Motivation For Staying On Track To Lose Weight

During the past two calls of the eight week course Lose Weight, Stay Skinny, I’ve been paying close attention to what Jena La Flamme and Kyle Battis had to say.  The biggest thing I’ve gleaned from those two calls is the importance of finding things to do that you actually enjoy doing.

Think about it… if the exercise you’re doing is something you hate, how long do you think it will last?

Both Jena and Kyle talked about how crucial it is to find true pleasure in your life, and how important it is to find activities and ways to move your body that you really enjoy.

I’m starting to believe that this is the key to motivation and staying on track.

But what I’m starting to realize is that this change isn’t always easy to make.  I’ve realized, during these last two weeks, that I would really enjoy swimming at my gym, jogging with my dog, and bicycling.  The bigger realization is that I would enjoy this much more in the afternoon, rather than first thing in the morning.

First thing in the morning I’d rather walk over to a hill close by my house, sit on it, journal, and watch for any wildlife that might wander by.

At first, this all sounds great!  I’ve identified areas that I would enjoy… exercise that would fulfill me and keep me motivated.

The catch is that these things are outside of my normal habits, and they will require sacrifice.  I will have to leave during the late afternoon to exercise, when me and my family are used to eating dinner around 5 or so.  I will have to buy a bicycle, when neither me nor my husband were planning on buying a bicycle anytime soon.  I will have to wake up a little earlier than normal and put on walking clothes and leave before I get started on my day, so I have time to journal and enjoy nature before I start my day.

The other challenge is an emotional one for me - it feels “wrong” to take time in the morning to do something that is seemingly not productive.  I have to adjust to the idea of taking time for me first thing in the morning and not feeling guilty about it!

That doesn’t sound like a big deal, but when things are normally done one way, it can be pretty tough to shake things up and change things around.

Have you identified things that could be considered exercise that you would really enjoy doing?  Have you identified the possible conflicts or challenges with doing them that way?

The first key is definitely to pick the activities that you’d enjoy; then choose the time of day you’d enjoy them most; then identify the possible challenges and conflicts that will make you want to skip.

Once you have those, you can plan for the challenges… work with them so that they become easier to push through… and you can get started moving your body in a way it loves to move!

I’d love to hear from you on your own thoughts about this… motivation is a huge subject, and I’m sure so many people (including me) would benefit from hearing from you.

Happily,
Bethany