One of the biggest impediments to getting in shape is loss of motivation. It’s hard to get off the sofa. It’s painful to get in your car and drive or walk to the gym. And I am the first to agree, it’s oftentimes agonizing to eat an apple instead of a humungous slice of chocolate cake. Not only that, but it’s seemingly impossible to break a habit. If I get into a routine of eating fast food and lounging on the sofa, I don’t care how much it affects my health. I’m comfortable! And as a species, we all inherently want comfort.
So then, why and how do we change from “comfortable” to uncomfortable? How do we get off the proverbial sofa? The general equation on motivation is this:
When the pain and suffering of doing nothing outweighs the perceived pain and suffering of change,
we motivate ourselves and thus, change our behavior.
For example, we hit rock bottom. Our behavior doesn’t make us feel “comfortable” anymore. We reach a weight we always swore we’d never reach. We start to look and feel badly about the way we wear our clothes, or our favorite jeans no longer fit. This dissonance and anxiety, if we’re lucky, causes us to suddenly become motivated to change.
But for many us, there is no “rock bottom,” or worse, we choose instead to rationalize our situation. We end up convincing ourselves that, “I didn’t want to fit into those jeans anyway,” or “I’m not the exercising type.” When that’s the case, motivation and the determination to change becomes obscure. As a last resort, we end up needing motivation to get motivated! I was this way for a very long time, until I realized a few tricks, tools and bits of wisdom that helped me kick start my life as an active, healthy woman who takes nutrition and exercise seriously. Motivation is key. But remember, it’s only part of the equation. As Helen Keller once wrote: “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
- Your mind is your most powerful tool. And one of its functions is to motivate your body to do certain things that you might otherwise not want to do. Everyone has the ability to motivate himself or herself. It’s just a matter of channeling the right thoughts into your thinking. Earl Nightingale said, “The strangest secret is that we become what we think about, most of the time.” If we think we are incapable of getting fit, we will be incapable. If we think we are strong and able to handle distress, then we are strong and able to handle distress. When you think something over and over again, you literally brainwash yourself into believing a new truth. Take 20 minutes every day and meditate. It doesn’t have to be in the traditional sense with legs crossed, chanting “Om.” Just find a comfortable, quiet spot, and start to talk to yourself. Exercise your inner voice. Tell yourself you are worth a beautiful body. Tell yourself you are deeply committed to your health and well-being. Give yourself encouragement. “I can do this,” “I am strong,” “I am alive and healthy and motivated.” OK, so you might tell yourself little white lies here and there. But, that’s OK! Positive self-talk is a powerful tool. Use it frequently. To read more on positive thinking and self-talk visit the Mayo Clinic for great tips and advice.
- Just do it. Nike™ had it right when they came up with their “just do it” ad campaign. Well, the ad executives had it right, at least. But here’s the deal: getting up to go to the bathroom or to go to bed takes about the same amount of energy as getting up to turn on an exercise video. Thing is, once you’re standing in front of your flat screen, half the work of “getting you there” is over. Now, it’s just a matter of putting in the effort to follow along. If this doesn’t sound like fun, don’t give up! Try a gym or a fitness club. You may be the type that needs people around to help motivate you.
- Persevere. The first time you exercise will probably be stressful. The first day of your new diet will most likely leave you feeling hungry. If it’s been awhile since you’ve lifted weights or taken a cardio class, your body may feel awkward. You may fumble, make mistakes or feel clumsy. If your digestive system is more accustomed to taking in breads or meats rather than a plate of leafy greens, you will notice a difference. Change, whether good or bad, ALWAYS feels awkward at first. But if you remain committed to whatever activity you set out to accomplish, you will adapt! And you will definitely find it easier to motivate yourself to get to a “Spin” class or choose humus over a hotdog.
- Get involved. The more you make healthy living part of your lifestyle the healthier you become. Read books and magazines on healthy eating, join a gym and socialize, become part of a bicycling group or simply try to meet other like-minded individuals who also aspire to healthier living. And if you are really ambitious, set a goal for yourself. Sign up for a 5K, a triathlon, a swim team or a healthy foods cook-off. Lastly, if you can’t afford to change your whole life around, subscribe to online blogs or forums about health and fitness. There are millions! I recommend About’s Calorie Count page, which lets you count all your calories and keep track of your meals for free, or myfitnesspal, which does much of the same thing, including keeping track of your workouts. Both are online “communities” which serve to motivate and inspire.
Coming up next week: Fitness: how you can start a physical activity program and stay active and fit for life.
