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<\/p>\nMotivation is complicated. One moment I can hardly wait to get home to try out a new pair of yoga pants with a free online workout video. And in the next moment, I\u2019m over it.<\/p>\n
The honeymoon phase of a new exercise routine can be short lived. It\u2019s like all of a sudden we\u2019re saying, \u201cI just don\u2019t have the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the deal? How can motivation waiver in such a dramatic fashion? And how do we get it to stick?<\/p>\n
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While I don\u2019t have all the answers, and I\u2019m far from perfect myself, I have figured out a thing or two from looking at the science of motivation that I think might help us all out this year.<\/p>\n
Not to get all science-nerdy on you, but researchers have actually found there are two distinct types of motivation \u2013 autonomous and controlled.* I promise, I\u2019ll keep it short and sweet.<\/p>\n
Controlled motivation comes into play when we\u2019re making health changes based primarily on extrinsic motivators. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n
With autonomous motivation, the \u201creasons why\u201d are more intrinsic. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n
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Here\u2019s the reason I\u2019ve bored you with this motivation mumbo-jumbo: Researchers have found that autonomous motivation is associated with sustained behavior change. What I\u2019m saying is this: \u00a0You\u2019re more likely to stick with a new behavior if you\u2019re doing that behavior because of the way it makes you feel during or after. <\/strong><\/p>\n This new understanding of motivation can be a game-changer.<\/p>\n In the past, you\u2019ve likely made a change such as cutting back on sweets, exercising, or cooking more at home because you\u2019re trying to lose weight, or because of some health concern. Here\u2019s the thing \u2013 that source of motivation (controlled motivation) won\u2019t sustain you. It might get you started on a new health pattern, but motivation usually fizzles if there isn\u2019t a heaping dose of autonomous motivation in the mix.<\/p>\n How do you shift your focus to the autonomous stuff?<\/p>\n I won\u2019t keep you in suspense any longer. Here’s the key – FIND YOUR FUN!<\/p>\n That\u2019s right! The secret to starting a behavior change in the new year, and actually sticking with it, is to make sure you select changes that make you feel good.<\/p>\n You will make time for that which brings you joy.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say you make a change like adding more veggies at dinner. First of all, they\u2019re going to need to taste good for this change to stick, so season them well. Second, you\u2019ll need to find some super easy ways to cook them (think broccoli steamed in the microwave). And third, the new change will stick if eating those vegetables makes you feel good. And when I say feel good, I don\u2019t mean that by eating the vegetable you feel less guilty. I\u2019m talking about how your body feels.<\/p>\n If you start adding more veggies and you notice you have more energy and less strain on the toilet (sorry, I had to go there), then you\u2019ll probably stick with the change. Now don\u2019t do anything extreme like replace French fries with broccoli \u2013 you can have both. Extreme changes usually don\u2019t work out so well, especially when deprivation is involved.<\/p>\n\n Here\u2019s another one. Exercise. I can\u2019t tell you the number of times I\u2019ve heard people say, \u201cI should run.\u201d Well, first of all, if you put the word \u201cshould\u201d in a sentence, then you\u2019re doomed to fail because controlled motivation is kicking in. And second \u2013 do you LIKE running? Some people love it, and that\u2019s great. And others of us (me!) are fish-like and meant more for water and less for slapping pavement. Try to find an activity that is truly FUN to do. You\u2019ve probably noticed that what you find fun one day, may not seem fun on another day, so mix it up.<\/p>\n What really keeps you going though is when you notice the emotional benefits of moving your body. If the activity is fun, AND you notice that you feel less anxious afterwards, less depressed, and generally in a more positive mood\u2026guess what? You\u2019re going to consistently make time for regular movement in your life.<\/p>\n Notice how you feel as you attempt new health-supporting patterns. Conduct little experiments on yourself and ask yourself these questions after attempting a change for the first time:<\/p>\n If you answer yes to all three questions, you are on your way. Health-enhancing patterns don\u2019t have to be miserable or restrictive. In fact, if there\u2019s a hint of misery or restriction, the behavior could be having a negative effect on your emotional well-being, which means it\u2019s back to the drawing board to try out something new.<\/p>\n\n \n \nHere\u2019s the key \u2013 FIND YOUR FUN.\n<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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