Maintaining Motivation

NayaLife

Hey peeps-

Read this article recently. The main thing that stood out to me is the SMART goal setting - for me I think it's the main thing that will help me maintain my motivation this year in my weight loss and body shaping goals. Too many times I've set a pretty big or even reasonable long term goal only to wind up losing focus because I didn't set smaller goals to lead up to the accomplishment of the bigger goal. What about you? - Anything u can pull from this article to help u keep your motivation throughout this year? Happy Reading :-)

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We are closing in on the end of another year and another opportunity to make our resolutions for 2013! Perhaps you are one of the 35% of Americans who have resolved to lose what at some point over the last few years. Maintaining those decisions is difficult! We always start with such good intentions. We are so ready to see these goals fulfilled. But soon we realize that we are lacking the one thing that drives us to continue on the path to a healthier life... motivation. Motivation… Why is it so difficult to maintain? Why does it ebb and flow so easily? How does one keep it and, most importantly, how does one get it to begin with?

Motivation is defined as the psychological feature that arouses an organism (you) to action towards a desired goal (better health) and elicits, controls, and sustains certain goals directed behaviors (better eating and consistent exercise). Did you catch that first part? It is psychological. It's in your mind! That is where all positive change begins and finishes. But you might ask yourself, "I am ALWAYS motivated to start! I just have a hard time keeping that motivation once the spinning class starts..” Well here is the thing: Motivation comes in two types: Internal or Intrinsic Motivation and External or Extrinsic Motivation. Internal or Intrinsic Motivation is the motivation that is driven by the action itself. You are motivated to do these things because you take pleasure in them! These are the things you would do this regardless of the outside influences on you. For instance, left to your own devices you would probably choose a bowl of ice cream and a couple of slices of pizza for dinner... I know I would! External or Extrinsic Motivation is the motivation that comes from an outside source, such as a body pump coach, a group of individuals with similar goals as you, or a yelling trainer. This type of motivation is important because it is usually necessary for those who don’t currently (or never have) consistently done the things necessary to reach their specific goals.

So what does it take to turn my External Motivation into Internal Motivation? The answer is simple. It takes time! You have to invest the time. It has been said that it takes thirty days to develop a habit and only one day to break it. You have to make the initial decision to give yourself time to become habitual. You eventually break your old patterns by consistently practicing those new behaviors over and over. The great thing about motivation is once you start to feel the amazing benefits of exercise and wellness and you reach some of the goals that you have set for yourself, you’ll find that no longer will you always need those external motivators to get you active, to help you to watch your diet, or to get to the gym. That feeling that you get when you eat that slice of pizza or eat that bowl of ice cream will quickly be replaced by the other internal motivators, like a better night’s sleep, more energy during the day, better physical function, and less unhealthy days. Hence one of my favorite sayings, “Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels.” So what are some things you can put into place this year to make certain that you stay motivated and that all this exercise and eating right eventually becomes second nature? Here are a few practical ideas that are proven to help you develop and maintain the proper motivation. Put these all in practice and you will be well on your way to becoming your best you in 2013!

1. Set SMART Goals A goal that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time sensitive is said to be a S.M.A.R.T. goal. You need to make certain that your goal is defined! If you say, “You want to get in shape,” that isn’t specific enough. If you say you want to run a marathon, but you have yet to run a mile than that isn’t very achievable! You need to set small achievable goals for yourself so that the motivation from achieving them spring boards you to your next goal. If you are having trouble coming up with a SMART goal, enlist the help of a professional trainer or someone who has achieved the results you are looking for.

2. Make exercise a daily habit Get into the habit of doing some sort of physical activity EVERYDAY. This isn’t something most people are used to doing. This doesn’t mean it is excessive! Remember that we are far more sedentary as a society than we were in the past. Time for exercise should be set aside everyday to ensure that we do even just the minimal amount required to live a healthy lifestyle. If you have a family or children, than make them a part of your physical activity. Most gyms and recreation centers have quality childcare that is wellness focused that will not only give you a break from your kids, but will also give them a break from you!

3. Keep an exercise/food journal Most people are actually very unaware of how much they eat or how much exercise they engage in on a daily basis. Exercise journals serve two purposes: They force you to become more in tune with what is going on with your body and they give you a repetitious activity to keep you engaged in your goal. If you don’t like using paper than there are several excellent programs to make the process doable from your smart phone, tablet, or computer!

4. Use the 80/20 rule Don’t get discouraged! Have it as a goal to be successful in your proper eating and exercise plan 80% of the time. I call it the 80/20 Rule. Unfortunately, most people tend to reverse these numbers and then wonder why they don't see results. Strive to build a healthy lifestyle where you occasionally indulge and take small breaks. You will be surprised how much this will positively affect your overall health!

5. Reward yourself! Eventually the internal rewards will be enough. But, until that time, set bench-marks for yourself and reward yourself when you reach them. Perhaps, you will treat yourself to a shopping trip or a movie when you reach your short-term goal. Rewarding yourself for a short-term success has a way of ensuring you’ll set another short-term goal.

6. Find a fit community Maintaining your motivation is much easier when the people you interact with are attempting to do the same things. Human are pack animals. We tend to run in herds. If you run with a (or, in this case, sit) with an unfit herd, you will think of any number of reason to justify where you are. If you surround yourself with a group of people who desire to live healthier lives you will have a much easier time motivating yourself to reach your goals. Find a running group or a boot camp. Join an online community or look for healthy events in your area. This will not only help you maintain your motivation, but you might just make some new friends in the process.

7. Have fun! This is one that people tend to leave out! Exercising, while challenging, does not have to be boring. Maybe a yoga or zumba class is what you enjoy. It could be a boxing class or something that involves being outdoors, like cycling or running.
Find a variety of things that you like to do and you will be surprised how much more likely you will be to maintain a fit lifestyle.

--Written by M. Brian Conner, Fitness and Wellness Consultant BEST University, LLC. www.bestufit.com / info@bestufit.com “Be your best you.”