1. Have a specific, exciting goal and a deadline for reaching both it and smaller interim steps. An exciting, bold goal is motivating and will keep you going when the times get tough. A specific, time-bound goal will pull you towards it much urgently and effectively than the usual “get a bit fitter” goal.When the feeling of “motivation” inevitably wanes, your goal should be sufficiently powerful to get you moving, get into the gym, or to planmeals or fill in your food diary when you don’t really feel like it. Ask yourself – will “Get a bit fitter/tone up a bit” really do that for you? Go for broke. Many determined clients have gotten leaner, stronger and faster than ever before, even when they started as late as age 57. Look at Cathy over on the (www.intelligentfitnessuk.com/success-stories) success stories page</a> who lost 6.5 stone and has run three marathons and moved into the top 5% in the world in her age group. She then set multiple Scottish and British Records in Powerlifting in 2015. Or check out Jane Gallacher (VQ) who ditched nearly 5 stone at age 38 and got herself so fit she fought her way to a silver medal at the World Unified Kickboxing Championships last year.
See their http://www.intelligentfitnessuk.com/success-stories/ stories here
2. Write down and remind yourself of the advantages of reaching that goal. Often this changes from “Fit into Jeans “etc. (which is fine of course) to more profound things things like “Feel confident enough to take on new challenges”. or “Feel a sense of control over my eating and health”. Set up a daily reminder system and look at it every day before critical times like eating or going to the gym. You might argue you that you know why you want to get in shape – you don’t have to remind yourself.. And I’m sure you might recall you goals – if you happen to be discussing it at the time. But your goals can and do go out of your mind when you are doing other things. People often fail simply because they lose sight of their goals. You need to have a system which moves your goals from the back of your mind to the front – on a very regular basis. Use pictures, gym or diet buddies or reminders on your phone or computer. It pays to systemise your reminders.
3. Having a goal and knowing the advantages of that goal is still not enough. The key to success is working out a plan to reach that goal. And that requires regular, specific time slots. Diarise shopping, exercising and planning time weekly. Prioritise your health activities. Cut down on non-essentials like Facebook and TV. Stop saying you don’t have time. If it’s important to you, you will find the time – all you need is 5% of your week to get into top shape and feel and look your best.
4. Make yourself accountable – ideally with professional guidance. Pay for a training session with a personal trainer, join a group or class of like-minded people – or just enlist an exercise buddy.
5. Give yourself credit daily for what you do right and face squarely what you didn’t get right. Give yourself daily “pats on the back” for what you get right. Don’t give yourself a hard time when you make mistakes but instead learn from them, rather than just give up because it didn’t go perfectly. Problem solve to prevent them happening again. Don’t only reward yourself only for weight loss, which can be frustratingly erratic at times – but also for changing habits; eating mindfully; planning meals; doing exercise or turning down excess food.
6. Reward yourself at specific points in the process – every 5 lbs in weight loss, an extra minute run, an increase in weight lifted. Don’t wait until the final goal to treat yourself to a pampering session at the spa or nice meal out.
7. The real key to motivation is that in fact <strong>Action Leads to Motivation</strong> and not the other way around. Often, people who have difficulty getting to the gym or planning and recording their meals believe that in order to do a task effectively, they must first feel like doing it. But unless you get into the habit of doing tasks when you don’t really feel like it – success will elude you. Motivation comes after action – not before. Dedicated exercisers, for example, will admit that most often they don’t feel like going beforehand. But after the first 10 -15 minutes (which is often “sticky”) you will feel much more motivated. So – go for a walk and discuss an exciting goal with a friend; go along to the gym; or go to the shops to buy healthy food you enjoy.
I guarantee that if you apply these 7 Tips you will end 2019 in much better shape than you started it.
Good luck!
Greg