Tips to Build Motivation
Motivation, this buzzword gets tossed around a lot. We grab pictures from magazines of images we want to encompass, we make dream boards and mood boards to help us stay inspired, we run to the gym or pack a salad for lunch every day of the week to help us be healthy - but we struggle to sustain it. We lose motivation, we fall back into feeling uninspired, we stop working towards the goal we once proclaimed we would hit! Sometimes, it’s a natural progression as priorities shift and other times going to the gym 7 days a week doesn’t work for your schedule anymore. The example of packing a lunch becomes tedious as you sit there eating the same thing for the 4th day in a row while your coworkers grab grilled burgers and fresh French fry’s from the bar down the street. Or maybe it’s a different loss of motivation altogether. You start losing the weight, you start looking & feeling good, people are noticing and telling you that you’re looking great! But then, you feel like you can eat that sweet treat, skip the gym, eat that whole pizza.. and a burger.. plus some ice cream. The pounds start to creep back on, and all of a sudden it’s like you’re back at the beginning and the frustration of not being able to sustain the goal hits. So…
How do we get and stay motivated towards pursuing our health goals?!?
What if I told you - motivation is NOT the biggest factor for losing weight, getting healthier, or for feeling good. It’s consistency. Blah blah blah, yayaya - you might have heard that buzzword too. But wait! - before you get upset at that - let’s break down what I mean by consistency.
It’s doing what needs to be done to hit your goal. Insert goal here -> Ex) I wanna lose 20lbs. How are you going to do it? By changing out my work lunches with salads Monday-Friday and working out three days a week at my gym class. A healthy 20lb weight loss does not come off in one week. It could take upwards of 2-3 months! The boring part will be bringing that salad to work everyday, and going to your gym class after a hard day of work. What I can say is that if you push through and continue to bring that salad, keep showing up and kicking ass at those gym classes, that consistency will get you much more closely to that 20lb weight loss goal! This is true of every goal. Finding the consistent behaviors you need to hit daily, weekly, monthly, to reach your goal, and sticking to them is what helps you meet your objective.
I want to mention the thing that goes hand in hand with consistency - and that is discipline. I’m not talking about putting yourself in time out. I’m talking about doing what you said you were going to do. Building the grit and fortitude to continue on, with little regard to how you’re feeling. As with the example above, getting to the gym three days a week is the consistent part. Showing up and giving it your best, is the discipline part. There will be days you’re tired, you’re busy, you’re sleep deprived, you’re lazy, etc. Those can be excuses or you can learn how to adapt and get yourself to the gym anyway.* This self-discipline builds self-trust, self-reliance, self-confidence, and improves self-worth. The promises we make to ourselves are the biggest ones we break. But you are worth the promises that you make to yourself.
*Please keep in mind that if you’re in a certain amount of pain, or so sleep deprived you’re having trouble functioning I would recommend resting. However, an hour (or 2) missed of sleep - and a night full of insomnia are two separate things (or the difference between feeling stiff and being in immense pain).
Building consistency helps fuel motivation.
If you find yourself staying consistent and improving your level of self-discipline, it can be the motivational booster you need.
I do want to mention to the parents that are struggling maintaining consistency because they have the responsibility of raising some pretty good kids - what resources are available to you for you to reach your goals? Can your partner watch the kiddos while you make a healthy dinner? Can you trade off with the neighbor to watch each others’ kids while you each get a workout in? If you’re struggling with buts - shoot me an email and we can talk through some of those obstacles.
And, if you’re finding trouble knowing what behaviors to choose each week to meet your health goal, shoot me an email as well at rachel@livelifeundaunted.com. I’m a National Board Certified Health + Wellness Coach and would love to help steer you in the right direction. I can help you find what motivates you, build consistency, maintain discipline, and assist you in keeping the promises you made to yourself.