You wanted to live a better lifestyle. That was your goal. But you’re not. Why?
Can you remember what starting your journey to living that better lifestyle and quitting halfway through feels like?
Can you feel it now?
Here’s the thing is, you won’t achieve anything if you quit, so you will have to find ways to start your journey to that better lifestyle and continue to completion.
“You didn’t gain all your weight in one day; you won’t lose it in one day. Be patient with yourself.” Jenna Wolfe
Here are 12 great ways to follow through so you may live that better lifestyle once you start:
- Chunk it down
One of the most important ways to handle your capacity and stick with your goal to completion, without feeling overwhelmed, is to chunk down the goal into smaller, more manageable tasks.
For example, let’s use losing weight as part of your better lifestyle change.
To keep your weight loss motivation strong, you could pick an exercise you enjoy, or you can eat a salad or sandwich you like.
You can start exercising for a few short minutes a day and gradually build on it during the weeks to come.
No matter how much weight you wish to lose, chunk it down into achievable amounts.
Find what works best for you.
This way you will keep the momentum of your weight loss motivation strong and it will seem doable with less mental strain.
“If you have discipline, drive, and determination… nothing is impossible.” Dana Linn Bailey
2. Look at your objective from another angle
What would you do if you kept doing the same thing over and over again?
You would get the same results, wouldn’t you?
Apply the same principle when you are stuck.
Instead of doing the same thing and not getting anywhere, rather than jumping up in frustration and quitting, change your strategy.
Take a break for a couple of days, then with a relaxed mind, look at your goal from a different angle; from another perspective.
You might see something you previously missed.
“Make time for it. Just get it done. Nobody ever got strong or got in shape by thinking about it. They did it.” Jim Wendler
3. Avoid multitasking
To some, multi-tasking can be counterproductive.
It brings about a sense of confusion and anxiety, a lack of focus, and concentrated effort.
As you’re working on your better lifestyle, and weight loss goal, your mind may go astray, moving you to concentrate on another better lifestyle goal.
That’s counterproductive, as it could be overwhelming, which may, in the long term, have you quit altogether.
The best way around this is to start one goal, see it through to completion, actually achieve your goal, and then move on to the next.
Work on one goal at a time.
This way you place all your energy, focus, and concentration, all your weight loss motivation as one goal, and you will get it done, and you will achieve it much quicker.
“Don’t work out because you hate your body — work out because you love it.” Author Unknown
And you will relish your success, your accomplishment.
4. Remove distractions
Before you settle down to work on your better lifestyle, and weight loss goal, as best as you possibly can, eliminate, or at least reduce any possible distractions; close your door, ask not to be disturbed, ask to hold phone calls, and emails, switch off social media and other notifications.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much you can accomplish.
5. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today
Yes, I know you’ve heard it before, but the thing is, it does make a lot of sense. When you put off exercising or eating healthy, they will be harder to tackle the next day or in the future, because this gives your mind plenty of time to put you off of your goal.
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” Michael Jordan
Do your best not to delay. Waiting for the perfect mood, the right time, the best sandwich, or the perfect whatever.
This time may never come.
Make it your dogma, your absolute rule that you will do whatever it takes irrespective of how you feel at the moment.
Decide that you will exercise at a certain time and make that time a habit. Habitualise. A very powerful weight loss motivation technique.
6. Take regular breaks
By exercising every other day, or by working out 3 days a week, you will re-energize your body and mind. Short breaks work wonders.
“Strength does not come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.” Nikki Rogers
If you don’t take a break you will tire yourself to the point where you won’t be able to think straight.
This could lead to anxiety and frustration.
This could lead you to lose that weight loss motivation because you feel sore and tired.
Avoid, at least at the beginning, working out every day.
7. Take it one easy step at a time
You may have noticed that when you exercise when you have chosen the exercise method and routine that you enjoy, that time flies and you finish feeling great and happy.
Make use of that weight loss motivation.
If you exercise in the gym or at home, and you perform a variety of exercises for a full-body workout, start with the fun and enjoyable one.
“Fitness is like marriage. You can’t cheat on it and expect it to work.” Bonnie Pfiester
Once completed, move on to the next one, allowing that motivated, great feeling to create momentum to carry you from one exercise to the next.
