Mental Health & Motivation
How To Stay On Track
1. Track Your Progress
Assess your fitness plan and goals, and maintain an activity journal or food diary to monitor your progress. This can be a crucial resource for staying committed, as recording your data serves as a valuable reminder and helps maintain focus. Without effective tracking, maintaining motivation becomes challenging. If you encounter a plateau don’t hesitate to make some changes or reach out to our trainers for a fresh and enhanced program.
2. Overcome Roadblocks. Problem-solve to “outsmart” your barriers.
Think about the things that are holding you back and put smart steps in place to overcome them. Ask a friend or family member for help when you need it and always try to plan ahead. For example, if you know that you will not have time to be physically active after work, then start your day with some exercise or go for a walk during your lunch break.
3. Reward Yourself.
Set rewards right after you complete your healthy habit, treat yourself to something you enjoy. This can be a relaxing bath, a fruit smoothie, a phone call to a friend, or new workout gear. Choose rewards carefully. While you should be proud of your progress, keep in mind that too many high calorie treats or days off from your exercise routine might not be the best rewards to keep you on track. Life is about balance, but some pleasures can be hard to manage if given too often. Pat yourself on the back. If negative thoughts creep in, remind yourself how much good you are doing for your body with the changes you are doing.
4. Remember that your fitness and wellness journey is a continuous process, filled with ups and downs.
Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, and be kind to yourself during setbacks. It’s all part of the learning experience and growth. Stay focused on the bigger picture, and don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t always go as planned. Each step you take brings you closer to a healthier, happier you. Keep pushing forward, and you’ll achieve your goals in time. Remember, it’s not just about the destination, but also about the transformation you undergo along the way.
Enjoy every step of the journey!
Hacks to keep you Motivated
What Is Motivation?
We can say that motivation is the driving force behind the actions and your general willingness to do something.
For example, you want some fresh air which drives you to go outside. Or you feel thirsty, which makes you reach out for a bottle of water.
Let’s now say you have a goal to lose 10kg/22lbs or run half a marathon. You need more than just the desire to do this. It would help if you had something that causes you to act and start, which will keep you working even when you face obstacles.
So, this is where we need to trigger our motivation.
#1 Schedule Your Motivation
Scheduling is what the professionals do. For example, they plan and schedule when and how to prepare for an upcoming race or match.
You give your goals a time and a place to live by making a schedule. And it’s much more likely that you follow through.
For example, if you want to eat more vegetables but don’t feel motivated to buy and cook vegetables, a simple schedule will help.
- Mark a day where you look up new recipes with vegetables.
- Mark the days you need to shop for vegetables.
- Mark the days where you want to include vegetables in your meals.
- Hang the schedule on your fridge or where you quickly see it
Now you don’t have to wait for motivation to strike. You have the motivation in front of you, so there is a much greater chance you follow the schedule.
#2 Start Your Motivation With A Ritual
A great way to start your motivation is to make a start-ritual. This ritual has to be so easy that you can’t say no to it. Meaning you shouldn’t need to be already motivated to start your ritual. It has to be so easy that you can do it at any time without problems.
For example, if you want to join a yoga class, your start-ritual could be preparing your yoga mat and clothes. Or, if you’re going to go for a power walk, your start-ritual could be filling your bottle with water.
Both of these rituals are so easy to do, you can’t say no.
You know now that motivation typically comes after starting. Therefore, your motivation ritual needs to be amazingly easy to begin. And once you have done your start-ritual, you will find it easier to sign up and drive to the gym to join that yoga class.
#3 Call Your Goal-Buddy
Some things are just more manageable when you are two.
When we have someone who believes in us and supports us, goals can be easier to achieve.
Find yourself a goal-buddy that has the same goal as you. Together you can set up days where you, for example, meditate together if your goal is to improve your memory and concentration. Maybe you arrange dinner dates where you share information and try out new recipes rich in protein because your goal is to enhance your knowledge about protein.
Having a goal-buddy keeps you accountable to your goals because they can encourage you during the process. And also, when you have someone that counts on you to meet them at 06.00 am in the gym, you are more likely to pack your training bag and go.
#4 Set A Reward
We all like rewards, and it is part of our nature to feel good after achieving something. And if we get a reward for doing it – well, then even better.
You can trigger your motivation by offering yourself a reward if you finish your task or goal. The prize can be anything, as long as you enjoy it and look forward to it.
Suppose your goal is to eat vegetables, but you find them very boring to eat. Then you can tell yourself:
“If I eat a portion of veggies for dinner two nights in a row, I will reward myself with one episode of my favorite series.”
Or your goal is to start running, but you always find excuses not to do it. Then you can tell yourself. “If I run today after work, I will go check out that new exhibition downtown on Friday.”
The reward itself is not the most crucial part here; it is what thinking of the reward does to your body.
“I want to go to the cinema and see that new movie, so I will make myself a healthy breakfast at home for the next four days instead of buying it at the gas station.”
Thinking of the reward triggers your body to act, which starts your motivation.
Healthy Habits
Ideas for Staying on Track
1. Track Your Progress
- Review your plan and keep an activity journal or food diary to track your progress.
- Write down your progress. This can be one of your most important tools for staying on track. Recording your progress serves as a good reminder and helps to keep focused.
- Keep a journal. It’s a great way to measure how close you are to reaching your goals
2. Overcome Roadblocks
- Problem-solve to “outsmart” your barriers. Think about the things that are holding you back and put smart steps in place to overcome them.
- Ask a friend or family member for help when you need it and always try to plan ahead. For example, if you know that you will not have time to be physically active after work, then start your day with some exercise or go for a walk during your lunch break.
3. Reward Yourself
- Set rewards right after you complete your healthy habit, treat yourself to something you enjoy. This can be a relaxing bath, a fruit smoothie, a phone call to a friend, or new workout gear.
- Choose rewards carefully. While you should be proud of your progress, keep in mind that too many high calorie treats or days off from your exercise routine might not be the best rewards to keep you on track. Life is about balance, but some pleasures can be hard to manage if given too often.
- Pat yourself on the back. If negative thoughts creep in, remind yourself how much good you are doing for your body with the changes you are doing.
