Sometimes you set a goal, and you are super motivated.
Motivation for the first few days may feel like a “Hell Yeah!” but as the days & weeks dwindle past, your thoughts towards healthy eating and exercise may feel more like a “Hell No!!” Like, Hell No I do not want to go to the gym right now!! I’m just going to chill on this couch and watch another episode. And that is totally normal. Motivation may not always feel like a fire up your bum. Motivation may just be a slow burn. But however strong your motivation is, you need to realise why you need to change in order to pair motivation with adherence. Sometimes, we are in our own way!! We stop ourselves from change. Are you the type of person who sets goals but never quite reaches them? When was the last time you actually reached a goal?
When it comes to change, and goal setting, it helps to ask a few questions:
- Who do I have to become to achieve this goal? Do you think the YOU that’s 5kg lighter, and the YOU that’s more active/happier/fitter/stronger/faster/healthier would sit on the couch? The new YOU probably needs to put in a little more work than the current You that’s feeling like crap right now.
- Do I have any negative influences in my life? Maybe it’s your co-worker who keeps bringing cake into work and teases you for being on a diet. Maybe it’s your friends who call you a pussy for not drinking another round. Maybe it’s your mother who tells you that you are getting fatter every time she sees you. Whoever it is, you need to either cut them out of your life for now, or have a serious chat to them about your goals and why they are so important. Tell them you would appreciate a little more positivity.
- What do you like about yourself today? Stop the negative self talk. We all do it. It’s a hard cycle to break. Start recognising the little things you tell yourself when you look in the mirror every day. Replace them with kind words. e.g. I like my stomach today. I am strong. I am vibrant.
- What foods make me feel good? Take the pressure off. If you gave yourself permission to eat anything and everything you want, it’s more than likely that you would get sick of eating processed foods and sugars all the time. Your body would crave the greens, and grains and some healthy colourful food. You are not a bad person for wanting to eat unhealthy food.
Ok, so let’s say you’ve answered those questions, you are ready to light that fire! Chase that goal! and….GO!!! Then, two weeks later, the fire goes out, and you are left sitting on that couch again, caught up in the same cycle you always do. Dammit!! So, now we can look at a few more questions:
- What behaviours do you have now that aren’t benefiting you? Is it sitting on the couch after work and eating mindlessly? Are those afternoon drinks on the weekend setting back your fat loss? Is it that you aren’t giving yourself enough rest? Are you going half-arsed at the gym?
- Why are you continuing to perform these unhelpful behaviours? You need to find out if deep down you believe that “not changing” is benefiting you.
You need to realise that you are the only one that can make yourself change. You can decide to change, and you must also carry out the change.
One last tip: Motivation and willpower go hand in hand. Willpower increases as your consistency increases. Draw from your success to empower your next obstacle. You have more willpower than you think.
Coach – Soni
IG – @Sonijay