Resolution Rehab

It's February! How has that New's Year's Resolution coming? I know that you had all good intentions when you

made them back in December but somewhere along the way you lost your motivation. Here's how to get it back!

1. You need to live your goal not just reach it otherwise your goal is just a touchstone. You will reach it and then well are done. I wanted to run a 1/2 marathon. I did not want to become a runner. I trained and trained to run that 1/2 marathon. The day of the race came. I went out there very proud- I am going to kill this race as I have trained hard. This way the big day. As I was running this race, I realized I had no joy in this process. I was hating every minute of this race. I couldn't wait to be done. The miles were just ticking by and I wasn't having any fun. This goal had been reached and I was done with it. I didn't reach the goal of runner but of distance.

2. Discipline trumps motivation every time. Motivation is not something that is lasting. You want to get disciplined so that it sticks with you. You know this is what you do. Think about why you wash your hands after using the bathroom. It's really gross not to right? But in reality, you have be told over and over to do it. The discipline to do it is there.

There are many times that I do not want to exercise, that I want to eat a giant bag of Cape Cod Potato Chips ( or even better a HUGE BOWL of mash with gravy) but I put discipline first. There is little to no motivation. Yes I want to sit on the couch. Yes I want to go to bed. Yes I want to quit but I want my body more. I

want to go to the doctor every 2 years instead of every month. I just went to the doctor. I haven't seen him in 2 years. I can't tell you how great a feeling it is to go from seeing the doctor regularly for numerous ailments to not needing to go at all. In fact, at the end our our time, he says hmmm....I don't even need to order anything for you! What a terrific feeling. That's why I get up and workout, drink my kale smoothie, drink my apple cider vinegar even when its not what I want to do.

3. Habits control us. How often do you have to check your twitter, Facebook, Instagram? Do you have to have coffee before interacting with the family? What is your daily routine and how much of it right now can you predict you will do tomorrow exactly like you did today? What if every time you checked your phone you did a push up! WOW!!!

You want to make exercise and fitness part of your life? Make it part of your habits rather than an expendable part of your day. There are numerous excuses we can all give for why we don't have time to workout but if you have 7 minutes you can workout everyday.

4. Restart when you fall off! Don't give up if you fall off the wagon. Just because you fell off-okay some of us fell off got run over, bit by the horse, and left in the ruts- you can start fresh each day. One meal did not make a person overweight nor did missing one workout. It's a pattern of behavior. Don't give up because you "failed". Failure is your opportunity to start again and realize what didn't work. Change those patterns so that you start driving that wagon.

5. Make it fun! If you aren't having fun with your workout- then why? Fitness isn't supposed to be terrible. You can have fun. There are so many ways to "get in shape" Don't let one idea try to mold you.

This is your year! You can do it- if January slipped by and your resolution's aren't fierce, get back on track! Don't give up! You are worth the effort.

Yours in Health,

Heather