In my challenge group, I’ve just started having everyone complete some sort of “task” every day to keep them accountable and make sure they’re checking in. Monday is Motivation Monday where you post a picture or a quote that keeps you motivated. So far those that have posted have shared a picture of how they looked in the past, a body they would like to achieve again. But different things motivate people in different ways obviously.
I’ve been asked by a lot of people lately how I stay motivated to eat healthy, work out, stay active, etc. I’ve posted before about having a WHY. If you don’t have a reason for wanting to achieve your goal(s), then striving hard to achieve them might not be as easy as you’d hoped it would be. Post pictures, sticky notes, quotes, anything to motivate you around your house in areas that you see the most. Your bathroom mirror, your nightstand, the refrigerator, your car visor…any places that you will have a constant reminder of what you want to achieve your goal(s). Maybe you have a special event coming up – wedding, reunion, family party. Maybe you have a family history of a disorder or disease and you don’t want that same affliction. Maybe you already have some type of condition that you want to help alleviate. Maybe you want to get up and moving in hopes that it will motivate someone else in your household like your significant other, children, parents. But whatever reason you have, make it first and foremost about YOU.
Don’t strive to be something different because of other people. And don’t compare yourself to another person’s journey. We all have different things that motivate us and frankly there will be others that just don’t care or don’t need to care (though I envy people with ridiculous metabolism haha). By you sticking to what you need to do to achieve your goals, others will notice and many will look to you for inspiration. For someone, you may be their only guidance and inspiration and that’s a strong and powerful thing. I use that power not to exploit someone else, but to push myself further to achieve my goals, knowing that I’m not along in this journey…but I know it’s first and foremost about ME.
So, now that I’ve passed along my advice…what’s my motivation? Specifically when I basically started this journey alone? My husband and I want to have a baby soon and I know how much many of my friends struggled with losing the baby weight. I had almost 80 pounds to lose and didn’t want to lose that PLUS the baby weight. Plus, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions run in my family and I can lessen the risk by being active and eating better. Finally, my biggest push is to end the trend of obesity, which is the strongest thing Beachbody stands for. Working in public education, I see more and more obsese kids every year and it sickens me to think that our society has made it easier for someone to be fat or unhealthy than it is to be fit and active. The convenience of so many things has made our society lazy and sedentary. It’s cheaper to get a burger and fries than it is to get a salad and bottle of water. Our society is obsessed with quick fixes that help to alleviate some problems but worsen others. I’ve seen friends turn to pills and other unhealthy means just because they thought nothing else worked. Well, I’m proof that changing your eating habits and being more active can work. There’s no secret to weight loss, just dedication. I’m part of an amazing group of coaches, I have my own challenge group of fantastic ladies that keep each other (and me!) motivated, and the support of my family and friends is unparalleled. I am extremely lucky to have all of this in my life and it keeps motivated every day to do what I can for others. I hope you can find the motivation to achieve all of your goals, no matter what they are. And if you need help sticking to your routine (or starting one!), I’m just a click, phone call, or message away 🙂