Motivation is something I get asked about a LOT.
People want me to tell them that one magical thing that’ll ensure they stay motivated in their weight loss journey and beyond, no matter what.
Some even want me to tell them how to FORCE themselves to stay motivated.
After 25-plus years in the weight loss and fitness industries, here’s what I have to say about that one:
No one – not even you – can FORCE you to get and stay motivated.
There’s tons of stuff you can do to help with your motivation. (My blog is filled with motivation tips!)
But the bottom line is, if you want to derail your weight loss journey more than you want to stay on track, you will.
That means to the key to staying motivated is to want to stay on track more than you want to go off the rails.
What it takes for that to happen is different for everyone.
Deep down, you might be scared of it in some way. You might think doing it sounds boring, or that you’ll screw it up and “prove” how worthless you are.
Whatever’s going on, there IS a way to inspire yourself to want to do it badly enough to do it.
And it doesn’t have to mean using negative reinforcement. That can work in the short-term, but long-term, it’s not a solution.
An amazing speaker named Myron Golden once said that he doesn’t do anything he doesn’t WANT to do.
His secret to getting himself to do the things he needs to do is to set it up so he WANTS to do them.
What can you do to ensure you WANT to stay on track? That you WANT to say “no thanks” to the donut someone shoves in your face?
Another thing I want you to remember as you consider this is, like I always say: You are not the problem. The problem is the problem. So just work the problem.
Instead of beating yourself up about “why you’re like this,” set that aside and work the problem.
(“You are not the problem” is something I spend a whole day on in the 10 Pound Takedown Challenge. If you haven’t joined a challenge yet and need help with this, the button below will allow you to join the next challenge.)
What changes can you make to your environment and your routine, so that doing the right thing is what you want to do…or at least easier to do?
Can your family hide their junk food from you? Can they stick with stuff that you don’t find all that tempting? Can you take a different route home so that you don’t drive by the fast food drive-thru you’re always tempted by?
There are many ways to amp up your motivation. Sit down, write out what happens when you go off the rails, and brainstorm solutions that’ll help you want to stay on track instead. I promise you, there is a way!