“I know what I need to do, I just need to do it”. <— Do you know how often we hear that statement?! If I had a nickel….
If you’re in the “I know what I need to do” boat, but you’re having a hard time getting going (or continuing), this is for you.
This message is NOT for the person who wants to get that perfect pose down in the mirror for an Instagram picture, or the person who wants a 6 pack to impress others. This is for the person who needs to get healthier because their life is depending on it.
1) Find your WHY
This is the most important tip I can give you. Your “why” needs to be deep, not surface level. What do I mean by that?
“I want to get healthy because my doctor/husband/mother in law said I should” is NOT a strong “why”. Is that going to keep you motivated, long after that rush of enthusiasm from getting started wears off? Absolutely not.
“I’m getting healthy because I want to be around for my grandkids.” <– THAT is a strong why- only if that reason is important to you, of course.
A strong “why” usually stems from pain. Is it painful to you that you might not be around when your grandkids are older? Then the above reason is a great “why” to have.
To find your why, I want to encourage you to take some quiet, uninterrupted time with a notebook and a pen to list reasons why getting healthy and in shape would improve your life. Dig deep, and keep asking “why” until you get to that reason that will keep you going because it’s SO important to you that it brings tears to your eyes.
What would mean for you, your family, and everything you do if you were a healthier version than the you reading this today?
2) Tell someone you can trust
Once you have a strong list of 5-10 “why’s” that will light a fire under your butt, the next step is to have accountability. Nothing great was ever accomplished alone! Who can be your cheerleader? Who will tell you to get your butt off the couch when you’re scheduled to get to the gym, or to go for a walk? Who is going to lovingly encourage you to skip dessert because you told them you had goals and you’re pre-diabetic? It’s ok if it’s not your spouse. It doesn’t mean your goals aren’t important to them, they just may not be able to hold you accountable because you’ve done this so many times before, or maybe it’s just not their area of expertise.
Accountability is one of the biggest keys to success when it comes to getting healthy. This is probably one of the biggest reasons why our clients hire us at KW Fitness; they have someone to share their goals with, to vent to, to celebrate with, and someone who will lovingly keep them on track. I love our team (I know, I’m biased. We only hire people we really like, so it just makes sense 🙂
3) Have a plan and stick to it
One of the biggest challenges that people face is not knowing what to do after that initial motivation kicks in. My advice to you is to find something that you truly enjoy doing to stay active. Is dancing not your thing? Then don’t do Zumba. Do you despise running? Then don’t run. Do you LOVE how you feel after taking a yoga class? Then do yoga!! Whatever it is, have a plan and stick to it.
Having a Personal Trainer who knows your goals and will help you map out a plan is one of the greatest ways to get results! That’s why we do what we do at KW Fitness.
4) Don’t beat yourself up if you fall of track
This is one of THE biggest mistakes people make when they see progress. They have an off day, where they don’t skip the bread, or they have a beer or 2 or 3, or they have a piece of birthday cake because it’s their birthday. Or, they have an off MONTH of grad parties, vacations, family reunions, skipped workouts, etc. so they GIVE UP ALTOGETHER!! What?! That doesn’t even make sense!
To the person who has been there, though, it does make sense to them because they figure “why even bother? I just ruined all of my progress anyway..”. STOP IT. You sound like a child. Figure out where you messed up, recognize your triggers, appreciate how far you came before your hiccup, re-visit why you started in the first place, and MOVE FORWARD. It’s that simple. If you found a great accountability partner, they are only going to be disappointed in you if you give up. The BEST success stories are from those who OVERCAME CHALLENGES. Think about this- would you even watch a movie about someone who had it all easy? Someone who was handed everything, had no challenges, and had a smooth ride to the finish?! Heck no!
You have the option to view your obstacles as either roadblocks or stepping stones. Envision yourself pushing through and imagine how much better you’re going to feel on the other side. Do not give up because you deserve to feel amazing!!!
Thanks for taking the time to read this!- Mandy Webb, KW Fitness