|
 |
Pharmacy |
|
|
Over
10,000 products currently online...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Motivation or Commitment?
Terri L Main
One of the most common questions I am asked about weight loss and
particularly about exercise is: "I started out my exercise [or diet] all
gung ho, but now I just don't feel motivated. How do I keep motivated?"
I think the key word here is "feel." Too often we depend on feeling
rather than committing. You need motivation to start any self
improvement program, but you need commitment to continue with that
program. Feelings and even motivation will come and go over time. Some
days you will feel like exercising. Other days you won't. Some days
controlling your diet will be easy. Other days it will be harder.
Actually, what most people mean when they say they lost motivation is
that they don't feel like doing what they started out to do. The
reasons or motivation is still there, what has waned is the feeling of
excitement found in any new venture. That will fade over time. That's
why you need to commit to a program regardless of your feelings.
So, how do you do this. Here's an idea. Treat it like your job.
Tomorrow I have a committee meeting at 1:00 p.m. Whether I feel like
going to that meeting or not I will go. Why? Because it's my job. I've
committed to providing my employer with a full days work for a full
day's pay. Motivation is irrelevant. What matters is my commitment.
Here is a suggestion make a contract with yourself. Set forth in it
your fitness terms. Set forth the number of calories you will eat per
day. How much exercise you will do each week. That sort of thing. Set
forth rewards for adherence to the terms of the contract and penalties
for noncompliance.
Another idea is to make appointments with yourself for exercise. My
aerobics class is in my Palm Pilot. And as any professional knows, if
it's in your organizer that makes it official. I treat it as being as
important as a committee meeting at school. I say, "Sorry, I can't get
together at that time I have an appointment, let's make it earlier or
later."
So, motivation is certainly fine, but when it isn't enough fall back on
your commitment and you will succeed whether you feel like it or not.
Terri Main teaches at Reedley College Reedley California and is the
webmaster of the Get Real Fitness website (http://www.getrealdiet.com
http://www.getrealdiet.com/ )
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
