important factors in losing weight or changing any behavior. There are many ways to implement accountability. These include:
Writing your daily food actions/intake and exercise in a journal.
Measure your body. Grab a soft tape measure and record the measurements of your chest, waist, hips, and thighs monthly.
Smile for the camera! Take a before pic of your front, side, and backside and repeat monthly to compare.
Partner up! Get someone to work out with you or at least be your check-in person. I do this with a good friend and we’ll send each other texts with a checkmark of when we’ve completed a workout. I know when she has done hers and I haven’t gotten to mine yet, it motivates me to get it done to send her a check-marked text!
Hire a coach. (I know just the person who can help and her email is natalie@fireduppfitness.com. Haha!)
So keep at it. It's not always easy, but it is definitely worth it. Let’s get FIRED UPP, Nat
