The Importance of Motivation in Reaching Your Health Goals

Why do you want to get healthy?

Seriously ... I'm asking you why you want to change. What is your motivation? This is a critical question to consider when you make the decision to get healthy.

When you find yourself motivated by working to avoid something, the motivation will only last until you feel "safe" from whatever it was you wanted to avoid. If your goal is to avoid obesity, then as soon as you are out of that danger, the motivation will begin to fade.

How many times have you tried to change and ended up in this cycle:

1. You act because of internal or external pressure or conflict
2. Your action makes you feel better (even with little or no change yet)
3. Feeling better relieves some pressure
4. Less pressure now means less motivation to continue
5. The follow through on the actions fades away
6. Back where you started...(plus 10 more pounds than where you started)

This is exactly why I never wanted to start a "diet!” And this is the reason that I am still not on a "diet.” Instead of reacting to avoid something, I am pro-acting to gain something. Better to strive for optimal health, instead of dieting to lose some weight. Do you want your health to continue to improve as you age or will you slide down the path of disease? There is no rule that says you have to get sick as you get older.

So when you think about your motivation, you can create a structure to help you. It will break down into three types of choices:

1. Fundamental
2. Primary
3. Secondary

Here is what the fundamental choice is...Do I want to be optimally healthy? Not "Is it possible?", but "Do I want it?" Once this choice has been made, I need to organize my primary choices & outline my secondary choices.

Now on to primary choice. These are goals. Remember that often we set "avoidance" goals. These are the goals like, "lose some weight", "not feel exhausted", etc. Better primary choices/goals are specific, measurable, and on a timeline. "I will get into the healthy weight zone on a BMI chart" is one such a goal.

Last, but certainly not least ,are secondary choices. These are the actual steps you take to move you toward your goal and primary choices. If your primary choice & goal is to get to a healthy weight, then a secondary choice could be, "I will stay away from desert food" Consider whether that secondary choice will move you forward toward your primary goal.

So here is an example of this process:

• Fundamental decision - optimal health 
• Primary decision - get to below 25 on a BMI chart (the “green” zone of healthy weight)
• Secondary decision - I will not eat desert food because it moves me away from my primary goal

I’ll leave you with this: Think about your health goals. They are the foundation on which you can build healthy habits.

Have a fantastic day!