Motivation...or lack thereof

Happy Tuesday !

As I sit here writing this, trying to make it just ONE WEEK of eating clean, working out  and not giving into temptations, I'm seriously considering going to town on one of the pastries my boss brought in for the office. "Will power" I tell myself. How the heck do I stay motivated when there are so many temptations around me??  Which brings me to my topic: motivation. Much of what I will discuss will ring true for many of you out there working on your goals.

You've made a plan, you're sure that THIS TIME you will succeed. It's not like all of the other times you've tried. The first week you're perfect; you've done everything you said you were going to.  The second week rolls around and you slack a bit, and before you know it you're wondering how you're ever going to succeed.

I can't tell you how many times I've been there. I'm not proud of how many times I have failed, but the important thing is I never ever gave up. Despite how many times I fell off the wagon, I always got back on. It's STAYING there that is the hard part. Here are some things I do to help me when I've exhausted all of my motivation.

1. Text or call my accountability buddy. This person knows the goals I set for myself and gives me positive encouragement about whatever I'm struggling with.
2. Revisit my reasons for why I'm trying to change. This is something that I do often. It's easy to get lost in the blunder of information and emotions swirling around me. Keep it simple. Remember why in the first place you felt something had to be different.
3. Check my Instagram. I have an Instagram account specifically dedicated to health and fitness. I post about it, and I follow women who are on the same journey. Seeing their success and progress is definitely a great way to get that push I need to get out the door and run, or to make something healthy rather than go pick up food.
4. Find ways to have fun with it. If you hate what you're doing, you'll never succeed. If you dread the thought of running, download the app Zombie Run and make a game out of it. It is way more fun pretending to escape zombies than listening to the same tired workout playlist and mindlessly running.
5. Recognize the progress you have made. Looking at my before and after pictures from a year ago to today is motivation all by itself. I NEVER want to get back to where I was, and the only way to do that is to stay on track with eating healthy and working out.

After writing this, I don't even want that pastry anymore. The thought of setting myself back for a moment of brief satisfaction just isn't worth it. Because immediately after eating that pastry I will regret it. It will lead me to a train of negative thoughts, which is unhealthy all by itself. So when I'm done with this I'm going to enjoy a nice grapefruit, and take pride in myself for making the right decision for my health and my body.
:)