It’s a great question! So how do you do it?
You need to create a clear vision of the life you want to live. Close your eyes, picture yourself in those jeans or that dress, see yourself as the parent you want to be or crossing the finish line.
Before you even start, ask yourself what it is that you want and why you are even doing this in the first place. Be honest about your answer. A simple, “I want to lose 10 pounds” or “I want to be healthy” are NOT answers that will cut it. Ten pounds… big deal! Being healthy… so what! Those are simple; fluff answers to give that do not really have meaning behind it.
Think instead like this… what would you be able to do if you lost __ pounds, how would you feel about yourself, what would you do different that you can’t do now, etc.
Maybe, you would be able to run your first 5k, fit into a pair of skinny jeans, have confidence to start dating, not have to take any sick days from work, have energy to play with your kids, fit into a really hot wedding dress, the list goes on & on.
That vision is your staying power. If you create that vision… then down the road, let’s say on day 40 into your new lifestyle and you start to think “I’m too tired,” “I don’t want to do this,” “I can take a week off”… you will have a crystal clear picture of the YOU that you are giving up on.
What can you take away from this article and put into action at this very moment? I’d say to take a few minutes today and really think about why you are hitting the gym, pressing play on a workout DVD, taking fitness classes and training for a marathon… and then write it down. Yes, write it down. That means pen to paper. Keep that paper with you & when you start to slack take a good look at what YOU wanted in the first place.