Did you start the year with the goal of getting healthy? Did you join a gym or participate in an online fitness and nutrition program such as our “Six Weeks to Family Fitness” program? When you start on any journey, including fitness, it’s easy to say no to the unhealthy stuff, especially if you have the support of like-minded people around you; however, staying motivated overtime can be a different story. You may start with the best of intentions, but something always seems to get in the way of your regularly scheduled workout routines. No matter what curveball life may throw your way, there is hope! I have listed below, a few suggestions to help you get back on track.
Before you try any of my suggestions, the first thing I want you to do is to forget about the past. You may have fallen off the wagon for whatever reason, but there is no need to beat yourself up because of it. The past is over, so let’s move on from it. Today is a new day and with each new day comes new opportunities.
The motivation to be healthy comes from within – and motivation is most powerful when you’re hyper-focused on achieving your goals for you, rather than for someone else. It’s especially important to tap into that unstoppable force inside of you, as that drive will keep you going even when things get tough. “When the going get’s tough, the tough get going.” Here are six ways to help you stay motivated with your health goals:
- Know Your Why!
Your why has to be deeply personal to you. Is your why to lose weight, reverse diabetes, be there for your children? Only you know your why. Knowing your why will give you the intrinsic motivation you need to get up off the couch and work towards your goals.
- Get an accountability partner
When it comes to staying motivated with health goals, it works better with a partner who will help cheer you on and vice versa. This is someone you can talk to about your challenges, send texts to for support, and basically hold each other accountable.
- Don’t aim to be perfect
Getting healthy does not call for perfection — there’s a saying that goes “I’m not perfect, but I’m doing my best.” And while none of us wants to fail, it’s inevitable that you’ll have obstacles along the way, but that’s because you’re human. The best thing you can do is to not let obstacles stop you. It may slow you down but don’t, I repeat, don’t let it stop you. Letting go of perfection also means being willing to refine your goals along the way and make tweaks to them if needed.
- Make mini goals
Many people set health goals and then forget them later. Instead, try setting mini goals to lift yourself forward and stay motivated. You can think of mini-goals as steps toward your overall goal. They can be as simple as the things you need to do this week, such as buying new workout clothes or talking to your spouse about your goals. You can then take an overall goal, such as weight loss, and break it into mini-goals for the number of pounds you want to lose per month. Going for a 10-minute walk which can become 15-minute walks, 30 minute walks, could be a mini goal.
- Embrace the discomfort
It might sound counter-intuitive, but the more comfortable you are with discomfort, the more likely you are to change. Instead of seeing discomfort as a reason to ditch your health goals, use it as a signal that you’re on the right path. As you hit those mini-goals, you’ll be making progress and probably feeling a bit outside your comfort zone.
For many of us, our bodies control our minds, when it should be the other way around. We let our bodies tell us when to eat and when to exercise. Most of the time our bodies would rather you put off exercise indefinitely and as far as eating goes, your body will more often than not, crave high sugar, high fat, high sodium treats, not the fruits and vegetables your body needs to thrive and survive.
- Do meal prep
Success in the health department comes whenever you do a little prepping. Meal prepping can be as simple as (i) cutting up your fruits and veggies each week; (2) preparing smoothies. You can also spend one day making all your healthy meals for the entire week. While this can take up a lot of time, it keeps you from eating out, which will save you money and extra calories.
There you have it, a few tips to help you stay on track with your health goals. Let me know if any of these tips resonate with you. Drop me a line at vince@sixweeks.com. I would love to hear from you.
To Your Health😊
Be the first to comment