Motivation ~ How to Get It and How to Keep It!

This seems to be a pretty regularly asked question to people who have been successful in the "Get Healthy" journey.  So let's delve in and see if we can find some answers.

Ok...first of all, there really are no solid, set in stone answers to this question.  I'm sorry to disappoint some of you, but finding motivation is different for everyone, so you may have to do some soul searching to find YOUR answer.  For me, it was age.  I was turning the big 60, and I was tired of being tired.  I was tired of dreading getting dressed to go out somewhere.  Nothing fit well, and I couldn't stand to look at myself in the mirror.  So for me, something just clicked when I knew that birthday was coming.  Something actually went off in me like a firecracker.  I just KNEW I had to get started.  

In the beginning, I had no actual goal.  I didn't set a goal weight.  I didn't say anything like "In a year I want to be super healthy and thin and run a marathon".  Nope!  I just said "this week, I'm going to walk a little farther, and I'm going to eat a little healthier".  The next week I thought maybe I could try to walk a little faster, maybe drink more water, and skip that dessert I really wanted.  Then I started logging my food, water and exercise.  That was an eye opener!  I was eating a lot more than I thought!  And not the right kinds of foods!  So each week was something a little more, a little different.  Eventually, I settled into a routine with my activities, and I tracked my foods regularly, and I started losing.  Not a lot at first.  About a pound a week.  But that adds up.  And the more activity I added, the better I felt.  I started sleeping better, and as the pounds came off, the better I felt about everything.  I started setting new goals.  I still didn't have a goal weight.  I just wasn't there yet.  But I knew the key to getting there.  It was activity and healthy eating.  Oh, and drinking water.  Don't ever forget about drinking that water!  So with all of this came motivation.  I was SEEING a change in my body.  I was FEELING a change in my health!  

Now, what to do about that motivation before you start seeing and feeling the change?  Well, here's something I did.  Anyone that knows me well, knows I am a very organized (painfully so) person, and everything needs to be written down.  My To Do lists, my menu for the week, my schedule for the week, etc.  So I found an old chalkboard in a second hand store, painted it, hung it in my bedroom workout area (I have a dedicated area of my bedroom for workout equipment, etc., but I also wanted it where I would see it every single day, multiple times a day, and the bedroom was a good place for that!), and write my weekly schedule of workouts on it on Sunday.  When the workout is complete, I put a heart under it.  Two reasons for the heart....because I love that I completed my workout, and because my heart will be healthier if I continue this!  Here's my "Accountability Board" as I call it:

Now this board looks different every week.  Some weeks I run a lot, and recently I started taking a Barre class on Saturdays.  So it changes.  It keeps me accountable, and it MOTIVATES me!!!  I want to see that 💜on there!  

Another thing that motivates me is keeping an album of pictures on my phone of me in my workout clothes.  I have done this since the beginning.  I look at them and see change and I am MOTIVATED!!!  New muscle definition is my new thing.  Now that I actually have muscles, I am always looking for new definition.  So I flex a lot! And I take a picture of it for my "Me" album!

Here's some other things that may help you get and stay motivated:

*Schedule an event you want to be a little healthier for and countdown to it!

*Find a motivation buddy--be each other's motivation!

*Set an alarm on your phone.  When that alarm goes off, it means you need to either do or plan that day's activity

*Get an app to track your workouts.  I use Map My Run (Under Armor App), and you don't have to be a runner.  But you add friends from the community (all over the world), and you encourage each other and comment on each other's workouts.  I absolutely love it!  I have made friends that I will never meet, but it's a great atmosphere!  Very positive and motivational!

*If it's eating better that you have trouble with, start meal prepping!  It doesn't take forever, and if you have healthy food in the fridge, you won't be as tempted to eat other food!  I use Skinnytaste website for all of my recipes and I love them!

*Get into a routine.  I can't emphasize that enough!  When you have a routine, you just do it!

*Reward yourself!  If you have a great week, do something to celebrate!  Go out and enjoy a nice (Preferably Healthy) meal.  Let someone else cook.  I admit, every Friday night, I go out and have pizza, then I go to my Mom's house and have dessert...and cookies (but I limit myself to 2!)  But you better believe I'm in that gym Friday morning working my butt off!  But I DO enjoy my reward for a good week!

*Hire a Health Coach!  There are programs available for this very thing!  They will help you lose weight and change your eating habits!  If you need suggestions, get in touch with me!

I'd love feedback on what YOU use to motivate YOU!  What has worked for you?  Leave me a comment or two!  I hope this helps some of you!  And if you have any questions, or want to know more about any of the "stuff" I do to stay motivated, get in touch with me!

Next blog post will be on suggestions to help you remember to drink that water!

Welcome To Living Healthy to Live Longer!

Welcome to my new blog ~ Living Healthy To Live Longer!

First let me take a minute to thank you for reading this!  I have had so many people send me messages, texts, and emails asking me how I lost my weight, that I thought maybe it would help some if I starting blogging about it.  

Secondly, let me make a disclaimer statement here!  I am NOT an expert in ANY form on the subject of health, fitness, diet, or anything else related to this!  I am simply a woman who decided at the age of 60 to get healthy.  I decided to lose weight...and I do mean LOSE it.  I don't plan on finding it ever again!  I also decided that I needed more than just diet, so I started a "fitness" plan, and I use that term lightly because in the beginning, it really couldn't be defined as fitness. I was walking.  Yep, that's it!  Oh, and I went to yoga class.  But that was it in the beginning.  More to follow on that.  
But I feel it is absolutely necessary for everyone to know that I am not speaking from anything but my experience on this matter!

