Many have goals to lose weight and improve their health to start the New Year, but after a few months of obstacles they have already “fallen off the bandwagon.” On the other hand, others are able to almost effortlessly change their unhealthy lifestyle habits for continued weight improvement success. When push comes to shove and obstacles are present, are you staying on track?

If you are having trouble staying motivated towards your health improvements, then you might need to redefine why you want to make these changes.  You are battling against the ugly forces of habit, so your why for change needs be resilient. It needs to fight the little voice in your head telling you to quit and give up or give in to unhealthy temptations. It might help to think back to a behavior change you have made in the past to help you succeed now. What was the driving force towards that behavior change and how can it help you today? Finding your why is a matter of looking inward rather than outward. Dig deep and ask yourself, why do you want to be healthier? It’s probably going to be more than to look good in a bathing suit or because somebody else told you to lose weight.

Write Down Your Why

Take a few minutes today and really explore why you want to be a healthier version of yourself.  Once you have identified your why, write it down into an actual sentence on a notecard. On days when you just don’t feel like being active or choosing nutritious foods, that notecard can give you the motivation and drive you need for long-term success. Only by being completely dedicated to your why will you have the motivation you will need to achieve your goals. If you have a strong enough reason for wanting to change your body, then you can!  Just make sure to keep reminding yourself of your reason, especially when times get tough or when you start finding excuses to justify unhealthy actions.

My why that drives me to stay healthy is so I can be physically fit enough to do the things I love as I get older, like hiking in Colorado. Weigh and Win encourages you to share your why on our Facebook page! By sharing your motivation, you can help others stay motivated. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact a Health Coach at [email protected]

Written by: Mallory McCormick, Weigh and Win Health Coach