Tag Archives: motivation

Are you adopting a healthier lifestyle?

29 Wednesday Jan 2020

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Make sure your goals aren’t too hard OR too easy. Psychologist Loretta Breuning says when a challenge is too hard, we feel less reason to try. Because it seems almost impossible. But if it’s too easy, we feel no sense of reward when we accomplish it. But if you can achieve a goal with just enough effort, like increasing exercise by walking around the block every morning, you’ll be more motivated to keep going. Because realistic objectives inspire us the most.

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Losing weight is as easy as stepping on the scale… more frequently!

04 Tuesday Jun 2019

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If you’re trying to drop pounds, weigh yourself regularly! The Obesity Society found people who weighed themselves 4 times a week lost more weight than those who weighed themselves less. Because closely monitoring your progress increases motivation. And if you notice you gained a pound or two, you can make a correction before things get out of hand. So remember, if you’re trying to lose weight – or keep it off – getting on the scale 4 times a week is the magic number.

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Motivate yourself to exercise more!

27 Tuesday Nov 2018

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Even if you hate to exercise, and avoid it like the plague, you can still get motivated to get moving. How? By finding something, anything about it that interests you. For example, think about the conversation you might get into with the person on the treadmill next to you. Or the new move you’ll learn in cardio dance class.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin found that when people in a study group were told they could take the elevator or the stairs but that there was a rare painting on the landing two floors up, 10% more people took the stairs instead of the elevator. The reason? The researchers believe it’s because we don’t like unresolved mysteries. So our curiosity pushes us to follow through on actions that require willpower. And they believe that knowing this, we can use it on ourselves to boost our willpower, and get more exercise. They suggest that while you’re deciding whether or not to go to the gym, think about the interesting things you might learn, or what might happen, while you’re at the gym. That could be all the motivation you need to get there.

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Here’s how to make it easier to stick to your New Year’s Resolution:

26 Tuesday Dec 2017

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Make proximity work in your favor. That advice comes from psychology professor Dr. Timothy Pychyl. Basically, when we can easily access something, we’re more likely to take action. So if your sneakers are by your bed, you’re more likely to put them on and go for a morning walk. Or if cut vegetables are the first thing you see when you open the fridge, you’re more likely to eat them. So, use the “proximity effect” to your advantage. It can boost your motivation.

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How can you stick with a workout?

08 Friday Dec 2017

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Simple. Don’t call it a workout! Collin Payne is a behavioral expert from Cornell University. And he says, when people think, “Oh man, what a workout!” Or “I exercised today” – they believe they did something hard and deserve a reward… which is generally a food reward. People also consider exercise something unpleasant – so getting motivated to do it is harder. But if we simply change our language, we defeat the excuses and the food binges. So tell yourself, “I can’t wait to go for a hike with my best friend.” Or “I’m just out walking the dog.” When we re-frame it positively, we’re less likely to avoid the activity – and less likely to think we deserve a reward for doing it.

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How can you stick with a workout?

07 Friday Jul 2017

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Simple. Don’t call it a workout! Collin Payne is a behavioral expert from Cornell University. And he says that when people think, “Oh man, what a workout!” Or “I exercised today” – they believe they did something hard and deserve a reward……which is generally FOOD.
People also consider exercise something unpleasant – which makes getting motivated to do it much harder. But if we simply change our language, we defeat the excuses AND the food binges. So, tell yourself something like “I can’t wait to go for a hike with my best friend.” Or “I’m just out walking the dog.” When we re-frame it that way, we’re less likely to avoid the activity – and less likely to think it’s special enough to deserve a reward for doing it.

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Get motivated at the gym with an audiobook!

12 Friday May 2017

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If you’re having trouble motivating yourself to get to the gym – or go for a run – try this: Download an audiobook. A study from the University of Pennsylvania found that people went to the gym 50% more often when they had an audiobook to listen to.
And once you get to the gym, focus on exercises that use your legs. You’ll burn a lot more calories. That’s because our legs house the biggest muscles in our body – so working them increases our calorie burn.

Do you procrastinate?

13 Monday Mar 2017

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If you’re a procrastinator, this may motivate you to change your ways: You’re more likely to develop heart disease. That’s according to the Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Researchers found that people who procrastinate take more health risks, like smoking and drinking… They also have chronic stress – because they’re always worried about what they’re NOT getting done. Put those two together and you have a recipe for inflammation and heart disease. So get your to-do’s handled… And you’ll be a lot healthier mentally and physically.

Here’s the trick to getting motivated for exercise:

21 Wednesday Dec 2016

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Decide what you’re going to do before you lace up your sneakers – or pull into the gym parking lot. That’s according to New York Times columnist Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power Of Habit.” He says self-determination can override a lack of motivation. So tell yourself as you’re lacing up your shoes – “Today I’m running 3 miles.” Or as you drive to the gym, “I’ll start on the elliptical, then move to free weights.” Having a plan makes us feel in control. In psychology circles it’s known as “the internal locus of control.” It’s the feeling of being in charge of your life – versus feeling that outside forces are determining your course. And when we feel in control, we’re more likely to follow through.

Get motivated by thinking competitively

15 Monday Aug 2016

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Need motivation to finish your workout – or your next 5K – with an extra burst of energy? Pay attention to the people around you. According to the Journal of Experimental Psychology, when we see or hear someone running faster or working out harder than we are, we subconsciously try to keep up. We’re competitive by nature – so use that to your advantage. Looking at the runner next to you can motivate you to go faster and farther.