The biggest catch twenty-two in the world is that of the exercise variety. The whole I feel to fat/ugly/lazy to get off the couch but knowing that if you did, just a little, you would feel 100% better. So how does one fix the problem? Well, by admitting that a change needs to be made, figuring out how you want to change and then acting on that. It is indeed harder than it sounds. Here are some tips to achieve what I like to "Slow Motivation".
Slow Motivation is a term that I use to help people move from extreme non-movement to movement again. It is not about making someone who has not been active automatically running 3 miles a day. That is not practical, and it is a very popular attitude when it comes to working out. However, this attitude leads to injury, frustration and ultimately failure. In comes "Slow Motivation", in which you work on your goals slowly and practically.
Step One: Write your final goals down in a notebook that you use just for this purpose. Example (keep it simple) "I want to be able to walk a mile comfortably"
Step Two: Come up with a schedule that fits into your current schedule to start moving you closer to your goal. Example "On Tuesdays and Thursdays I don't work until 9, I will start walking slowly around the block at 8 on these mornings"
Step Three: Lay out your gear the night before and write down your feelings about what you are about to do. Hopefully getting yourself excited about your new adventure. Be easy on yourself and don't set your expectations to high, you only set yourself up for failure. Say to yourself, "tomorrow morning after my walk, I will feel so energetic!"
Step Four: After implementing your plan, keep journaling about your experiences. By doing this you will see what is happening with you and you can then decide when to slowly add more.
Lastly, Step Five: Now that you have the tools, if you decide to add more to your slow schedule, you can look back at your journal and figure out what else you would like to add. Then start back over again with Step One.
These steps are helpful in not only exercise but in eating as well. Instead of one day dropping out whole categories of foods, you just say "I will start slowly decreasing my sugar intake...". Beginning an exercise/eating program in this "Slo Mo" way helps you to learn where you are indulgent, as well as lets you gradually notice the changes that start to occur. Once that starts to happen, your motivation starts to pick up and your possibilities for the future follow.
