Wednesday, February 17, 2010

How I Stay Motivated

Eating healthy and exercising daily can be a challenge. I have come up with a few ways to keep myself motivated. Here's a few of them - all pics taken during yesterday's work out.
Keep goals (whatever they may be) in PLAIN sight:

The straight ahead view from the elliptical. A dress that looks good, but I can't sit in it comfortably yet, and obviously, a swimsuit.
Keep the tools you need close at hand - all the time! For me, this means my journal, water, weights, calculator - all in reach from the elliptical.

The journal is where I keep each workout's goals (ex. 3 sessions, burning calories in increments of 300, 275, 250), daily calorie counts up until the workout time (breakfast toast 80, PB 70, soup 80, carrots 25, laughing cow 35, almonds 35, etc.). This has been a good reference for tracking what's working best - it also is a nice way to challenge myself. If I don't meet a goal I give myself a check minus - which I really hate. I also come up with some of my best sketch ideas, song lyrics, and other stuff during workouts, so I write them all in that little journal too.
The timer and session summary are my lifeline.

And of course - everyone needs a secret weapon. Mine happens to be a magazine basket that has an old Vanity Fair with a layout of Robert Pattinson in it. I just happened to notice that if he's visible, I work a lot harder!

1 comment:

  1. Thanks Michelle, I needed to read this, a lot. I had a great start this year with Weight Watchers and Wii Fit Plus which I had to stop when I got a horrible stomach virus and did one of two things, pulled a muscle in my stomach OR I developed a hernia (the doctor wasn't 100% on either) so I had to stop ALL my exercising for a month (that just ended)and relax on my dieting. I'm ready to get going again though. Good thing I'm Catholic and Lent has started :). My motivation lose weight and get healthy before I get pregnant again, we are hoping to try for #4 early next year. I have ultrasound pictures placed in strategic places to keep me going!

    ReplyDelete