If pizza, cookies and chips weren’t so delicious, it would be easy to stay in shape. At least that’s what we like to think. Temptations are very real, and living a hectic, overstuffed lifestyle certainly doesn’t help matters at all.
What most of us truly lack, however, is motivation. We have the knowledge and know-how — at least most of it. The tricky part is putting it into regular practice.
Like any approach to health and wellness, there's some debate about which way of eating is best. But understanding that you need to adopt a balanced approach or an otherwise wholesome diet is not all that hard to grasp. The same goes for exercise. Sure, some say cardio is better, while others preach resistance training, and many swear by yoga or CrossFit. Overall, though, being active for an hour or so every day is something we all know will work to our benefit — that is, if we stick to it.
Motivation and consistency are what get us. So, how do you find and maintain each? What motivation strategies will help you set — and achieve — your health and fitness goals? If you start with the following three tips, you can experience a quick shift in your mindset and get back on the right track.
1. Celebrate and Actualize Your Small Wins
Some people find all the counting and tracking of calories and exercise regimens, respectively, to be tedious. It’s just more homework in a life already filled with to-do lists. Others, though, find that it drives them to stay on point.
Especially today, with so many intuitive and even fun workout apps, you may find keeping a log and recording your progress each day — or each week — really helps you stay motivated to succeed.
By ticking a box, logging even a short run around the neighborhood, or proudly writing down “chicken and broccoli” for dinner, you actualize each “win” and can feel good about each small accomplishment. Then, as you see progress in achieving your goals, the habit of tracking helps reinforce the reason why you need to stay motivated and stick with it to see greater results.
2. Create Something to Look Forward To
In the kitchen and the gym — just like at work — it’s easier to get things done when you have a deadline. People who train for something specific tend to do better than those who just tell themselves, “I want to lose weight” in a general sense.
Even if you want to complete a local 10K in a few months or hike a nearby trail on a certain holiday weekend, it will help to have a date on the calendar.
Another option is setting a goal, like confidently wearing a bikini during your July 4 getaway or looking your best in some newly purchased lingerie or garters for an upcoming anniversary. Simply by knowing the days are ticking down, you're much more likely to push through that junk-food craving or find your resolve on those days when you don’t feel like working out.
3. Balance Kindness and Accountability
If you're often too hard on yourself, it's easy to get frustrated and quit trying to achieve all your goals. Likewise, if you never step up to the plate and constantly make excuses toward goal-setting, you’ll never achieve anything. As with many things, you need to look for the Goldilocks zone.
Scheduled cheat meals are one great tool. This way, you get permission from yourself to indulge without feeling like you're letting yourself down. You also need to learn to overlook slip-ups, especially when there are extenuating circumstances. If your friend gets in a car accident and you skip a workout to help, that should be a “free pass.”
Then again, you can’t just turn things like, “I wanted to watch a movie!” into a free pass. Plus, if you fail to hold yourself accountable, it’s a slippery slope toward seeing no progress, losing motivation, and convincing yourself it’s just not worth it. In other words, try to find the right balance.
Maintaining Motivation and Staying on Track
Motivation tends to be a rather personal trait. What works for some may be the worst advice for others. The key is finding what works for you, rather than trying to force someone else's solution onto yourself.
Still, there are a few things you should at least try out for size to stay excited and encouraged. Celebrate and track your small wins, set a date in the near future to work toward, and find the right balance between being a strict disciplinarian and just plain lazy.
With a few creative ways to motivate yourself, your health and fitness goals will be that much easier to achieve. Just stick with it and, soon enough, you'll start seeing more results — which is the best motivation of all!
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