Hello and happy February! Did January just fly by or what?!
So, how is everyone doing with their New Year’s resolutions and/or Lose the Dough challenge (if you joined)? Are you still gung-ho and motivated? February 1 always seems like the make-it or break-it point with New Years Resolutions.
Last week, I received a couple of emails from readers, who were looking for ways to re-motivate themselves. Both had mentioned that their enthusiasm was starting to wane due to yucky winter weather and lack of immediate results, which is totally understandable. I thought these emails would make a good blog post about weight loss, diet, and exercise motivation.
Over the years, a number of “strategies” have motivated me when I started to feel burnout:
- Set mini goals: Last week, for instance, my mini goal was to attend two Body Pump classes. A short-term, easily-attainable goal like this is likely to keep me on track– as opposed to looking at the entire 5-month Lose the Dough challenge, which is totally overwhelming.
- Be flexible with your expectations: Last week, I only made it to one Body Pump class, but instead of seeing this as a failure with regard to setting goals for myself, I was flexible with my expectations. I came up with a Plan B to attend a different strength training class (Gravity) in place of Body Pump, which worked out fabulously. Instead of an all-or-nothing approach, I altered my expectations when things didn’t go as planned.
- Try something new: Just like anything in life, eating the same foods and doing the same workout day after day gets really boring for me. This ultimately affects my motivation and commitment to my goals, and before I know it, I’m skipping workouts and eating junk. To keep myself motivated, I like to try new things. Most recently, I added chia seeds to my diet and gave Physique 57 a try for the first time. Incorporating new healthy elements into my life prevents me from getting bored. Plus, trying a new workout keeps my body guessing so that it doesn’t have a chance to adapt!
- Make a schedule and stick to it: When I started Lose the Dough, I made a weekly exercise schedule to keep myself on track. I’ve made a few changes here and there, but in general, I’ve done a good job sticking to it. I’m more likely to stay on track when my workouts are well-planned. (I explain recording my workouts in more detail here.)
Breakfast
I’m on a serious instant oatmeal kick lately! I love this “baked” oatmeal! I made another batch with canned pumpkin, raisins, and walnuts in the mix. So good!
And, as always, I enjoyed a nice glass of iced coffee with breakfast.
Question of the Day
Where does your motivation come from? How do you motivate yourself?
I have an insane day ahead! But, most of it is FUN stuff! 
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I like to sign up for races to keep me motivated.
Great tips! I motivate myself by signing up for a race and creating a schedule with mini goals.
This year, I’ve decided to make monthly challenges instead of year-long resolutions. In January, I did a vegan challenge and in February I’m cutting way back on sugar. I find that doing these challenges for such a short amount of time keeps me motivated– I can do anything for a MONTH!
I truly can’t believe its February! Time is flying by at lightening speed!
I don’t have one particular thing I do to stay motivated. Over the years I know how I feel when I don’t do things (exercise, complete goals, etc.)
I exercise because it feels good and I eat healthy because it makes me feel even better. As far as personal goals, I like to write them down and remind myself of why I made those goals to begin with.
Have a great Monday
Those are great tips for keeping up with your goals.
I think the idea of being healthy and feeling good keeps me motivated. Whenever I don’t want to exercise or feel like overeating, I just remember how great it feels after a work out and how terrible I feel when I’m stuffed.
Improved skin, high energy, better mood and a slightly smaller waist are also great motivators
I can’t believe it is Feb already either.
I stay motivated just because of how good exercising and eating right makes me feel. It also helps that my hubby is waaay into fitness…we motivate each other.
Like Jen, I sign up for races. Then I make myself a time goal and every time I feel like vegging on the couch instead of running, I just think of how I won’t make my goal by thinking about it.
Most of the time, motivation comes through the fact that working out has become routine! I’m just used to going out first thing after breakfast.
But there are days when I need the extra “oomph.” Usually I’ll remind myself of all the health benefits and how good I feel once I’m moving. If I don’t feel like moving after 15 minutes or so, I give myself permission to stop. But usually, more times then not, I love it and keep on going anyways!
