Why in the world is it so hard to develop healthy habits and stick to them? Why is it so challenging to get to the gym at least three times a week or to eat 3 nutritious meals a day? You may start the process of getting in shape or fueling your body properly, but after a few weeks (or days for some people) you revert right back to your old ways. You realize something has got to change, but without knowing what’s holding you back, you have no idea where to start.
Turning to a healthy lifestyle isn’t easy for everyone. For individuals who are used to eating what they want, not working out on a regular basis, and pretty much just doing as they please, conforming to schedules, fitness routines, and healthy eating can be a drastic change. You may very well intentioned and optimistic about getting your life back on the health track, but we all hit challenges. Oftentime, these challenges can suck the motivation right out of you. One way to push past these challenges in advance, is to identify the motivation killers and develop systems to overcoming them.
Stress
Life is stressful for all of us. However, chronic or constant stress isn’t good for the mind or the body. It can also significantly decrease your motivation to succeed. Think about it. If you’ve just had the worst day in the office, chances are the last thing on your mind is hitting the treadmill. Instead you probably can’t wait to get home, throw on a t-shirt and a pair of comfy leggings with a glass of wine. You may also not interested in eating a nice hearty but healthy salad. However you deal with stress, it’s important to identify a few key ways to destress.
If you’re constantly stressed you may need to assess your life and determine what things can be changed to lighten your load and improve your mood. Some people need to scale back their work commitments and try a part time schedule. Money can’t by time, so often a lower paying job but with more flexibility can really help mentally.
This may mean talking to your boss about the stressful working conditions, asking your significant other to pitch in more with the kids, or scheduling some more “me time” whether that is time to work out or read. As you’re figuring out and resolving the core cause of your stressors, you can try activities such as taking meditation classes, scheduling regular massages, picking up a new hobby, and doing things that make you happy to reduce your stress levels.
Social Media
Social media may be great for following up with the daily activities of your friends, family, and colleagues, but it can also be a motivation killer. Seeing photos and videos of people working out, looking amazing, cooking delicious meals, and living their best lives isn’t always inspiring. It can cause you to start comparing yourself, your own life, and the choices you’ve made. It creates a pattern of negative thoughts that you can’t accomplish the same goals or that you won’t do it as well as those you see on social media, so you stop trying.
When trying to make significant changes in your life it may be a good idea to unplug and give social media a rest. If you aren’t constantly seeing images of the “perfect body”, “perfect meal”, or “perfect lifestyle” you won’t feel compelled to compare yourself or give up on your own goals. If you are going to continue using social media, try looking for positive sources to follow. There are health and fitness groups that support people no matter where they are in their journey. You can hear uplifting stories, talk about your shortcomings, and get the praise and motivation you need to press on.
There are a lot of reasons people lose the motivation to eat right, work out, or lose weight. Yet stressful lifestyles and social media obsessions are quickly rising to the top of the list. The mind is more powerful than you might realize and can hold you back from accomplishing more than just being healthier. If you believe you could be the victim of one or both of these motivation killers, use the provided solutions to turn things around for the better.