I have to confess, I have been lazy.
I am a summer chic and when fall makes its first appearance I immediately feel the symptoms of cabin fever. I let the weather dictate the level of motivation I enjoyed through the last part of September. Add to the mix an enormous amount of responsibilities and a lack of plan and you got it: A recipe for failure.
I guess I’m not perfect and, after all, I’m vulnerable to inconsistencies and lack of motivation. But I have discovered that if I don’t motivate myself enough to do anything, no one else will do it for me. So what motivates me? I have been thinking about this lately and want to share the three things that will help me get it through the dreaded winter months.
- Look back at accomplishments. For health reasons, I decided to work toward a healthier weight. I have done a combination of eating habit modifications and exercise that have helped me reach 50% of my goal. Yay, me!! I started it in August. Some of the things I have implemented in my daily diet are: more veggies, healthier carbs (mostly from fruit), elimination of soft drinks (including diet drinks), very restrictive consumption of carbs after 5 pm, decrease in fats, increase of fiber intake, and 8 glasses of water daily. I have also been running/walking 3-4 miles every other day. When I think of how much of my goal I have advanced, I can’t help to get motivated to continue doing what I’ve been doing until it becomes a habit. I honestly think twice now when I’m about to consume food that is not so good for me, and the best is, I don’t feel deprived. I actually feel very responsible.
- Be competitive. Yes, I mean that. Although I am not a declared competitor, I do secretly, and sometimes not so secretly, enjoy when someone puts me up for a challenge. It gives me a rush of energy that makes me go further on whatever I’m doing. I am happy to announce that I am finally seeing my husband getting motivated to work out and is doing well. He won’t work out with me, but that’s ok, because I know he’s doing it. What this means for me is that now I’m not going to be the only one trying to reach goals, and I will be eager to know who’s closer. LOL. I know that sounds crazy, but, hey, it works for me.
- Plan ahead. IIf you don’t plan, you can only plan to fail. So, I will start planning my meals to make sure I always have a balanced diet for my family even on the snowy days. That will help me when selecting my groceries and choosing the right snacks for those couch-potato days in front of the fireplace. Now that it won’t be as easy to work out outside, so I will also dig out my exercise videos and DVDs. I will write down my goal and stick it in a place that will remind me why I’m doing what I’m doing. Finally, I’m going to find the advice of those of can lead me in the right path.
This is how I motivate myself during the change of seasons. How do you get motivated?
Tags: cabin fever, family health, goal setting, healthy living, motivation, weight loss and fitness goals
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