How do I keep motivated to eat healthy?

Motivation ... Something we all struggle with at some stage in our lives, if it's for going to the gym, going to work, getting a particular task done, eating healthy. It's not easy to keep motivated if we are using pure will power alone.

First of all we are going to talk about change, there are two reasons why we decide to make a change. We are either running away from pain, which could be things like finding it hard to do everyday activities, diabetic or at risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, feeling tired or hitting that 3-pm slump everyday, or we are running towards pleasure. Wanting to fit into that new dress, have an event coming up, or you just know how much better you are going to feel once you are living a healthier lifestyle.

One of the secrets to losing your weight, living happier and living healthier is getting yourself motivated to take the actions that you know you should be doing.

Now, what happens though is how maybe about halfway through your journey, as you get further away from that pain, you need to start focusing on the pleasure more so that you can keep running towards that goal. The way you talk to yourself is going to make a big difference in how you get motivated and whether the motivation can actually sustain you all the way to the goal.

There is a tale of two wolves, kind of like the little Angel and Devil that sit on your shoulder and the way it goes is the grandfather is talking to his grandson and he's saying that there are two wolves within each of us. There is the bad wolf that is full of hatred and meanness and jealousy and every other negative term that you can think of.

And then there is the good wolf who is full of love and joy and optimism and promise. And the GRANDPA was telling his grandson that he was having an internal fight and the grandson looked at him and said, well Gee Grandpa, which wolf is going to win? And the GRANDPA says the one you feed.

Which is so true right?

So when we talk about motivation, you really have to look at the way that you are talking to yourself. Are you talking to yourself from a selfless perspective or are you talking to yourself from a self-hatred perspective? So right now, regardless of where you are on your journey, if you are telling yourself you have to lose weight because you're ugly, you're fat, you're stupid, you're lazy, that's not gonna work. If you're telling yourself that you want to lose weight because you'll feel healthier, you'll have more confidence and you'll feel better, you'll be more energetic You won't hold back on some of the goals that you have that comes from a place of self-love and that will get you further toward your goal and get you there eventually. It just depends on how long it takes, but it will get you there.

Motivation is basically defined as the reason or reasons somebody does the things they do, the way they act in a certain way. And like I said before, motivation doesn't last. You have to get in a daily practice of getting your motivation back. Like as soon as you go to sleep or maybe even halfway through the day, you may lose your motivation because you've been using willpower for all these decisions in your life. I read somewhere that we make 200 decisions a day.

That is crazy!

I am sure you have heard the parable of the donkey and the carrot. Now donkeys are lazy and donkeys are stubborn! But the carrot is what motivates the donkey to move. Because donkeys love carrots. I don't know why. So when you put a carrot in front of a donkey, it will actually lean into it and start moving toward it. So the donkey is like the brain and the carrot is the reward. The trick here with motivation is to get all of us to lean into that carrot, whatever the reward might be and get us moving.

We want your brain to start being tricked, to take the actions that you want it to take in terms of your health and your weight loss, your self-development, you know, whatever it is, whether it's cleaning a room at home or spending more quality time with your kids, not screaming at your spouse, whatever it is. We want to trick the brain with these rewards into doing these things.

So, let's talk about getting your motivation to eat healthy!

When you think about the way that we, all of us as adults, as humans should be eating for better health, do you instantly go into the negative realm of I'm going to be deprived. This is going to be so hard. I'm not gonna have any fun. Take a moment and think, "Am I thinking/feeling that way?"

Then what about having that last supper? Which I am sure we have all had! We would declare "On Monday. I'm going to start a diet." Now that comes from a sense of deprivation, all or nothing, perfectionism. So are you focusing that way on the negativity or are you focusing on the benefits of eating healthier and nourishing yourself with the love and the nutrients that you really need? Because when you can start from that angle, you're going to feel better about the entire journey. So for motivation, nourish yourself with the food that is healthier.

The first step to help out in your kitchen, focus on getting rid of the three p's which are processed, preserved, and packaged. Perfect timing right now for a Spring Clean! Pull everything out of your cupboards, your fridge give the shelves a good clean and then only put things back that have no preservatives and are minimally processed or not processed at all.

Want to find out how you can get some extra support & guidance on your journey to healthy living?

Here are some ways to connect with me ...

Facebook Page - Fired Up Health & Fitness

Facebook Group - Fired Up Healthy Living

The Fired Up Meal Planner with 6 Life Changing Steps to make the overwhelming task of healthy meal planning simply fit into busy everyday life

https://mailchi.mp/88106812ced8/meal-planner