I think I speak for most people when I say we know that feeling of “I can’t be bothered!”
We all get it, but how we act on that feeling is what makes a big difference to our fitness.
Let’s talk about motivation.
Some of us manage to fight on without it and get stuff done anyway, but some of us give in to the lack of motivation and label it as a barrier to change. However, it can be worth knowing that there are two types of motivation that you can experience. Where you sit can help you understand motivation a bit better.
Motivation can be labelled as either extrinsic or intrinsic, you can sit at one end of the scale or float somewhere in the middle.
Have you ever wondered how a person you admire seems to have the motivation to workout all the time, always make healthy choices and just seems to dive out of bed at 5am into a workout raring to go?
The chances are pretty high that this person doesn’t always feel like they are buzzing for a workout but that they are intrinsically motivated. The good news is this is something we can all work towards.
It all comes down to your why!
Your reasons for exercising and deep down WHY you choose to focus on your health.
If you are solely focused on dieting or exercising because you think you SHOULD, someone is pushing you towards it, or for purely aesthetic reasons. This is called extrinsic motivation. Your motivation comes from outside factors, not from within yourself. You might be able to push through for a while, but it soon wears thin. The “meh” will eventually trump the external voices. Your WHY is – because I have to.
The goal is to work towards intrinsic motivation. This is when overall health becomes a priority and a healthier lifestyle eventually becomes FUN! This takes time to develop but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Once you start focusing on that buzz you get after a workout, or tuning into how crap you feel after a heavy weekend you begin to realise that you actually WANT to get up and workout and choose the healthier option. Your WHY becomes – because it’s fun!
Small changes become habits, and habits become a lifestyle
Little by little, make each day 1% better than the last. Dig a little deeper into why you want to get fitter & healthier.
Most of the time your why sits below the surface. Have a think about it.
You may say “I want to lose weight” – why? Do you want to feel more confident? Do you want to feel comfortable in your own skin? Maybe you say “I want to get fitter” – why? Are you fed up of being out of breath walking up stairs? Has your blood pressure started to rise and this is worrying to you?
Use these feelings to get you going. Try to turn off the societal noise of what you “should” be doing.
If you dig deep enough you can push through the meh days. When you take action you will start to see results, you will feel better, this leads to more motivation. It’s a cycle. At some point we get to a point where we do it for enjoyment. I am not saying that you have to love every minute of working out, however, when you get to a stage of being intrinsically motivated the relationship you have with motivation (or lack of) becomes much easier.
Just remember – action comes before motivation, not the other way around.
You can do it!
Lots of love
