Yesterday was a bit of a whirlwind for me to say the least! I had received a phone call last week from the Irish Independent FIT Magazine Editor in relation to writing an article for the magazine! I really felt this would be a good opportunity for me & Why Weight Ireland to try and reach lots of people and hopefully provide some inspiration, so of course I said yes. It all came around so quickly – from saying yes to actually realising the article was going to be printed in the very next issue! All very exciting indeed!
I would like to take this chance to say a BIG THANK YOU to EVERYONE for all their lovely comments on Facebook and all the wonderful emails, texts and calls that I received over the past couple of days. They really do mean so much to me and encourage me to continue with my journey just like I hope I encourage you on yours.
So anyway – as you all know, yesterday the Irish Independent came out and there was little old me on the front cover of the FIT Magazine!! I hadn’t realised at all that I was going to be on the front cover – WOW! Obviously I picked holes in myself for how I looked, but we all do that don’t we?! Once I had got over the initial shock I then started with what turned out to be a rather busy day! Lots of emails from people, who like me, were in a bad place with their weight and needed help. It still makes me sad to hear people feeling the same way I once was, and I’m just glad now that my story has driven people to come to find the help that might possibly change their lives too……I know that sounds really cheesy/corny but it’s true!
I also had an email from Tipp FM asking would I like to be on the show! A little strange as hadn’t been on the radio before (actually that’s not quite true – I remember I WAS actually on the radio before when I was about 7 years of age talking about the Library Buses for schools lol, but I’m not sure that counts). The good thing about the radio, is that I couldn’t hear myself or see myself (and a good thing for the listeners too since my hair was having a crazy day and I looked a little bit scary!) So I chatted on the radio for a little bit and then back to work!
So I suppose my blog today in light of everything yesterday is all about motivation – Ready, Set, GO! I know from the response I had yesterday from the magazine that I had served the purpose of helping inspire and motivate others into starting to think about starting a new weight loss journey but once we have that initial spark – how do we keep that going to set that spark into a full blown fire that keeps burning?
Find Your Own Motivation
Once you have your starting point you are ready to rock and roll – but often where we fall down is losing that initial spark of enthusiasm a week, month or more down the line. Drawing on other people’s inspiration is a great start – but you also need to pinpoint your own motivation too to keep you on a roll! Try writing down all the things you dislike about the way you are now, with a separate column of thoughts and feelings – both of how you feel right now, and also how you think you WOULD feel if you were at your ideal weight. Take that picture of yourself that you hate and stick it on your fridge, and pop one next to it of a better version of yourself that you would like to get back to! Write a letter to yourself of motivation – a letter that you would like to receive if you were feeling down. Seal it up and keep it – you will need this for one of those days or weeks or months where you just can’t seem to get motivated, read it back to yourself and remind yourself to find that spark and get motivated again!
Get Your Support In Place
Losing weight and changing your lifestyle around is hard work! Like anything in life that is a challenge – you are much more likely to succeed with SUPPORT from somebody else for the days when the going gets tough. Find a friend or work colleague to join the quest with you so that you have somebody to go through the journey with – in turn offering support to each other and pulling each other through. If you are a member of Why Weight Ireland then keep in contact with both myself and the other members on the forums and challenges! A fantastic way to keep the motivation going, and lots of other friendly “faces” in the same situation as you to turn to when you need a little boost to stay on track!
A Family Affair
The changes you are making don’t just have to be just for you! This is a positive change for life so isn’t just about shedding a few pounds and slipping back into the old ways. Get the whole family involved in getting fit and getting active and enjoying healthier meals and snacks! Organise fun days out for the whole family or even just get involved with the kids running around and playing in the garden! Set up your own ‘mini challenges’ in your house, with charts and rewards for both you and the rest of the family for getting out and active! Set yourself goals and stick to them! The changes you are making now towards a healthier diet and more active lifestyle will impact on the future generations of your family forever! And not only this – but it will keep that motivation burning on week after week!
Setting Targets & Treats
Setting yourself mini goals and targets and then bigger goals and targets is another great way to keep the motivation going. Treating yourself when you achieve each small step and penciling that new pair of shoes, or dress in a smaller size for hitting a bigger target will help keep you on the right path! This is a journey of grit and determination and you deserve a little recognition for all your hard work along the way!
There are going to be times where motivation is lacking, and there are going to times where no matter how much you try to get back on track it feels like you are fighting a losing battle – but keep hanging in there by the skin of your teeth and it will eventually get going again. Draw a line under what has passed – and move onto what is the future. Things that are so rewarding are very rarely easy – but if you keep in mind your final goal and tell yourself you CAN…….then you WILL!
Now get Ready, Set yourself up to succeed and GOOOO
Please feel free to comment on the Why Weight Ireland Facebook Page and share the blog with your friends
Hannah x