How to Get Motivated

How to Get Motivated

Finding motivation is not always easy. Sometimes you pull on that pair of yoga pants and sweatshirt and don’t care what your body looks or feels like. Sometimes dinner with friends and drinks and sleeping in late is more appealing than eating clean and working out. Sometimes you are busy and finding time to cook and workout seems impossible.

DON’T GET ME WRONG. In between goals is a thing called life that needs to be lived and enjoyed!!!

However, it is easy to get stuck in a pattern where “let me treat myself” becomes a daily thing. Your stomach becomes a waist basket and your body gets farther and farther from where you want it to be. I think we can all agree that you feel worse. You’re not happy with where you are, you are low on energy, and you feel like you’ve let yourself go. Am I right?

So how do you find the motivation and get back to where you want to be?

• Set Goals. Decide what will make you happy. Is it being fit for a future vacation? Is it losing five pounds of fat and having more energy? Is it getting to the gym everyday so that you feel like you can walk up the stairs without wheezing? Is it fitting into skinny jeans without your love handles hanging over the sides?
• Make a plan. How will you do these things? What is it now that is making you so unhealthy? Is it that you are not active enough? Will you go to the gym three days a week? Everyday? Will you run the boardwalk in the morning?
• Make Simple Changes. Switch to drinking only water (don’t drink your calories and unknowingly consume excessive sugars through sodas and juices). Say no to those office cookies when your not that hungry, that sugary pumpkin spice coffee, or drinks on a weeknight. Don’t eat out of boredom. Don’t accept food to be polite.
• Be Conscious of Your Consumption. Read nutrition facts, plan your meals in advance, and be aware every time you put something in your mouth. Make an effort to eat greens and non-processed foods. Ask yourself if what you are eating is a step closer or farther away from your goals.
• Hold Yourself Accountable. Tell people that you are making a change. Write down what you eat. Apps like My Fitness Pal make it easy to record your food in a diary.
• Stay Positive & Consistent. After one month of eating clean research shows you crave bad food less. Remember that the longer you stick to the plan the easier it becomes. Consider that the earlier you start the better.
• Rest and Create other Healthy Habits. Getting a full 8 hours of sleep and waking up early makes you feel more successful. Going to the gym first thing in the morning helps you think more about what you eat during the day. Living a well-rounded healthy life where you focus on enhancing your mind, body, spirit is a great feeling!