January is gone and most of the New Year’s resolutions have been forgotten. Bingeing during the holidays and the bad conscience afterwards made us make big promises, even to change our whole life. Why don’t the promises to live a healthier life hold? Is the fault in the promise, or in us? Time to reflect on your true motivation.
Benefits of achieving your goal
A bad conscience usually isn’t enough to motivate us to change, not to mention changing our whole life. That’s why I ask my clients to think about their true motivation before starting nutrition coaching and a weight loss program. Reflecting on the benefits you’ll receive when you achieve your goal usually gives you your true motivation.
What happens if I eat regularly? How will I benefit from losing 10 pounds? Will I have more energy to play with my kids? Will I sleep better? Will my health improve? Will I fit into my clothes better?
It’s worth thinking about the important things in your life. If you, for example, like travelling – is being overweight a barrier to going on a trip? Would you go the gym if that would enable you to go on your dream holiday?
Things get more clear when you write them down. And you’ll remember them better. Or draw a picture, or tear out a photo from a magazine that inspires you. Wherever you find your motivation, it is important that it feels like your own, not something told to you by someone else, a doctor or a women’s magazine.
Set your goal and take one step at a time
See How You Eat Coach app can help you to find and maintain your true motivation. On the latest version of the app we’ve enabled you to set your goal and list the benefits of getting there. This is an important part of coaching; to remind yourself why you’re doing it, why it’s worth taking a picture of each meal and assessing it. The answer lies in the benefits you’ll get.
Every evening you will be asked ”Have you taken steps towards your goal today?”. Take a moment to think whether you have made choices that are taking you towards your goal or not. Are you one step closer? It probably takes time to reach your goal but you will get to the finish line.
Find your true motivation!
Marika Venäläinen
Authorised Nutritionist, Master of Health Science
Partner at See How You Eat Apps