Happy FEBRUARY 1st!!
I’m happy to see January go! It was a rough month for me. Getting my head back in the game after the excess of the holidays was much tougher than I thought it would be! I finally feel like I am getting my groove back!
My motivation comes from my family and friends
…. My dad has diabetes…and so that I don’t develop the same thing when I’m older, I’m trying to eat low sugar now (which, really is the best for me personally) it’s hard…but they always talk me through meal times to motivate me 
I made my first baked oatmeal today!
My motivation: feeling good about myself. When I eat well and exercise, I feel incredible. When I don’t, I feel like crap.
Funny that you ask about motivation-my post on saturday was called, “who motivates you?”
I look to others that are fitter or more determined than me….
Why does January always go by SO quickly? Im with on the switching things up for motivation. I would honestly NEVER work out if I did the same thing over and over again. PS-I know you mentioned you loved Physique 57. You should try to get a pass to the studio when you visit NYC! I live here and went as a guest once through a friend who did PR for them; they seemed really lenient about guest passes for new members, so you should look into it! You might meet Kell haha
Fitness wise I try to sign up for an event, either a run or a bike ride, so I have something concrete to train for!
Great motivation tips! I’m a very delf-driven person so I’m the ONLY one that can motivate myself
Thanks for the motivation tips! Once I set my mind to do something, I usually accomplish it but cold weather can leave any one feeling lazy and unmotivated.
I agree with what other people said – just the idea of being fit, eating healthy etc is enough motivation! And races and my own mini goals too. Basically the tips you said are really useful and really true! Schedules, races, goals – 3 key things!
Have a great day
Count me amongst the posters who are both surprised to see how fast January went by yet at the same time, glad to see it pass. It seems as though I am just NOW gettng my ‘mojo’ back: working out strong and making healthy food choices. As for motivation, I am one of those who is self motivated. Yeah, like everyone, I get that extra push from the impending beach vacation or event where I’ll want to look my best, but by and large my motivation comes from knowing that I feel great and strong. I love it when I have a good workout, a good nights sleep and a nourish my body with wholesome foods.
My motivation to go to the gym : I’ll feel great afterward and I’ll probably run into a “gym buddy” and have a nice chat. Also, seeing great results don’t hurt!
My motivation to eat healthy : I need energy to fuel my workouts!
Did somebody try that baked oatmeal with quick oats? What quantity did you use?
I’m motivated by the thought that if I /don’t/ keep active and eat my veggies, I’ll go back to the way I was: SICK. My digestive system has finally calmed down, and I’m not going to ruin that by feeding it brownies!
The Mister and I try and keep eachother motivated — if he fails me, I turn to my mom! We always work out together
I like to set myself goals, such as my “Run 3 Miles Straight” goal I want to achieve by the end of February. I also like to mix it up with classes/yoga, and things like running intervals, so my brain is always working!
Great post!!
And I keep myself motivated by giving myself rewards for accomplishing goals, setting mini goals, and trying new things. Especially trying new things… you have to make it exciting!
sometimes the motivation isn’t healthy – as in trying to ‘fit in’ to my surrounding friends and co-workers. but lately i’ve been noticing a shift in motivation because i just want to be MY healthiest me!
Great tips on motivation! Can’t wait to hear about your insane day
I am motivated by my skinny jeans…I can’t lie! And looking at other thin people. Isn’t that sad?
Motivation..let’s see: I want to keep my heart/lungs/insides healthy, regardless of how I look on the outside. This strategy usually works well because I don’t feel pressured to look a certain way, and I remember that I am doing this for me!
Sometimes I am really lacking on motivation- but I know that I will feel so much better if I get a workout it. Progress takes time, and waiting for results is helping me work on my patience!!
Definitely signing up for races helps, or having some kind of short term goal. Motivation is harder to come by in the winter though, that’s for sure!
The thing that is keeping me motivated right now is blogging. I think it keeps me more accountable. I vowed to do it, so I do.
