Staying motivated can be extremely difficult, especially when it comes to eating healthy and working out. Life will always give you an excuse when you need it. So it’s usually pretty simple to find a reason not to eat right, workout, or go to the gym. The excuses range from being busy, to not having the money to keep your gym membership, to lacking the time to workout, to not seeing results, etc., etc, etc. The list can go on forever.
When it comes to health and fitness, every one begins with the best of intentions, which makes it easy to take that first step into a gym, or purchase that new aerobics video or fitness magazine; but without a clearly defined goal it becomes just as easy to lose that enthusiasm. Motivation is something that fades quickly. That’s why it’s extremely important to have a plan. A clearly defined plan or set of goals is the most important element in keeping you motivated and focused. Set small goals and write them down. Setting the small goals will pave the way for accomplishing the bigger goal. It’s just like being a child; we had to crawl before we could walk. We took baby steps before we learned to run. Look at what you have written down everyday, this way you will keep it fresh in your mind. Be realistic in your approach. Being overly optimistic or unrealistic can set you up for failure and lead to demotivation as well.
Enlist the help of a partner to keep you accountable. Maybe a husband or wife, a neighbor, your best friend, whoever! Tell people about your goal and what you are trying to do; it’s hard to stop pushing forward when you know that you have committed yourself to everyone.
Don’t forget to reward yourself in some form every time you reach one of your goals. Now this soesn’t mean running down to your local fast food restaurant and grabbing a burger, although having a cheat day can be good (we will discuss that at a later date). However giving yourself a small reward at each accomplished goal will help to keep you positive, give you something to look forward to, and keep you pushing forward.
