Riding the waves of motivation

So the holiday season is over.  The number one resolution is to lose weight and get more exercise.  Every where you look there is an ad for weight loss.  There must be something to this mob mentality.  For the majority of us, we will ride this motivation until we hit an obstacle.  Once we miss one work out or get invited out to lunch, we will break habit and not return for awhile.  How do we sustain our motivation?  Is there a way to feel as excited about our new habits year round?

I guess the first thing is to ask ourselves why we feel motivated at this time of the year.  Some of it comes from being relieved that we are done over-indulging.  From Thanksgiving till the end of the year, it is an orgy of gluttony and laziness.  All of that is done now and it's time to get back to reality and routine.  I think there is a part of us that even though we enjoyed the rest time, is ready to get back to routine.

Another thing that drives us at this time of the year is that everyone is joining in our quest.  It's a whole lot easier to make a healthy choice at a restaurant when everyone at your table is doing the same.  It's a lot more difficult to make that healthy choice when others are ordering fatty foods and desserts.

What can we take from this time to help us sustain our motivation year round?  We can use this time to learn and adjust what methods work for us and which methods don't.  Obviously if I have allergies, committing to walking outside with a buddy may be problematic.  If I love to cook, I may not do well long term on a program that requires me to buy there food.  I think any of us can do something short term, but what will work for us in the long run?

If the thing that is working for you right now is that everyone is sharing your goals, maybe you should consider joining a group.  I personally love sparkpeople.com.  It's free and they have communities for just about everything you can think of from age groups to medical conditions, to interests.  Weight watchers is another great option.  Join a gym.  Keep a journal of how you feel about the changes you are making.  Read it when you are feeling less motivated.  Celebrate your successes.  Make a pact with friends.  See who can last the longest.  Put some money behind it.  Have a group of friends chip in, whoever loses the most weight in a time frame, or logs the most activity, or sticks with their program the longest wins the pot.  Basically, surround yourself with a group of people that are working towards the same goals.  Choose a large enough community that when the first wave of people drop out, there is new blood to remind you why you are doing this.


In the next few blog posts, we will talk about how to choose a food and exercise plan.