If eating perfectly and working out were easy, we would all look like Roman statues. Of course, you only need to look around just about any place in the United States to recognize that this is definitely not our reality.
This stuff is hard! Temptation is everywhere, and cookies taste soooo good. Especially in tough times, when our emotions are frayed and we’re just trying to keep things together at home and work, who has extra bandwidth to maintain discipline?
The good news is that it is achievable. Look, many people have pulled it off. Why not you?
The key to it all is finding the right motivation. In time, it will all become easier. You just need to find the right incentives to get back on track. Discovering your motivation doesn’t always come naturally, but the following tips will help you start walking down the right path.
1. Give Yourself a “Why"
A lot of people fail on their health goals because they don’t really have a reason not to. If you’re only eating broccoli and jumping on a treadmill because you know it’s something that you are supposed to do, that won’t get you very far. What you need to do instead is figure out your real "why.”
Maybe you want to be healthier so you can be more active later to enjoy life with your kids and grandkids. Maybe you have a specific health issue to overcome or a goal to achieve, like climbing a mountain or running a half marathon. Maybe you want to feel better so you can confidently feel your best in some sexy lingerie — or a sexy Halloween costume later this year!
Or maybe you just feel like crap most of the time and, finally, want to stop suffering every day. Whatever it is, once you find your “why,” internal motivation will come easier.
2. Set Realistic Goals
When people feel guilty that they haven’t been doing what they should in the gym or the kitchen, they usually reach a point where they want to change everything. They are fed up with being fed up, and they decide that today(!) will be the day when they completely overhaul their life.
That is a nice thought. It’s also really difficult and extreme. The more sustainable route is to start incorporating small changes that will add up over time. Cut out dessert. Mix in a salad for dinner instead of burger night. Take a long walk after lunch.
This way, instead of burning yourself out and over-taxing your body and mind with impossible tasks, you will start feeling better very soon. This little bump in mood, energy, and positivity will motivate you to take the next step. Success starts to compound and then you have made some changes you can actually maintain.
3. Find a Community
It’s tough to go it alone. Some people are wired to do things all by themselves and then reveal impressive results to the world. Most of us, though, get strength from others and find major motivation by sharing our goals with each other.
Whether it’s a gym buddy, yoga classes, group of friends with the same diet plans or just an online community, find others who have similar goals. They will help you make time for that workout when you're exhausted or put the doughnut down when a craving hits.
Perhaps more than anything, these people will give you a sense of accountability. Most people will cheat on themselves and make excuses that make sense in their own head. But when you have others supplying a little bit of that good ol' peer pressure, sometimes that’s all the motivation you need.
Finding the Motivation to Live Healthier
These days, living a healthy lifestyle is hard. There are so many external forces that allow us to treat ourselves and lounge around like a couch potato. While a little bit of that is great, too much of a good thing is how we end up failing on our health goals.
What we need is motivation. Discipline alone won’t cut it. Start by figuring out your “why” to be healthier. Set some realistic goals and take steps to achieve them — then set more as you progress. And find yourself some friends or a community who can help keep you going when you are going through weak moments.
None of us will ever be perfect, but these three tips are a great way to motivate yourself to start living a healthier lifestyle.
