Motivation and Advice

I recently met with the wellness lady at my university and talked with her about the whole health approach and why she doesn’t like the “jogging and broccoli” stigma that wellness programs have. I was disappointed because I WANTED a jogging and broccoli approach and personally felt like the other areas of my life (happiness, home, work satisfaction) are already great. We had a lovely and healthy lunch at a local café, and I used the time to ask her about her own journey and what her “lightbulb” moments were. She gave me my second fitness lightbulb idea, so I thought I would share and then ask for some ideas from the community.

My first lightbulb idea was given to me by a friend when I had just had my second baby (well, several months after I had him, so I was fully released from any workout restrictions). I was struggling at that time being a single mom and having two kids in the house. I could NEVER seem to find the time to work out, whenever I’d hop on the elliptical it was never failing that within ten minutes someone would wake up, need something, be crying, you name it. I told my friend George about my problem, venting and feeling frustrated and like I would never be able to get myself back to where I wanted to be. His answer was simple, and something I’d never thought of, “If you can only work out for ten minutes, then work out for ten minutes. Then later in the day work out for ten more minutes, they will add up.” So that was what I did. That was four years ago. Since then I have had an emergency surgery, followed by a pregnancy, and so I’m back to square one and thankfully am lucky enough to have a supportive partner and father figure for my boys, and so life is easier now for me to find the time to work out. But that moment will stay with me and I like to share it with others who may be struggling with getting started like I was.

But now to the present, and to my second light bulb, which just as with my first one, seems so obvious now that I’ve had it. What the wellness lady said to me was that she had to figure out what worked for her, and try a lot of different things to get there. Of course, that WAS what I had basically been doing, but I kept getting really angry at myself when something I was doing wouldn’t work etc. Well, I think I found something that’s kind of working for me, it involves having a chart that I remake every two weeks so that I’m switching up which exercises I’m doing, but being accountable, it’s on the fridge along with my weight and so my partner sees it and is able to be encouraging when I need it and give me positive feedback when I’m doing really well.

I seem to see a pattern that I’ll do REALLY well in the first week, I’ll eat healthy and control my cravings, but then somehow around day 7 my strength and willpower not to overdo it sort of leaves me. Does this happen to you guys? What do you do to stop it? It seems so hard to lose the pounds and SO easy to put them back on with just one day of losing my head. Any tips or tricks? I already ensure that my house does not have junk food in it. Thank you for reading this and for giving me advice!