Hey Everyone!
I am super excited to start this Ten in Six Challenge! I have loved to see the variety of people that have come together to make this happen. We all come from across the country, and all from different backgrounds and are at different places in our lives, and yet we are all joined together in one common goal!
Now my biggest barrier in starting any exercise or weight loss regimen is motivation. Obviously we all feel some level of motivation or we wouldn't be doing this program, but what are your best tips for keeping the motivation going?
Here are a couple ideas I've found to be helpful, but please chime in to help us maintain the enthusiasm we feel now to the end!
Tips to Stay Motivated:
1. Keep a record of how well you are doing. Myfitnesspal has a button that says reports. it will show you a graph of how the weight loss has been going over the past few weeks and months. It's a great visual to see the weight loss progress over time!
2. Keep your eye on the goal. Post motivational notes to yourself on the mirror, or even on your fridge! Keep the chatter in your head positive while you exercise. Exercise with someone who will encourage you! I don't mean to talk about myfitnesspal again, but there is a button that says "complete this entry" once you've logged all your food for the day. Then it will display something that says "if every day were like today, in 5 weeks you would weigh..." I LOVE using this because it keeps me energized to keep going.
3. Keep things interesting. Sometimes the monotony of trying to lose weight can bog us down. Eating the same food or doing the same exercise routine can get boring. Find several exercises you love and rotate them. Run stairs at a local school. Pull up a workout video on Youtube. Try a new type of food. I like to make smoothies for breakfast or for a treat, and I find when I use the same ingredients over and over I get tired of them. But the last time I went to the store I bought frozen mango, and I found myself getting excited again about a new recipe.
What ideas do you have?
Did everyone weigh in?
Heidi
My biggest help in staying motivated is to go into the day with a plan. If I already know when I am going to eat that day and what that will be, it is much easier to make good choices. If I wait until I am hungry to decide, it's like going shopping when hungry - anything and everything goes.
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