You wake up one morning and decide to give your body a bit of a shakeup. You’ve been feeling a little bit sluggish lately and maybe you’ve even been a bit obsessed with food. While it’s true that many people find comfort in drinking wine and eating chocolate, it’s not good for your overall health. You vow to change your bad habits and focus on eating healthy food and getting some exercise. You’ve got no time to waste so you dust off your running shoes and jump on the treadmill. Bam! There you go. Instant cardio workout. You’re feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and you head to the fridge to get a snack. Suddenly, you remember that you were supposed to meet a friend for lunch. You cancel the workout plan because you don’t want to let your friend down. But then you think, why not? It’s the least I can do. You head back to your desk and start working. Suddenly, your boss walks in and yells, “Sugar! I need some sugar!” and holds up a snack cake. You think, why did he yell “sugar”? There is no sugar in this cake. It’s packed with carbs. You explain that you’re on a diet, but your boss doesn’t seem to care about your health. He eats carbs, too, and they give him energy so he can work. Ugh! You throw the cake in the trash can and think to yourself, I’ll never go for a workout again. Then you continue working.
Start A Routine
The next day, you decide to start over again. This time, you really mean it. You’ve been putting it off for too long and you’re determined to change your ways. You make a commitment to yourself that this time, you will lose the weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle. You take a week off of work and set up a routine. You will walk for an hour every morning before breakfast, lose some weight, and then take the bus to work. When you get off work, you will do the same thing: walk for another hour and then head to the bus stop. It’s the same at night, too. You eat healthy foods and skip the white pasta and bread. You cook your own meals according to a plan and consume lots of veggies. You read dietary books and listen to motivational tapes. Every day is the same. There is no deviation from the routine. You know what? After several weeks, you start to feel like a new person. Your clothes fit better and you have more energy. Your friends comment on how good you look and how you seem to have lost a lot of weight. You start to believe in yourself and all of a sudden, you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Isn’t it wonderful how a little bit of effort can make such a difference?
Avoid Rewards And Punishments
It’s important to understand that keeping you motivated is much easier said than done. You’ve been working hard to change your bad habits and it’s not easy. That’s why you’ve been finding it difficult to keep motivated. To keep you motivated, your body needs to understand that what it’s doing is important and worth it. One way to accomplish this is to tie your weight loss journey to a reward. For example, if you meet your weight loss goals, you might get a massage or spa treatment. Or, if you hit a certain mileage mark during a workout, you can get a cupcake or ice cream. Avoid giving yourself rewards for bad behavior or poor performance. When you give yourself rewards, it becomes much more difficult to keep your motivation up. On the other hand, punishments can help. For example, if you eat a sweet, you might get a small electric shock every time you bite into it. This can help you avoid eating junk food and help you stay fit.
Take Care Of Your Health
Last but not least, we want to remind you that your health is important. You’ve been working hard, losing weight, and feeling great. However, it’s not good if you neglect your health. Make sure that you get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly. If you follow these guidelines, you will be on your way to becoming healthier and happier. And who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll even be able to help others along the way, too.