Ways to get motivated and STAY ON TRACK

zdawg77

Hi All,

I'm looking to, once again, try and change some eating and exercising behaviors - for the better. I'm sure this is a familiar story for many of us out there, but I keep trying and eventually losing motivation, focus after only a few weeks. So, I'm looking to find ways to help keep me motivated and would love to hear what other people have found helpful.

So far, I have identified two broad categories for motivating myself. First, I can use fear of things such as being fat (and therefore alone), a fear of dying (perhaps reminded by the death of friends/family or celebrities - oh poor James G!), or other negative outcomes to keep me on track with my dietary changes.

However, and this leads me to my second way of motivating myself, using a fear of negative outcomes does not have "staying power" for most people, and it certainly is not an enjoyable way to live. Psychological research has shown that replacing behaviors with other less enjoyable or gratifying behaviors does not lead to behavior change in the long term. Instead, using positive reinforcement, replacing problematic behaviors with other, more rewarding and enjoyable things is what ultimately leads to sustained change. And so I'm looking for ways to get healthy that are fun, enjoyable, and can replace bad eating habits in the short term. And give me some positive reinforcement.

That being said, does anyone have any tips for things they do to keep them positively motivated? I'd also like to hear any technique that one uses, small or large, regardless of the "positive" or "negative" aspect. I NEED HELP staying motivated!

Thanks for anyone's tips!