This week my focus is on Motivation. Motivation is a psychological feature that arouses someone to act toward a desired goal, could be anything that elicits, controls, or sustains certain goal directed behaviors. A perfect example is hunger. Hunger drives and motivates you to eat. But what motivates us to better ourselves when it isn't a natural response? Competition and rewards are unarguably some of the biggest extrinsic motivators for individuals trying to reach a goal. But what about those who have the goal of climbing Mount Everest with their son, or living long enough to see grandkids. What about those who are trying to reduce their risk for Diabetes, or are just trying to look great in a swim suit... are these reasonable goals? YES! A motivator to you, may not be a motivator for someone else... but that is the beauty of what drives and moves you! Find something that will be meaningful and long-lasting that will take you to the end.
My motivation comes from competition with myself. I love to compete in events in order to improve previous times and to see how far I can push myself. I enjoy running in races with the distance of 5k, 10k and I have even done 2 half marathons. In the past year, I found myself with the opportunity to buy a road bike and the interest for a triathlon has sparked (as I used to be a competitive swimmer in high school). 8 months ago I moved from North Dakota to Massachusetts and it has been 11 months since my last race and it is definitely time to put my competitive edge to the test. My motivator will be to compete in a half marathon in the next year and better my time of 1 hour:52 seconds. Now that I've said it to you, it is real, and I am committing to the event. I look forward to sharing this journey with you. What is your main motivator to change?
I want to leave you today thinking about what motivates you, no matter what your goal may be. Here is some great advice to setting your goal and finding motivation that moves you.
oxox, Em
- Make mini milestones. Break your weight-loss goal into 10-pound blocks.
- Keep your eye on the prize. Tape a list on your fridge of what you want to accomplish, like fitting into your size-8 jeans or running a mile without stopping.
- Create incentives. Give yourself a dollar for each pound lost. Use the money to treat yourself to a new sweater or spa treatment.
- Buy fitted clothes. Avoid expandable elastic waists that don't let you feel or see those extra inches creeping up on you.
- Know you're not alone. Don't be afraid to join a health club because of your size. You'll find a range of body types at the gym.
Get an affordable personal trainer. Hire one with a group of friends and split the cost-- you'll save money and learn how to burn more calories from a professional.
Join a gym near your office. Exercising during your lunch break or after work will be much more convenient.- Pay for a 10-pack of workout classes upfront. That way, you'll have to go or your money will be wasted.
- Seek motivation on the Internet. Get 24/7 support with an online weight-loss group. Exchange messages, recipes, even exercise tips with other readers at sites like sparkpeople, loseit, caloriecoutner, etc...
Power up with a partner. Enlist the help of a friend to cheer you on when motivation gets tough.- Don't be deprived. Treat yourself to a small portion of something sweet each day so you won't crave it and binge later.
Crunch the numbers. Know the calorie counts of your favorite meals, snacks and drinks. Resolve to make your daily calorie intake a healthy 1,500.
Make smart eating easy. Start your own file of healthy recipes you've created or picked up from books and magazines.
Save the best for last. If you taste food while making dinner, you can take in a huge amount of calories without realizing it; wait until you sit down to eat.- Write before you bite. Keep a journal of everything you put in your mouth. You'll think twice before you eat if you know you have to write it down.
- Sign up for a run/walk event or bike race. The competition will help you work harder and you'll make fitness-minded friends.
Change with the seasons. Snowshoe in the winter, swim in the summer and bike in the spring. Different workouts will keep you challenged.
Cultivate your green thumb. Burn 254 calories per hour by doing your own yard work. You can also stock up on veggies by growing them in your garden.
*Advice and comments from readers of Shape that have found great success in reaching their weight-loss goals.
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