Motivation

Motivation is a funny thing, we can start off a weight loss program full of motivation only to find that by week four or five our motivation levels or enthusiasm starts to drop off and old habits start to slip back into place. 

It can be a time where your inner dialogue or voice inside your head starts to take over and the excuses or barriers that have stopped you from achieving your goals in the past start to raise their ugly head again!

Often we think we have to be 100% motivated to achieve our goals or to lose weight. So at times when we are not feeling 100% motivated we tend not to do what we should. Being 100% motivated all the time is downright impossible. If you think that you need to be 100% motivated to achieve a goal, then I can guarantee you that you won't get too far.

Most people that get up in the early hours of the morning to exercise don't feel motivated when the alarm goes off at 5.30am. They are not jumping out of bed ready to take on the world and their exercise session with enthusiasm; most of them are probably still half asleep!

Most people also don't feel 100% motivated at the end of the day to cook a nutritious dinner or to spend time getting lunch and snacks ready for the next day. So why is it that some people are able to do this and others struggle?

Life is up and down, emotions are up and down, our workloads can be up and down, but what these people have is consistency! They consistently get out their training clothes the night before so they are ready to go in the morning no matter what, they plan their meals so that they don't have to think about what to cook, they have nutritious foods ready on hand and have simple recipes ready to go.

By doing all these things, they take the emotion out of the equation and just get on with the job at hand. You need to develop the mindset that what you are doing now with your exercise and nutrition is not just about the OPTIFAST Program and that you only need to stay motivated for 12 weeks or until you reach your goal. It is about making changes and new habits for life. By being consistent all the things you are doing will become second nature and you will just do it without thinking, and by doing that you won't need to rely on being 'motivated' at all!

Now don't get me wrong, don't think I am saying that motivation or setting goals is not important, they most definitely are! Having goals or targets to work towards, helps to keep us on track, gives us direction and purpose. All I am saying is that life is not predictable and each and every day is different and challenging; and at times these day to day challenges can leave you feeling less than motivated to exercise or eat well. It is at these times that we need to take the emotion out of it and think about staying consistent to your plans. Consistency with energy is a powerful tool for completing any task, especially your goals... So remember this and use it whenever you get the chance.