How To Stay Motivated With Reaching Your Health & Wellness Goals This Year

At some point, we have all set out to make some changes related to our health. Whether it's been a new years resolution or a start fresh on Monday kinda plan we've all made some goals related to eating better, weight loss, boosting our energy levels, or overall well-being.

If you've had success amazing!! keep going. However, if you're one of the 80% of people that abandon their new year's resolutions then let's take a closer look at what changes you can make to stay motivated to create the long-lasting changes you want.

Reasons Why You May Be Lacking Motivation When It Comes To Your Health & Wellness Routine:

1. Lacking A Clear Goal & Why

This one may seem obvious but it's one that often gets overlooked and skipped. Let's take weight loss as an example. If you set your goal as I want to lose 10lbs by a specific date then you also need to create goals related to what's needed to achieve that (time to meal plan, understanding why you have sugar cravings, etc) and look at what has gotten in the way of reaching that goal in the past or contributed to the weight gain in the first place - Is it hormone-related? is it cravings? ... Otherwise, you are setting yourself to rely exclusively on willpower and grit and that rarely works long term when it comes to weight loss.

Understanding your why and what the end result will mean for you overall is important in keeping you motivated and on track. Taking the time to figure out what the change will do for you is an important step. Again back to the weight loss example. If the only marker of success is fitting back into those jeans that have been collecting dust in your closet for months you are less likely to succeed. Life happens, you get busy and eventually that cookie, chocolate, or pasta is going to call your name. If you reframe you're why to include things that go beyond just losing 10lbs to include eating more nourishing foods that keep me feeling energized and full, feeling less bloated and tired during the day, etc you are far more likely to stay on track.

2. Need More Accountability & Structure

When it comes to your health and your hormones you need a structured plan that addresses the root cause of what's contributing to your symptoms and setbacks in the first place. If you are struggling with intense sugar cravings and simply embark on a diet that requires you to give up all sugar without addressing why you even have those cravings in the first place it's going to be an uphill battle and will again have you relying heavily on will power. If you are dealing with hormone imbalance symptoms like PMS, weight gain, mood swings, etc, and are randomly adding supplements it isn't going to result in the changes you so desire. You need a structured plan that gets to the root cause of what's contributing to your symptoms and someone to support you with staying focused on accountable to those goals.

Tips For Staying On Track & Motivated With Reaching Your Wellness Goals:

Set Realistic Goals

Start slow and be sure your goal is realistic and that you'll be able to keep up with the changes you are embarking on. If your goal is to cook more meals at home but you are currently having takeout several times a week, instead of going the all or nothing route focus on how you can plan ahead and incorporate more homecooked meals in a simple and sustainable way that fits into your lifestyle. When working with clients in the Nutrition RESET program one of the things we focus on is how to make healthy changes that fit into your lifestyle. If you don't have time for elaborate meals then stick with the basics - set time aside to meal prep on the weekend, find ways to cut some corners in a healthy way (grab a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, use frozen veggies, etc). Healthy eating and reaching your goal doesn't need to be complicated or overwhelming. Create a plan that fits into your current lifestyle and slowly build on the changes to reach your goals.

Pick a Plan That's Sustainable & Supports Your Body

If you love pasta and pizza going keto is probably not going to end well. If you love sweets giving up all sugar and treats is also going to be an uphill battle. Instead, figure out a plan (and get support if you need to) that includes your favourite foods in a balanced way. If you are struggling with how to include your faves in a balanced way it's probably an indication that something else is going on in your body. Hormone imbalances can contribute to cravings.

Make Sure Your Plan Includes Things You Enjoy & Makes You Happy

If the end goal is to get healthy then the process should be enjoyable and stress-free. Yes, you need to be open to change and trying new things, creating new habits but you do not need to stress yourself out and cut out all your favourite foods or do workouts that you hate. All that stress impacts your hormones and can make reaching the end goal more challenging and can lead to you giving up and resorting to old habits that weren't serving you. Lastly, remember that every meal and every day doesn't need to be perfect in order to be making progress. Every small change will add up over time.

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