This time of year always makes me want to grab a good book, cuddle up with my pup, and cozy down for a long winter’s nap. When the weather is colder and the days are shorter, it’s so hard to find motivation to do anything.
But here’s the thing, we can’t always rely on motivation to reach our goals.
Motivation isn’t something you can always count on. For days where we feel like doing nothing, we need to intentionally establish habits to fall back on. As a nutrition coach and personal trainer, my healthy habits are what keep me consistent.
Think of all of the not so great habits you’ve accumulated over the years. How many times did you practice them to become habitual? This is why it can take a while to untrain them as well! Don’t think about breaking your current habits. Just think about reestablishing better habits and the rest will follow.
Some days I workout out of habit, not because I want to. This is because over the last few years, I’ve established that working out is my time. It’s the only time of the day where I can put all of my commitments, responsibilities, and stress aside to just focus on me. And now I look forward to it. Honestly. Even when it’s cold outside and I really don’t want to do it, I go because I know I’ll feel sooo great during and after.
You see, good habits are created by small changes that amount over time. These small changes will snowball into healthy habits you can rely on. If you make it a point to go on a 10 minute walk every day during your lunch break and do this every day consistently. You will be that much closer to establishing a habit that will serve you well. I used to eat a salad a day for a week and think, “Where are my abs?!”
I had absolutely no idea what patience was. Patience is key to establishing a sustainable lifestyle. When I started, I was not consistent. I was a little sporadic and new to fitness. I didn’t have enough patience with myself or the process. So if you can be patient and acknowledge the healthy habits you are establishing, a lot of these things will become second nature!
Here’s something to try: write down 2 things you can add to your weekly routine. They don’t have to be crazy. Maybe it’s walking an extra 500 steps a day. Or maybe it’s adding an extra set to your workouts. Whatever it is, make it intentional and try to stay consistent! 🙂