how to stay motivated
(Even if you don't feel like it)
KEBOFIT ACADEMY
OK moment of truth time…
When most people start a fitness and health programme they are usually motivated for a few days or even a few weeks but then those reasons that you started in the first place start to get eroded and buried, until they are almost forgotten about.
First things first though, I want you to get a pen and paper or open up your notes section on your dog and bone and write down at least 5 reasons why transforming your health were important to you.
Those 5+ reasons as to why this is so important for you to achieve need written down and placing somewhere that you will see every single day.
I tend to encourage most of my clients to write them down in the notes section of the app on their phones. I encourage you to do the same, but sometimes you can't beat pen and paper.
Then as soon as you wake up in the morning, turn on your phone and have a quick look at those reasons as to why you’re doing this.
These are personal to you (nobody else) and will literally act as a powerful driving force for you to stay on track and reach your goal/s.
I would recommend doing the same at bedtime, rather than be tempted to scroll through Facebook (boring and full of attention seekers “pm me hun” “are u ok”, checking in at hospitals) sit and read through your reasons, take a few moments to let it sink in.
They will then sit there in your subconscious mind and gets to work on them as you drift off into a peaceful sleep.
Wake up the next day….and start again.
I’ll be honest even as a fitness coach there are times when I “don’t feel like exercising” or “Can’t be bothered” and I’d be prepared to argue with any hyper ‘I lead a perfect life fitness goo roo’ that they actually feel happy clappy like that all the time.
You know stuff comes up..
You get ill for a few days..
You’re late to bed, don’t sleep well and decide to have an extra 20 minutes in bed the following morning instead of doing a workout..
Shit happens…. Don’t just write it all off though.
Have you heard of the ‘dropping your phone analogy’?
No, ok let me explain.
You’re out and about and god forbid you drop your phone.
What do you do next?
Do you….
Quickly pick it up, brush it off, check for scratches and keep hold of it?
OR
Drop your phone think “f*ck it, I’ve f*cked it now” and stomp all over it?
I imagine you would just pick it up.
Now you need to treat your diet a bit like it is that phone.
If you drop your eating habits slightly or miss a workout you can quickly pick it back up again and continue moving forward with your health and fitness.
OR
You can just say f*ck it and just eat crap for the next few days/weeks and watch the fat creep back on.
I think you know the right answer here.
OK first things first….
Don’t rely on will power.
We’ve all heard of willpower or know of someone who has employed will power to attain great feats, In fact we often feel inadequate when we lack enough will power for a particular task, convincing ourselves that we failed again due to having no self-control or will power.
The diet industry and media has a lot to answer for here, by advocating fad diets and exercise regimes to burn those excess Christmas calories that encourage this short-term white knuckle approach.
Let me tell you willpower as a long-term sustainable means to an end is the stuff of myths.
The conscious effort and emotional energy required to sustain this approach mean that any attempts to employ it are often short lived.
So rather than ride the white-knuckle ride have a go at some of these solutions:
Set positive goals
So rather than rely on will power, have a think about what it is you want and WHY you want to achieve it.
Then ask yourself “Once I have achieved that goal, what will it get me”
You could set yourself a 4-week goal to drop a dress/trouser size and your reward at the end could be to go out and buy yourself a new dress/suit or smaller pair of jeans.
Once you have established what you want, start to vision the benefits of having reached that goal.
List as many benefits as possible, the more you have the more irresistible the goal will become. What will you see, hear and feel like when you reach that goal?
Check out your internal jibber-jabber
The widespread use of ‘willpower’ is usually accompanied by pressure words such as:
- must
- mustn’t
- should
- shouldn’t
- ought
For example, how many times have you said ‘I must lose weight’ or ‘I’ve got to start exercising?’
Straight away you place yourself under pressure or refrain from doing something.
Often it’s quite simple, just replace these pressure words with “I want to” or “I will”.
So “I want to start exercising” sounds much better than “I have to” or “I must start eating properly”
BUT is also a dream killer….
“I want to exercise four times a week BUT work is really busy at the moment”
How about we flip that word and turn it into this…
“Work is really busy at the moment BUT I want to exercise four times a week”
Rather than place an obstacle in the way turn it into a positive.
Get real
Be realistic about your current state of health and fitness.
Rather than set outrageous goals set up short term goals that are easier to smash. Build yourself up.
A goal that will stretch and challenge you while also being in the realms of possibility is the key.
Then write this goal down.
Then when you have described what makes up your goals. Go on to write down how you will feel on the day (in the present time) having achieved the goal.
With my clients I usually get them to do this on a postcard.
You could do this in the notes section of your phone again if you want. So that everything is in one place.
For example..
I will commit to working out at least 4 times per week at a high intensity and will adjust my nutrition in order to drop at least 5% body fat by {enter goal date – 6-12 weeks later}
“We are at center parcs getting ready to hit the pool. I am feeling more energised than ever and confident of keeping up with the kids this time round. I am no longer embarrassed about the way I look. I have worked hard this last 6/12 weeks to get in the best shape I can and am feeling great.”
Woo Hoo
Once you remind yourself of that goal and those 5 reasons WHY at least twice a day.
An unstoppable force is created.
-
Focused
-
Determined
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Momentum
This is how to get the mind in the right place to achieve the results that you so desperately desire.
Bottom line: The fact that you aren’t where you want to be, should be enough motivation