Finding Motivation to Practice Healthy Habits

The number one concept that I believe in that helps finding motivation to practice healthy habits is that YOU control your own life.  It doesn’t matter what you were born into or where you are currently at.  If you want changes in your life, only you can make them happen.  This applies to you professionally and personally.

Identifying what you want and why, is the first step to achieving any goal. Complacency is so common in the workplace, in relationships, in personal health, and it is the worst thing you can allow yourself to fall into.  Without even realizing, staying complacent and hanging out in your comfort zone is blinding you from correcting active faults and preventing you from growth.  It is a lot easier to coast securely in an easy routine than to allow vulnerability and agitate areas that are broken. Change goes against human nature and what is familiar and stable.

Goals do not come easy, and they do not come quickly either, which is why most people quit or never start at all.  Even if it takes you 5 years to do something (get out of debt, finish your degree, get out of the current job you hate, lose the weight, take that dream vacation) it is way better to approach a goal slowly and steadily vs staying stagnant and not moving the needle at all.  But the thing is…once you hit that goal, nothing feels better.

Fitness and physical confidence are tough topics for both men and women, because you cannot hide being out of shape.  Even if you just “don’t talk about it” (such as Americans can with the personal debt crisis, for example) you’re displaying it every day.  You remind yourself of it when you don’t like who you see in the mirror, when you’re uncomfortable in your jeans, when you’re in certain physical positions, this list of discomforts could go on and on.

Obesity is the condition of a person being considerably overweight, by either having a high BMI or being at least 30 pounds over the recommended weight for their height. Obesity is a current worldwide problem.  Here in America, 66% of Americans older than age 20 are overweight and 34% are obese1.  Even more scary is that 34% of children and adolescents are overweight2.

There are 5 stages of change according to National Academy of Sports Medicine: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. A large number of people never make it to the action stage.  What is it that holds us back? Top answers are time, money, support systems, and no intent for changing.  Here is a frank response to them.

Time

This is an oasis. The busiest person can prioritize 20 minutes in a heap of mess. Key word is prioritize.

Money

Exercising and eating right does not need to be expensive.  There are many ways to improve health while on a budget.  Relating a solution with a hefty price tag (nutritional shake packs or other weight loss pills or powders) is not necessary and could even be a gimmick.  If you’re looking for an EASY fix, then your honest excuse should be effort, not money.  If you’re not willing to put the effort it, you’re probably just not ready.

Support System

You need to be surrounded by people that support you and your goals.  Be open with friends and family members about your goals, and explain why it is important to you.  If this person values you, they will support you.

 People can support you even if they don’t participate with you! If you find friends that don’t support you at all, or combat your choices, you may want to reevaluate that relationship and honestly ask yourself if this person deserves to be in your life.  You will likely find people that do want to buddy up and pursue new goals with you, heck, you might inspire them!  Having an accountability partner is proven to keep you from quitting, whether it’s a friend, spouse, or a coach.

No Intent for Changing

You haven’t identified a need for change and that’s okay.  Learning about risks of current lifestyle and rewards of possible improvements you may consider change someday.

If you are on the brink of finding motivation, only you can uncover your reason “why”.  I do have empathy for those that are working multiple jobs (been there), or parenting/caregiving (toughest job in the world), but even you, ESPECIALLY you, are strong enough to do what it takes.  For many Moms, Dads, and Grandparents, their reason why is being around for their children or grandchildren as they age.

Here are a few categories that may help you find motivation, or hang onto it when you find yourself in a maintenance plateau:

*Goal Setting: What is it that you want? Making a roadmap is key so that you have purpose on your actions every day.  You may know exactly what you want or you may need some help identifying it.  Break that up into yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals so that it is challenging yet attainable.  Make sure your goals are realistic so that you don’t lose faith and prematurely quit!

*Habits: Set yourself up for success by eliminating TV, limit going out to bars/restaurants for special occasions, adhering to a budget (keeps you productive when you can’t go spend money freely), go on walks (restorative activities heal).

*Practice self-growth: initiate behaviors that make you uncomfortable- in a good way: volunteer, self-help books, continued education, effort towards nurturing or repairing relationships with others.

*Reading/Podcasts: Tim Ferris and Jackie Warner are a couple of my favorites for fitness and motivation.  Reading really is a personal preference and you need to find authors you relate to.  Go to the library and check out 10 books that catch your interest, hopefully you find one that is written in a way you love to read.  Make the library your new go-to!

*Food skills: Learn basic food knowledge of what is healthy and what is not, gutting out your fridge and pantry, healthy shopping, meal planning, food prep, this category is critical.  If you are making poor choices with food you are wasting your efforts in the gym. Figure out what you like and what you don’t like, and what works for you.

*Fitspiration: This is what I consider the “glitz” category, and is usually needed more during the maintenance stage rather than the action stage.  Things that keep the flame going: new workout routines, fresh workout outfits, selfies for tracking progress and using other metrics as trackers, scrolling social media and following people who motivate you (in moderate amounts!), new music playlists.

It can be an overwhelming process to start, stick with, and continue to evolve a fitness plan that fulfills you.  So, it’s no wonder why so many people struggle with it.  Being unhappy with yourself on the inside is a painful way to live, and I want to inspire men and women to find freedom of that.  If I can help you at all with any of these areas, reach out!

1Clark, Micheal., Lucett, Scott.Sutton, Brian G. (Eds.) (2012) NASM essentials of personal fitness training /Baltimore, MD : Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins,
2Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. (2012). Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among U.S. children and adolescents, 1999-2010. Journal of the American Medical Association, 307, 483–490.