I try to think of being in a bathing suit this summer and it motivates me. I’ve really stuck to my plan since Jan. 1 but haven’t seen any major changes which is a little hard to take. I think if I noticed a difference it would be a lot easier to stick to.
I think visualization really helps me. Seeing where I could be in a few months, a year, a few years. Knowing that to get there I have to really give something my all.
One thing I do is keep a laminated before and after picture with me at all times. I’d lost 135 pounds and regained some back and am currently fighting it back off to goal by MY 30th (next year). I find carrying my before and after of my heaviest and my lowest is a great reminder of how far I’ve come and where I’ve gotten to. I love to pull it out and show people too!
Paying in full for a May marathon! Also, blogging and reading other people’s blogs is very motivating!
I try to set myself small goals and treat myself! (with massages, new workout apparel, and pedicures!) I love rewards for hard work
My motivation comes from thinking about the bright future ahead: You may have to wade through swamps but eventually you’ll walk in to a golden field.
hmm, well I can’t say things are going well… i don’t know why i can’t shake this negative outlook
better reevaluate and try writing some goals down, maybe posting them around my apt or making myself read reminders all the time?
When I see great results from eating right and going to the gym-I stay motivated to keep on going! I like the way I feel and that helps me keep going back.
Great strategies to follow! One way I motivate myself is to picture and remember how great I feel when I stick to eating clean and exercising regularly. I know my body pretty well and it can tell when I’ve been slacking. If I really can’t motivate myself to go for a run, I switch it out with a walk. As long as I get some form of exercise in, even just a brisk walk, it makes me feel great.
I have 3-4 friends that motivate me to stay focused! We all look to each other for support and motivation. We are all triathlon geeks, so we are in the base phase of working out, but we all love too much of not so great food. So we set goals and help each other stay accountable!
You need to keep focus on your goals to stay motivated, but I am not for short time goal (like loosing xx pounds in a month… sorry Tina). It doesn’t work for me, I would feel very discouraged and anxious if I couldn’t reach my short time goal and because I like myself, I wouldn’t do that to myself (!). So I’ve been having the same goal for years now, and I plan to keep it as my goal for ever : my goal is to improve my overall fitness and to eat better, it is a general goal and I like to keep it this way. My goal is in fact a lifestyle goal, cause it is never reachable, I will never attend a maximum degree of fitness and eating, I could always do better and I won’t stop to get better and better, this is my motivation. If I gained some pounds along the way I know that I will loose them, it is normal to “slip” sometimes (I am careful anyway not to let it slip too long!), just pick up where you were, everything will get back to normal very fast. I’ve seen a lot of people reaching their goal, then stop and gain back, slack down, eat badly again, and loose all of their results. This works for me, anyone else?
cant wait to hear about your insanely fun day. great motivation tips too! i always am motivated by an upcoming race.
Do you think you’ll keep doing the baked oatmeal once you’ve finished all your packets? And can’t wait to hear of the day ahead!
I’m motivated by competition.
At the gym I like to pick a treadmill beside someone who is running so I can try to keep up with them or run faster/longer than them.
When I do weights I compete with my previous workout… pushing myself to do more weight or a couple more reps.
I like all of your ideas for motivation! I don’t think I could get anything done if I didn’t set small goals, but even then I have a tendency to procrastinate. Like I’m doing right now :X
Mini goals work great for me as does schedule. But also I like mini rewards like a bubble bath or a foot massage or cuddle time with a book. Little treats like that push me to reach my mini goals.
I can’t believe February is already here! Thanks for the great tips! I also like to make small goals…makes your bigger goals more attainable.
When I feel super unmotivated, I keep a journal for a few days. I write how I felt after a workout. When I don’t feel like working out, I read that and it reminds me how great I will feel after.
Focusing on how I feel keeps me motivated. When I eat right and hit the gym regularly I feel great. If I don’t I start feeling blah and I hate it!
I use friends for motivation: We run together. If I am dreading a workout, I think that my friends will “beat me” by going on that hour run w/o me, for example. It’s a mini competition : )
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