Oh hey there… Me again. Soooooooo let’s have a little truth moment, shall we?
I had a really hard time writing this… mostly because I sat here thinking, I literally have nothing to say. I’ve been a stranger to the gym without the slightest shred of motivation to exercise. This is going to be the worst…
But then I figured, I can’t be alone in this… right? So here’s to you, whoever you are, who’s at the point of forget it but still somewhere deep down sort of kind of holding on to hope.
First things first: take the goals off the table. It sounds totally counterintuitive, I know; but there may come a day (or several days… in a row) where you couldn’t care less about your fitness goals. In fact, nothing matters other than the nuggets, waffle fries and milkshake that you’ve got your heart and tastebuds set on as soon as you can get to them. Goals smoals, you think… And you may be right. Sometimes we aspire to things that aren’t beyond our reach but they’re beyond our will. We have to be realistic about what we’re willing to do right now and go from there. So forget the long-term, ideal body and think about what matters to you right now. Is there an outfit you want or need to fit into? Is there an event you want to look good for? Are you nauseated by the amount of money you spend on fast food? Figure out the immediate change you’re looking for and start there.
Figure out what you’re willing to actually do it. Then start doing it. Drastic changes require drastic action; but when you’re feeling unmotivated you can barely wrap your head around the baby steps. You may not be up for a paleo diet, and that’s ok. Think about what small changes you’re willing to make even on a day when you couldn’t care less. For example, maybe there’s no chance of you giving up your morning Starbucks but you’d be ok skipping dessert after dinner. Or perhaps you already know money spent on a gym membership would only go to waste, but you wouldn’t mind using the facilities at work/school or trying out a home workout DVD or YouTube program to get some exercise. Commit to this small change for one day. Then, after you’ve done it, see how you feel. Go for another day if it wasn’t so bad. If you were unbearably miserable, think of something else and try that until you find what fits. You’ve gotta start somewhere!
Decide what really matters. This kind of goes with figuring out what you’re willing to do, because your why will help make your what possible. What’s the point? Are you doing this for you or for someone else? If for someone else, for whom? And how much do they really matter to you? Sometimes we feel the need to look good for our spouse (or for the sake of attracting one!), get healthy for our kids, or get back to where we used to be in our “prime.” If you’re doing it for you, why? Is it to prevent or eliminate health challenges, or maybe to prove to yourself you can do it? Whatever your reasons, make sure they’re good ones. In my opinion, the best people to inspire personal change are God and myself. I find that doing things to please anyone else never lasts; I ultimately revert to doing (or not doing) something because of how I feel in a given moment.
Start with today. Don’t bother scheduling out your week’s workout and meal plan. It’s too overwhelming for an unmotivated mind- you’ll quit before you even start! Take each moment one at a time and make the best decision you can. Maybe you skip the rice in your burrito bowl. Maybe you actually go to that class at the gym. Maybe you choose water over soda. Don’t feel the need to map it all out… Just promise yourself you’ll do better and take it one decision at a time.
So what does this look like in real life? Well, yesterday I woke up, prayed and read my Bible, got a little work done and then decided to actually go to Zumba class. Afterwards, I came home and made oatmeal for breakfast (not at all skimping on the condensed milk) and went back to work. Then, after picking up Anthony’s phone from the store, I talked myself out of grabbing a burger (mostly because the 40 minute drive to Shake Shack was just too much of a commitment and all local options just wouldn’t be worth it) and went home, where I snacked on a pear and some water crackers and made dinner. For dinner I decided on cajun stuffed peppers (they were phenomenal – recipe coming soon!), which meant we’d actually be eating vegetables. I even added spinach to the filling for good measure. I made sure to finish up all four of my 24oz bottles of water planned for the day, and voila! Better choices were made.
Sometimes, you just gotta wing it in order to get back on track. Trust me, I know. I’m there! But you gotta start somewhere… Doesn’t matter where. Just start! 🙂