Every week comes with new challenges and I get to know a little bit more about myself as I push through each one. This week I came up against something unexpected: Boredom! My diet, my daily workouts at the gym, my extremely routinized schedule...it all just started to feel very monotonous and I felt myself wanting to veer off course just to make things interesting. This week's lessons learned and tips are all geared toward fighting these feelings of boredom and monotony while remaining motivated and on track.
Lessons Learned:
1. GO, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO: Like most things that require a lot of energy and work, there are going to be times when you just don't want to go. I experienced that A LOT this week. As I said before a lot of it had to do with the fact that I was starting to feel bored with my daily routine, but some of it was due to this feeling that I often get around this point when I'm amping up my program, which is that I just hate that I have to work THIS hard to achieve the results I want. But then I remember, this is something I want. No one is forcing me to do it, I made the decision to start this journey (and re-start it every time I fell off or got side-tracked) because there were things that I wanted to change and I realized it was totally in my power to do it. On the days where the "I don't want tos" really start getting me down, I push myself even more to get it done because those are the days when you prove to yourself just how committed to YOU you are. Remember, this is a personal journey and your motivation has to come from within. Yes, maybe a part of it might be to set an example for others, or to make sure you're at your best for your job/kids/family/etc. but ultimately the energy to push through the tough days will be most powerful when fueled by commitment to SELF IMPROVEMENT.
2. SWITCH IT UP, KEEP IT INTERESTING: Those "I just don't want to" days will come and they should be expected, but if they're starting to come more frequently they might be a sign that it's time to switch things up. It's important to keep your diet and your workouts full of variety. This will keep you from getting bored and it will ensure that your body is always being challenged, increasing your chances for results. If you've ever worked with a personal trainer they very rarely do the same workout two sessions in a row. However, for some reason when we're in charge of our own plans we seem to stick with what's safe and comfortable. Switch it up, go online and check out different exercise routines and programs then try them. A great site for this is Darebee, formerly NeilaRey.com, each day there is a workout of the day and there are TONS of workout routines and challenges that you can save and print (for FREE). I use it often when I need to switch things up and its really helpful.
3. MODIFICATION IS KEY: So this might sound very similar to the last lesson learned, but here I am talking specifically about food. So often people set out to make their diets healthier and they put all of their energy thinking and talking about what they can't eat. This keeps their mind focused on a negative thought and can often lead to feelings of deprivation and missing out on the "good stuff". I've found that switching this mentality and instead thinking about the things that I can have instead keeps me much more positive and able to see all of the options that are available when starting a healthier eating pattern. Completely banning foods like sweets, bread and other snacks/beverages isn't necessarily the answer. Instead, try making small modifications to your diet such as various portion control techniques, switching to organic/health food stores and switching brands for snacks so you are getting the same tastes but higher quality ingredients that will help your body function better. For more specifics on some of the ways I do this check out this week's video update below or click here to watch it on the YouTube channel.
Tip of the Week:
PROGRESS COMES IN MANY FORMS: This week's tip of the week is keeping in line with pushing through the tough weeks where motivation seems to dip a bit. A lot of time it is due to the boredom and lack of variety in workout routine and diet, along with a ton of other factors such as increased stress from work or home life. However, I find that sometimes motivation dips because we're not seeing that progress that we were hoping for as quickly as we'd like. Paying attention to the last two tips of the week (staying away from scales and speaking positively to yourself when you look in the mirror) will help to keep you from focusing too much on this. But it's also important to remember that when embarking on a healthier lifestyle, specifically one geared toward losing weight, progress is going to come in so many different forms. You might find that you sleep better at night, have more emotional stability, handle stress better, don't lose focus as much, and generally just feel happier, more energetic and positive about life. These are all signs that you're body is working more optimally and major changes are happening. So don't get weighed down by numbers (on the scale or on your clothes) remember this is all about working toward a better YOU, from the inside out.
I hope you all found this helpful and motivating. Tough days/weeks/months are bound to happen, but if you keep finding little ways to push yourself and stay motivated there is no way you can lose and remember a day off here or there isn't going to hurt so if you need that time to get back on track-take it!
If you have your own tips and strategies for getting through the tough times please leave a comment below and I'll make sure to highlight it/show you out in next week's post. Almost one month down! Next week I'm finally taking you all in the gym with me for a peek at exactly what my routine looks like. You don't want to miss it! Stay motivated and as always...
Enjoy the journey...
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