Staying motivated can be tough under the best circumstances. So what happens to your healthy eating and exercise goals when the chips are down? Often, they get pushed aside and bad habits sneak back into the daily routine. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Keep your mental game focused
Having long-term, short-term or any-term goals, and actually reaching those goals, is hard work… and maybe a few tears. Dedication. Determination. Inspiration. Commitment. And perhaps most importantly, motivation. Yes. Without motivation, reaching your goals is next to impossible. And the thing about motivation, is once you have it, you have to hold on to it every step of the way until you reach your goal. But holding on tightly to motivation doesn’t always work. Sometimes motivation slips right through your fingertips. And unless you are mindful of it, remaining motivated could be the very thing that holds you back from reaching your goals.
You know exactly what I am talking about. There has been a time in your life, when a goal was set. A goal was worked toward. Then at some point, motivation slipped away. It was still within reach, but not close enough to get back. And as a result, the goal was not reached.
If you’ve ever tried, but failed to reach your goal – if you’re starting to lose the motivation to continue. I’m here to tell you, don’t give up. It can be different this time, and it will be different this time, as long as you’re mindful of what you can do to stay motivated.
To help you keep your motivational MoJo going we gathered some good tips to help keep you moving forward. Additionally we added some tips we collected from other Lap-Band Patients that shared with us how they kept themselves motivated. Add a few of these tips in places around the house, car or work space as a reminder to keep your chin up, you will get there, don’t lose hope!
1. Change your mindset
I’m talking about changing the way you think about yourself. Starting right now. Yes. You are no longer a person who doesn’t exercise. You are an athlete. You are no longer a person who tries to lose weight. You are losing weight. And you are no longer a person who wants to make healthier food choices. Because you are already are making healthy food choices. So think about your goal. And think about what you are doing right now to reach that goal. And even if what you are doing right now to reach your goal feels small, it counts. Because you see, making a change. Reaching a goal takes commitment. And that commitment starts when you change your mindset.
Bandster Tips -Look at How Far You’ve Come
“I think of how far I’ve come—I’ve lost 315lbs., and how I feel now, which is awesome!” —Les S.
“My motivation is knowing I’ve come too far to quit now.” —Erin S.
“Taking pictures every 30 days really helps. If you have been working out and tracking your calories, you may not see the scale move much, which is frustrating. But if you look at your photos every 30 days, you will see a leaner body and inches lost!” —Christina P.
“I wear two ankle bracelets. One shows how many inches my waist was when I started, and one shows where I want to be. Whenever I lack motivation, I take them off and compare them to where I am now.” —Elizabeth A.
“Looking at how happy and comfortable I looked in old pictures before I put the weight on. Looking at pictures since I put the weight on—my smile looks forced and my clothes look uncomfortable when I dress up. A healthier me is a happier me!” —Kathee B.
2. Be proud of yourself
Most of us fail miserably at feeling proud of ourselves before we reach our goal. But every single day we have a choice to do that thing – you know the one – the thing that takes hard work. The thing that requires following through on the commitment we have made to ourselves. The one that takes being honest with ourselves – to get to where we want to go, to change what we want to change. But in a single day, we are not crossing the finish line. We are not losing all the weight. We are not getting a degree. We are not having a baby. That all takes time. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be proud of ourselves along the way. Every single day, each and every one of us has the opportunity to feel proud of ourselves.
So ask yourself this, and be honest: What are you proud of today? Have you already done it? If not, go out and do it. Don’t wait until you’ve lost all the weight, or until a challenging or overwhelming lifestyle change has been made. Give yourself permission to be proud of the things you have done today to get where you want to go, to change what you want to change. However small, or however big that thing is, fall in love with it, and be proud of yourself.
Bandster Tips -Get Inspired by Others
“I surround myself with motivated people with similar goals!” —Jennifer R. H.
“Reading success stories and seeing my logging count increment: 502 days and counting!” —Tom W.
“I have my bad days, but just seeing other people progress and succeed keeps me going.” —Tessica M.
“I just picture all the jerks who called me fat or made fun of me while growing up and that pushes me even harder to prove that I CAN DO IT!” —Amy B.
“Helping others meet their goals motivates me to push myself harder towards my own.” —Richard J.
3. Switch things up
Whether you are training for a race, trying to lose weight, or looking to tone up, doing the same workout day after day to reach our goal, is downright boring. So run on a dirt trail instead the pavement, or run a different route. Try a new recipe, do yoga, lift weights, and challenge yourself. Challenge your body and challenge your mind to do and feel something different.
Bandster Tips -Start Moving
“I register for mud runs and obstacle course events.” —Karie M.
“Exercise before breakfast. There’s nothing better than seeing that you can eat more calories than you started the day with!” —Joanne J.
“My wonderful daughter encouraging me and entering us in 5Ks keeps us motivated.” —Angela S. P.
“Sometimes, the only thing getting me out the door for a run is if I’m already in my workout clothes. Everyday, I wake up and put on my pants, sports bra, shirt, and tennis shoes. Just putting on the clothes makes me think, ‘Well, I’m already dressed, might as well go for it.’” —Tracy L. C.
“Exercising first thing every morning before I can talk myself out of it. I go at 7:00am everyday, except Sunday.” —Janet C.
4. Make a list of the whys
When you’re working toward a goal, things start to feel difficult. Sometimes it doesn’t feel worth it anymore, or you just feel like giving up. This is when having a list of the reasons why you want to reach your goal becomes important. Refer to your list as often as you need to. This list is your lifeline, your reminder why you made your goal. Your reminder that you’re worth it – that reaching your goal is worth it. And most importantly, why reaching your goal is more important than staying the same.
Bandster Tips -Get Excited about New Clothes
“I love looking at clothes on Pinterest to keep me motivated.”—Sarah Marie B.
“New workout clothes and shoes—it’s worked for over 3 years now!” —Kelly E. S.
“I buy a pair of pants or a shirt that is a couple of sizes too small.” —Roberto M.
“I bought a dress to wear for a special event this summer. It fits okay, but I want to look amazing in it by August!” —Krista Danielle E.
“My closet full of cute clothes that I haven’t been able to wear since getting pregnant and having a baby. I WILL be back in those clothes!” —Addie L. F.
5. Give yourself a break
There is no perfect way to reach your goal. At some point, you will miss a workout, or not stick to your diet for a day. Be gentle with yourself. Because your next workout, your next meal, gives you another opportunity to stay committed to your goal. You see, you just have to show up, and keep showing up, until you reach your goal. Because there is no perfection in how you reach your goal, the only perfection lies in whether or not you give up on your goal.
Bandster Tips- Lean on Friends and Family
“I look at my children. They deserve a healthy mom.” —Heidi H. P.
“Doing this with my wife, Melissa. She’s a hottie!” —Perry O.
“I have a nice bet going with a friend.” —Billie J. P.
“Set small goals, set targets and rewards for both small and large goals, and post on Facebook for support from friends and family.” —Lisa T.
“My husband/cheerleader/weight loss partner. I wouldn’t have been able to lose over 100 pounds without him!” —Laura S.
