When we decide to make changes in our lifestyle, whether it's about what we eat, our routine or our physical activity habits, staying motivated can be a real challenge. So how can we make sure that it doesn't fade away?
1. The power of calendars
The calendar is a bit of a cliché, but it can work! The advantage of such a tool is that it offers a visual representation of the achievement of our goals. To do this, we simply take a weekly or monthly calendar and mark the days when we achieve your goal. If we lose our motivation along the way, we can look at the calendar at the times when we were more diligent to motivate ourselves. If we could do it before, what's stopping us from doing it now? This way of thinking is a well-proven technique to motivate ourselves.
Here's a little exercise: Think of a time when you succeeded in reaching a goal, no matter what it was. You set for yourself a goal, you put your mind to it and you achieved it. By remembering our past strengths, we are more motivated to face the future. The calendar is therefore an excellent reflective and motivational tool.
2. Reward, but differently
When we try to make changes in our lifestyle, it can be tempting to reward ourselves with food (especially if we restrict ourselves on a daily basis). However, it is important to remember that there is no moral value associated with food and that it should not be used as a reward. Small nuance: pleasing ourselves (not rewarding!) with the foods we like is perfectly valid and we can do it without having earned anything.
Nevertheless, rewarding ourselves can be an excellent idea to keep us motivated. And it can be done in unusual ways! For example, if our goal is to try to move a certain number of times a week, why not transfer $5 into our savings account every time we move? Or take a moment to decompress and read our favorite book? The important thing is to find what works best for us!
3. It is not a race
Reaching our goals or implementing big changes in our habits is not a race. By preparing properly for the change and reminding ourselves of the reasons for making the change, we can ensure that we stay motivated. So here are some questions to ask yourself:
Why am I making this change?
What benefits will this change bring in my life?
What obstacles will I probably encounter along the way?
What can I do about these obstacles?
Keeping our motivation can be difficult. Fortunately, with the support of a healthcare professional, such as a dietitian, we can ensure that the changes we want to implement last in the long run!
