There has been a lot of things changing around me in the past little while. Not just with losing weight but life in general. Things seem to be getting ‘faster’ which is a good thing! In the midst of it I’m taking on this life change to be a healthier, more fit person. In the past it’s been difficult for me to stay motivated so I’ve come up with a few things that are helping me stick with it this time. These key motivators aren’t new by any stretch of the imagination. But keeping these 3 things in front of me each day are helping me re-shape my life.
Visualize what you want to look like when you reach your goal.
I’ve been doing a LOT of reading on the subject of visualization and imagination. I’m naturally a ‘dreamer’ which means getting a picture in my head of something I want isn’t difficult for me. You may have to work at it, but pictures just pop in my head! But using those pictures and images are a different story.
I use to think that what I saw in my mind was just fanciful thinking; when in reality the pictures I see can really help speed up weight loss. In particular I was reading an excerpt from a book by Maxwell Maltz who is the author of PSCYHO CYBERNETICS. Maltz is a plastic surgeon and expert on self image psychology. In a nutshell, he has found that our brains can’t distinguish between what is real or what is imagined. This means that if I hold an image of myself in my mind, my brain begins thinking that’s what I’m supposed to do! Athletes have been using visualization for decades, but the impact this could have on your weight-loss success is huge! (pardon the pun!) Currently, I’m picturing what I’ll look like when I lose my weight, but I’m also visualizing the activities I’ll be doing – the emotions I’ll feel – the sense of accomplishment – and by doing this, my brain can’t tell that it’s not real…it just begins directing the body to that end!
To be honest, this is all new for me. But I’m convinced that a powerful tool like visualization will help me (and you!) stay motivated to lose the weight.
Recall the reason ‘why’
The second key is, the reason why. Why do I want to lose weight. I can guarantee that there are more than a couple reasons for every person to be fit and healthy. The obvious ones are physical, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually we all have reasons for getting to a healthy weight and being as fit as we can!
I look at my family and see three girls I have to walk down the aisle. I see a wife that deserves a husband that is strong and able to help her feel secure. I see a family that wants the best for me and I see colleagues who will benefit from me being in the best shape of my life. I see many, many things! My reasons why are very long. Make a list, review regularly and continue to push towards why you want to drop the weight.
Pushing past your comfort zone.
Comfort zones kill people. As a creative person, If I continually stay in a place of comfort, I never end up realizing what ‘could’ be. I’m not the most curious person in the world, but at the end of my life I want to know that I achieved everything possible for me, with every opportunity I’m given. Not everyone wants to be aggressive with their life goals, but I think everyone should be looking to push out of their comfort zones.
Research tells us that the body is VERY adaptive. Workout routines can reach plateaus within a month. Pressure put on the body can be accommodated. This means that to really succeed with my weight loss goals I’ll need to be pushing myself out of comfort zones as long as I can. This may mean more intensity in my workouts, less or different foods at different times or it could just mean altering the time I work out so I can always keep my body guessing.
I don’t mind being comfortable for a time, but I know that I’m only there to rest. And then I’ll need to move on.