Finding Motivation

All of us, on most days of the week I suspect, find ourselves in a motivational rut. We lose the desire to eat well and exercise, we put off cleaning that unforgiving room, delay doing our taxes, put off that report that is due very soon and a variety of other significant and not so significant issues that face us daily.Each of these tasks requires some degree of motivation to accomplish. Of all of the ones I’ve touched on above, I consider good eating to be one of the most difficult. Difficult because making good food choices requires strong reason to do so. No one will chide us for eating ice cream, or having second helpings even if it’s not good for our health. Also, eating is a pleasurable affair, and some foods (such as snacks) are gratifying and readily available.Taxes, work reports, cleaning of a room are things we must do, so like it or not, we complete them. Eating, on the other hand, occurs throughout the day and well into the evening; it’s social, it’s ‘acceptable’, and temporarily feels good.When facing this dilemma, how do we acquire the intrinsic motivation to change our habits? Hoping won’t work. Planning on a day next month won’t work. We must face it now, tomorrow morning, tomorrow night and every morning and afternoon and night for years to come.Motivation is something we must find inside ourselves. No wishing, no hoping. Just searching. One thing I know for sure, both for myself and others, is that the daily searching is tough. It is far easier to have a bowl of chips or cookies than to have to think about why we shouldn’t.Starting now, I want everyone to find a number of solid reasons why losing weight, and exercising would be beneficial. If we cannot find a reason, we won’t change. Almost everyone I see mentions that they will mindlessly snack in the evening, but wake up the next morning angry at themselves for giving into food the night before. So, each night we have to sit and contemplate the benefits of not snacking. Weight loss for sure, but what does that weight loss mean to you. Improved health? Better sleep? Less achy joints? Being able to walk further without shortness of breath? Fitting into smaller clothes? Just feeling good about yourself?Motivation takes work. Moving from mindless eating to mindful eating requires a desire to change. Finding that desire is up to you.Start with your most difficult time of day. Is it from supper to bedtime? When you come home from work? Large portions at supper? Once you identify the danger time, set your mind to find solutions to the problem. Portions should be relatively easy, since it mainly requires us to slow down to give the brain time to register a sense of fullness, or at least satisfaction.Snaking is more difficult since we are usually distracted watching T.V., or reading a book. Try to find substitutions for food at that time. Could you drink tea or water instead? Do you really have to snack at all in front of the T.V.? Be aware of hunger, or the dangers of the word “hunger”. Usually we are never eating out of true stomach hunger, simply desire. Train yourself to be aware of emotional eating and distract yourself by moving to another area of the house away from the kitchen. Do anything not to have snacks or treats in the house.Work on your motivation to change. Every day! Find your reason to improve potions and snacking!You can do it; just never stop trying.Dr. Doug