So how is everyone doing this month? Have you been able to keep the motivation? If you have fallen, it is okay. Tomorrow is another day and you can start over. You have already regained victory if you move forward instead of backwards! Sometimes taking baby steps, changing one thing a week makes a big difference. It can be overwhelming to make major changes all at once. Just choose one lifestyle change each week that can help you in your weight loss efforts. For example:
1. Choose to eat a healthy breakfast every morning if you don't normally eat breakfast.
2. Choose to give up a weakness, such as coffee or chocolate, something that your body has a hard time resisting and overrides your mind!
3. Choose to exercise 10 minutes longer than usual.
4. Choose to exercise when you are stressed instead of eat.
5. Choose to stop eating by 6pm each night.
The list could go on and on, but you know what kind of change is best for you. Just commit to do it for one week and I bet you will be able to keep doing it and add a new change the next week!
I want to end this email with a response I gave on the TaeBo message boards. I am feeling like most of the gang is struggling with keeping motivated and having to keep starting over and over. I pray this helps someone out there!
"I just ordered the DVD's. How can I help myself to keep it up. It seems everthing I try fizzles out in a few weeks. I need to be motivated constantly. Help!!! I am fat and out of shape."
I am so glad you posted and are asking for support and encouragement. That is a great step to keeping the motivation, to have accountability and others to lift you up as you go through this.
First, you must eliminate the word "Try" from your vocabulary. Try means "To attempt" it doesn't mean "to complete". Commit means "to complete" so when you say, "Everything I TRY seems to fizzle out" well that is because you are just attempting things and not committing to it. You must say, "I just ordered the DVD's and I WILL lose the weight and get in shape through these." Does that make sense?
Also, evaluate your motivations. Are they fleshly motivations or are they deeper than that? For example, do you want to get into shape just so you look good in a swimsuit and everyone will oooh and ahh you? Or do you want to get into shape so you will be honoring your body that God has given you and bless every part of your life by being healthy, including setting a good example for your family and friends. I truly believe if you have fleshly motivations, you will fail. I know that my motivations for the past 10 years were like that and I always failed. Now my accountablity is to my 4 children, my students at school and my youth group because they are looking to me for an example.
Remember everyone, love yourself enough to do this. In order for you to give love and receive it, you have to first love yourself. You are beautiful, you are worthy of this and there is absolutely no reason why you cannot have it. We live in a world that expects "microwave miracles" but we all know that the ones who work hardest have the permanent/lifetime results and the ones who work hardest will appreciate it the most.
Keep the faith my friends! God loves you no matter what you weigh, but He wants you to have kingdom living on earth and to do that, HE needs you to do your part! So as Billy Blanks says, "LET'S ROCK!"
