mo·ti·va·tion
ˌmōdəˈvāSH(ə)n/
noun
- the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way."escape can be a strong motivation for travel"
synonyms: motive, motivating force, incentive, stimulus,stimulation, inspiration, inducement,
incitement,spur, reason;
informalcarrot"his motivation was financial"- the general desire or willingness of someone to do something."keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation"
synonyms: enthusiasm, drive, ambition, initiative,determination,
enterprise;
informalget-up-and-go"keep up the staff's motivation"
Motivation is having the desire to get things done...it is the difference between waking up early to get your workout in and staying in your pajamas all day and playing on the computer. (Trust me, I have done that, LOL!)
How do you get the motivation to get things done? Are there certain things that you can do to be motivated?
These are the things that have helped me when I have struggled with a lack of motivation:
1. Be positive
- Focus on the positive rather than beating yourself up. Use apps that will provide you with daily inspirational quotes and/or positive affirmations. One that I like is http://www.sparkpeople.com/app/inspirational-quote-of-the-day.asp
- Surround yourself with uplifting people who sincerely want you to succeed!
- Join a community that offers positive support and motivation. One site that I really love is SparkPeople. www.sparkpeople.com It is one of the largest online communities that offers free nutritional plans, tracking, articles, videos and tons of resources. There is an online community and teams to help you achieve your health and wellness goals.
2. Set realistic goals. Goals should be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Results-driven
- Time-bound
3. Be consistent. Consistency is the difference between success and failure.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ~ Will Durant
4. Be tech-savvy. Use tools, apps, and other gadgets to help you reach your goals, provide motivation, and help you be consistent.
Activity trackers - I love my new Misfit Shine. I looked at other activity trackers, but decided on this one because it is waterproof (up to 30m) so I can use it during water aerobics, and also loved the range of accessories that you can get for it. I can wear it on my wrist like a watch, or clip it onto my clothes or shoes wear it in my pocket, or purchase a locket to wear it around my neck. I can change out the watchband by purchasing a steel mesh or leather band or even get one the new bling accessories since they have partnered with Swarovski. I purchased mine from Amazon and it was cheaper than on the official site. You can also buy at Best Buy and other retailers.
https://store.misfit.com/products/misfit-shine?gclid=Cj0KEQjw4NmvBRCRp_yu2bzal4YBEiQAWfjpJno-6efvZBjf7mbWfGu3p335i_Fvl7KGCMmOW5MsPsQaAqpK8P8HAQ
https://store.misfit.com/products/sw-slake-set?gclid=Cj0KEQjw4NmvBRCRp_yu2bzal4YBEiQAWfjpJj2B0sKO58fuvtyr9sJSofCX5ydOQpNFcm-zwjbcE7gaAlg78P8HAQ
Other popular activity trackers to check out: Fitbit, Jawbone, Garmin. Choose the one that fits your lifestyle! Each of the trackers has a phone app.
https://store.misfit.com/products/misfit-shine?gclid=Cj0KEQjw4NmvBRCRp_yu2bzal4YBEiQAWfjpJno-6efvZBjf7mbWfGu3p335i_Fvl7KGCMmOW5MsPsQaAqpK8P8HAQ
https://store.misfit.com/products/sw-slake-set?gclid=Cj0KEQjw4NmvBRCRp_yu2bzal4YBEiQAWfjpJj2B0sKO58fuvtyr9sJSofCX5ydOQpNFcm-zwjbcE7gaAlg78P8HAQ
Other popular activity trackers to check out: Fitbit, Jawbone, Garmin. Choose the one that fits your lifestyle! Each of the trackers has a phone app.
Charity Miles - I love earning money for charity while I'm getting in my workouts!
http://www.charitymiles.org/
Human - An activity tracker that inspires you to move 30 minutes or more each day. You can form clubs with friends and family to inspire each other to move more.http://human.co/
Goal Setting tools:
Coach.me (Formerly called Lift)is a free app that is like a coach that goes everywhere with you to help achieve any goal, change any habit or learn a new skill. You can set reminders for each of your goals to help build consistency! https://www.coach.me/
Other helpful apps:
My Fitness Pal - https://www.myfitnesspal.com/ Use it to track nutrition and exercise
SparkPeople mobile apps- http://www.sparkpeople.com/mobile-apps.asp
I particularly like the inspirational quotes and recipe apps.
Believe in yourself! You can do it!
