I’ve been having a lot of conversations about motivation lately. Sometimes you don’t make it to the gym and you think you need motivation. Sometimes you eat something that you regret and you think you need motivation to get back on track. I have two thoughts about this.
Let’s put the brakes on claiming “lack of motivation” as your go-to whenever you don’t meet your own expectations. Sometimes your brain and body needs a break. So if for one week you go to the gym 3 days instead of our normal 4 days, it’s really ok. Your body maybe responding to the general stress of your life and maybe requesting some down time to regroup. That’s totally ok.
The same kind of goes for food. We are so inundated with food trends, macros, IIFYM, calories-in-calories-out, zone, paleo, you name it; there’s something to get obsessed with. But you know what your body needs. If you torture yourself over one indulgence, you’ll drive yourself crazy. Treating yourself doesn’t mean you’re not motivated. It just means that occasionally you should enjoy something that makes you happy. Food is fuel, for sure. But sometimes it just tastes good. Once you figure out how to not let food get the best of your mindset, you will find that keeping things in balance will be a lot easier.
The other thing is that motivation has to be continually renewed. But if you have passion, you will be fueled to do the things you need to do. If you are passionate about regaining or maintaining your health, your motivation will be there. How that plays out is so individualized. It may revolve around food, fitness, rest, mindset or a combination of all four. The thing to remember when you are getting started is to do things that will build self-efficacy and that will help you move forward.
Motivation… passion… Stop stressing yourself out about every single step you make. One less than ideal choice doesn’t mean you’re not motivated or passionate. Keep your goals in mind and rest as needed.
