8 Tips For Keeping Motivated
Keeping motivated along your health journey is vital.
You may set your health and weight loss targets, you get excited to get going, you feel motivated and in control. After a few days, a few weeks, your motivation starts to wane. Little things happen and you feel that you’ve lost all control, you’re never going to achieve your goals, so what’s the point!
Any of this sound familiar? It can be part of the reason why yo-yo dieting is so common place, and so frustrating.
So how do you maintain your motivation to keep going?
Taking 100% responsibility is important. If you are only interested in a health plan, you may well come up with excuses for not succeeding, why you haven’t or why you can’t. You are also likely to form only general targets, with a few high level steps to get you there.
TARGETS
Be clear on your targets. What is it specifically that you want to achieve?
Write your targets out – be specific, be measurable, and include estimated achievement dates that are realistic but provide you with a bit of a challenge.
See Project Me for more information.
COMMITMENT
When you’re committed to reaching your target, you will do everything in your power to get there. And this power within you can be formidable. A commitment sends a message to your mind to also act its part in helping you achieve your targets.
A constant reminder, or something you can review on a daily basis, helps to keep you motivated. If your targets are out of sight, they can also be out of mind!
What would work for you to keep them visible?
Suggestions could be: a daily log, pictures, commitment statements, goals written on post-its and put on the fridge, a screensaver etc! Anything that will regularly remind you of your commitment to your targets.
PLAN OF ACTION
Write out your plan for achieving your targets.
Keep your actions as small, simple steps on the way to achieving your goal. It’s about gaining momentum and creating positive daily habits, not feeling overwhelmed.
Do you need to schedule time in your diary for specific actions? Are there habits that are hindering your success, and new habits you’d like to introduce?
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
How do you know where you are on the way to achieving your targets? Tracking your progress maintains motivation and can also give you invaluable insight into patterns and habits.
FIND WAYS TO HAVE FUN
Having fun during the process of reaching your health targets will not only make the journey more enjoyable but will reduce stress.
And we definitely want to reduce stress.
Being healthy doesn’t have to be boring, and it’s certainly not about starvation. Find new healthy foods, fun ways to get the family involved in cooking, and ways of treating yourself that isn’t about food.
VISUALISATION
Regularly picture your target as if you have already achieved it – what do you see, feel and hear? It only takes 5 minutes a day, but is a powerful way to keep motivated.
CELEBRATE SUCCESS
When your brain starts seeing the small successes on the way to your bigger target, it not only gets a dopamine hit (reward) it’s also another way to stop feelings of overwhelm and stress.
Review your actions regularly and celebrate your successful achievements of them.
SHARE YOUR TARGETS AND SUCCESS
When setting targets/actions, it helps to have someone to be accountable to; someone who will motivate and challenge you when you need that extra support. Find someone who you can chat to, check in with, share plans and celebrate successes.
As SmallerKnickers Workshop Attendees you can also get that support from us.
Change happens for you when you take responsibility and when you decide to take action.