8. Use your emotions to achieve more
Imagine what you could accomplish if you completed all your exercises, your entire workout, in half the time.
How would you feel?
Awesome, right?
Happy? Joyful?
So, exercise faster, and reduce the gaps between one exercise and the next.
Try High-Intensity Interval Training.
It works like magic — but, caution, seek your doctor’s opinion first, as it could put tremendous strain on you.
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” Steve Prefontaine
If you don’t feel like exercising one day, remember and make use of that emotion the next time you hesitate.
Feel how great you could feel when you finish your routine in half the time.
Immerse yourself in it before you start.
Feel the accomplishment with gusto then get to work.
Notice how much faster you are getting through your workout.
The other great feeling you will feel as you progress through your workout routine is that sense of self-confidence and confidence in your ability to not only ignore hesitation but not even notice its presence.
“When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.” Author Unknown
Now isn’t that a hugely powerful better lifestyle, weight loss motivation you could make full use of?
9. “I knew I could do it”
You can be your own worst enemy on your better lifestyle journey by the things you tell yourself, and by the thoughts that you constantly repeat.
At the start of your exercise moment, or even during your workout, rather than repeating over and over dis-empowering statements such as:
“I’ll never get this done.”
“I can’t do this.”
“I’m too tired today.”
“I’ve got so much work to do.”
Replace those thoughts with empowering ones, such as:
“I can do this.”
“I choose to finish this quickly.”
“Remember how much fun it was the last time I exercised.”
“Remember how good I felt after I exercised.”
… then immediately close your eyes and see yourself, visualize, and imagine yourself whizzing through the workout in half the time.
“When people tell me they can’t afford to join a gym, I tell them to go outside; planet Earth is a gym and we’re already members. Run, climb, sweat, and enjoy all of the natural wonders that are available to you.” Steve Maraboli
Quickly imagine yourself flying through your routine, going through it all easily and quickly.
When done, repeat this statement emotionally a few times:
“I knew I could do it. I knew I could do it. I knew I could do it.”
Engross yourself in the feeling of accomplishment.
Feel it, see it, sense it and smell it.
Oh, that sweet smell of success.
Then cherish the moment for a second or two, and while feeling enthusiastic and motivated, immediately dive into your exercise routine.
Feel the sense of pleasure being an action-oriented person who says “No” to hesitation; one who doesn’t allow things to stand in your way to a better lifestyle.
10. Just ask!
If you feel you cannot progress if you feel your weight loss motivation is dwindling, or you suddenly feel overwhelmed, why not ask for help?
Which is better, you getting more and more frustrated to the point where you cannot exercise effectively anymore, or seeking help and getting the job done?
Can you see the difference?
From now on, overcome the hesitation numbness, the overwhelm, and ask for help, for guidance on how you may overcome this.
11. Remember and reward your achievements
Every time you successfully finish your workout, your exercise routine for the day, celebrate.
Celebrate that success, your success.
This is your opportunity to act like a child, and you should make the most of it.
“Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do, and at some point, you will.” Venus Williams
This is an extremely important and powerful way to send a message to your subconscious mind that you are a successful achiever, and that you don’t give in to hesitation.
Make it your habitual practice to celebrate and reward yourself for your accomplishment, every time you complete your exercise routine.
And before long, you will begin and you will finish your routine automatically and habitually purely because you will be looking forward to your celebrations and rewards.
Come up with ways you will reward yourself — in a healthy way!
Remember your goal is to achieve a better lifestyle, and your sub-goal or first better lifestyle goal is weight loss.
And hesitation? Well, it’s highly unlikely it will show its ugly head again.
Finally, I want you to think about this:
12. Commit the steps to memory
For you to take action consistently, to overcome and defeat hesitation you have to keep at it.
Each time that you experience and allow hesitation or anything to stand in your way, think of the above eleven steps.
This way you will chip away at the very core of what keeps you from taking action; where you will move from not taking action to taking action when you want, anytime you want.
You’ll be shocked to discover how many more successes and personal breakthroughs you can have simply by taking action now.
Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal to be proud of yourself.
Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal.
Follow these 12 better lifestyle tips, and you should easily keep your weight loss motivation strong to completion; to the realization and achievement of your weight goal.
Not only that, but they are also effective for you to take action on any goals that you have or desire to achieve.