I want to live a long and happy
life. I have found out that the most effective motivator to avoid bad habits
and sustain healthy habits is to always keep in mind that I am changing my life
to benefit my family and myself. Experts say you can find the motivation to
stay healthy by making a list of the 3 most important people in your life.
Then, you have to tell them that you are going to start making small changes in
your habits in order to live healthy. Ask them also for encouragement, and let
them know that you want to be healthy because you want to take care of them and
be there for them.
It is also a good idea to
encourage your loved ones to change with you. While it is hard to force anybody
to change, you can set dates with your family members or friends to take walks
habitually, or minimize on drinking alcohol or smoking. Asking others to join
you in changing your lifestyle gives you more sense of motivation and
accountability; knowing that other people expect you to do something, you will
unlikely to let them down.
Another effective motivator is
surrounding yourself with positive things. Find motivational images, music,
sounds, and atmosphere. Recognize that there are many other people who are also
having difficulties in changing their lifestyle choices. When you watch
television, try to view programs featuring health and issues related to health.
Make some reminders and affirmations about why you want to be healthy in the
areas where you slip up. So if you usually head straight for fast food after
school or work, keep a written note about staying away from fast food that you
can see on your dashboard. Immerse yourself to self-help audio books and CDs
that encourage healthy lifestyle.
Possibly the most important part
of getting motivated to change your lifestyle is to set goals that are
realistic. If you want to lose weight the process takes time and it is
impossible to lose 20 pounds in just two days. Your goals should be reasonable
and you need to create a plan or strategy to achieve them over a certain period
of time.
Remember that the goals that are
the most motivating are personalized and start within you. Whatever that is, it
is always a good place to start. However, hitting hard without groundwork will
leave you feeling tired and burnt out. So take it easy when you start and make
steady improvements over a few months.