Thirdly, let's explore the title of my blog.  Living Healthy To Live Longer.  I picked that because it really defines my long term goal.  I feel that living a healthier life will help me to live a longer life.  And if you believe we all have a predestined time to die, then I just want to make sure the quality of my life is good, no matter how long I live.

Now, on to my story.  This will be the only time I will tell my story in full.  In future blog posts, I plan to discuss meal prep, prioritizing time to work out, dealing with people who try to sabotage your diet, sleep....yes sleep (I've learned something interesting about sleep since I've been on this journey!), and learning to read your body.  Your body will tell you a lot if you will take the time to listen!  Like how to tell if you aren't eating enough calories.  Weird, weird things happen when you don't eat enough (spoiler alert ~ there may be discussions of poop habits)!  But enough of that for now.  

My story.....

Two years ago, I turned 60.  To some that seems really old, but to me, I feel like the same person I was at 18.  And in some ways, I really am!  I may have gray hair and grandkids, but inside, I'm the same crazy kid that graduated high school at the age of 18.  The one thing that was very different from that crazy 18 year old, was the weight.  Over the years, I had gained weight, lost weight, gained more weight, lost the same weight, gained more weight....well, you get the picture!  I had lost 30 lbs multiple times.  But it always came back.  So I decided it was not going to ever get easier, and it was time to do this!

Decision made, I turned to my trusty friend My Fitness Pal.  I don't do fad diets.  Never did.  When I lost weight in the past, I did it with Weight Watchers, Diet Workshop, and My Fitness Pal.  So I started the diet....again.  
Then it was time to get active.  I already did Yoga class, and I walked with my neighbor.  But it was time to up my game.  I increased the amount of walking I was doing.  Gradually, we were walking 2 miles.  Then something weird happened.  I all of a sudden had a desire to run.  I ran when I was in my 20s.  But starting to run again at 60?  So I would run a little bit, then walk, then run a little more.  Then one day, I just ran.  Sounds like Forrest Gump, huh?  This was Summer 2017.  In October of 2017 I ran my first 5k.  I came in 1st in my age group.  

Fast forward to January 2018.  I was very close to reaching my goal weight.  I was running...a lot!  But it was winter and hard to run outside.  So I went to a local gym sponsored by a church and ran on the treadmill there.  But there were also machines there...you see where this is going?  I got hooked.  I realized I LIKED working out!  Then in March of 2018, my Son convinced me to try out Power Train's bootcamp classes.  I seriously expected to die during the first class...but I didn't.  I even liked it!  So from there, I did bootcamp classes twice a week, ran when I could, and worked out at home doing similar exercises as those in my classes.  And I did yoga.  I was working out almost 7 days a week.  And in May I hit my goal weight.  I. Was. Stoked!

In August of 2018 I ran a 10 mile race.  I came in 3rd in my age group.  Ok, ok, at my age the group is pretty small, so it's not hard to come in 3rd!  Around this same time, Power Train closed the location I was attending, so I switched to Gold's Gym and started my workouts there.  I was a little intimidated because I thought the place was full of bodybuilders and here I was an older woman just trying to burn fat and calories!  But I have learned to love it there, and I've kept my weight off for almost a year now.  And here's how I've kept it off:

*I Workout 7 days a week most weeks.  Some weeks I do take a rest day.
*I continue to eat healthy.  Do I crave pizza and chips and cookies?  Yup!  Sure do!
  Do I want to eat them?  Yup!  Every Friday night I have a slice of pizza and cookies!
  BUT every Friday morning I'm in the gym working my butt off!
*I have changed my entire lifestyle.  We cook healthy.  We meal prep.  If you have            healthy food already fixed, you are less likely to eat junk!
*I don't buy junk food.  I make a grocery list and stick to it.  
*I pack my lunch EVERY day!
*I sleep as much as possible every night.  Most nights close to 8 hours!
*I gave away all my bigger size clothes. 
*I still use My Fitness Pal religiously.  Every. Single. Day!  No slacking!
  That's where I get into trouble.  I need to stick with it every day!

Everyone is different.  Maybe you have an injury or illness that prevents you from working out all the time.  Ask your Doctor what you CAN do!  Maybe swimming is your way to get exercise.  Don't just dismiss it.  There is always something you can do to be active even if it's at a slow pace or not every day!

Along the way in this journey, I have learned so much!  I have learned about macronutrients.  I have learned that runners' toenails turn black and fall off.  I have learned that my resting heart rate is so low (from being a runner) that the nurse always checks it twice before asking if I feel ok.  I then remember to tell them I run, and they always say "Oh, Ok.  That's why!"  I've learned that you become more visible when you lose inches.  That's a whole other story for another day though.  Remember how I said I'm still the same person I was when I was 18?  Yeah, I'm the same person I was 55 lbs ago too.  Interesting how people react.  

To sum it all up, I feel great!  I feel better than I have ever felt!  Honestly!  I sleep much better than I used to.  And my energy level is so high I sometimes have to make myself sit down when I'm home.  

I'd love your feedback on what you would like to know and what I can help you with.  Remember, I'm not an expert at anything.  I've just been there, and done that.  So I can possibly point you in the right direction.  But if you want a fitness expert, hire a trainer.  If you want a nutritionist, hire a nutritionist.  If you would like a great lifestyle change program with a health coach that works with you, I know a fantastic person who can help you!  But if you just want to chat with someone who can say "Yup!  Been there!" then I'm your gal!  If you want a workout buddy, we can maybe get together sometime!  I would be happy to give you the name of some of the fitness people I follow on YouTube and Instagram.  I do a lot of workouts with YouTube videos.  There are some great people on there doing yoga, core workouts, etc.  So hit me up if you would like!

So that's my story.  Pretty basic really.  Just a determined woman with goals!