Maintaining Momentum

By Wendolynn L. Allen

 

 

Well, I trust you have had a successful start to your New Year.  Now, it is time to run the race of perseverance in order to achieve those goals.  Maintaining momentum and motivation to stick with your plan is very important.  Remember the tedious thought process you went through in order to make a well-informed decision to change via behavior modification rather than impulsive emotionalism.  Don’t let all of that effort go to waste by failing to have a well-designed plan of attack and defense against old habits resurfacing.  A very detailed game plan will no doubt lead you to victory.

First, be sure to bring a friend along for the ride.  It always helps to have someone to share your experiences with.  This person can take on the role of supporter, challenger, or challengee.  As supporter, your friend may not be seeking to improve her physical condition directly, in fact, she may be more advanced than you, but is willing to be by your side to encourage you every step of the way.  Hopefully this will be a person who has already been in your shoes and is able to share her experiences in an effort to encourage you.  A challenger would definitely be someone who is more advanced than you are; she is where you want to be.  You may decide to follow some modified version of her exercise routine in hopes of soon being able to succeed at the original version of the routine.  The challengee is someone who is on a more elementary level than you are and is open to being taught by you.  As the two of you exercise together, you are increasing your knowledge of some foundational principles while effectively teaching your protégé.

You will also want to make your environment more supportive of you efforts.  Surround yourself with the things and people that exemplify what you want to be.  Change your vocabulary.  Words are powerful and it is easy to forget or just not realize this.  When you decide what you want, you need to teach yourself to talk what you want and to dream your desire.  If you want to have a more firm and shapely physique, you must begin to see yourself as such and speak encouragingly to yourself.  “If you have nothing positive to say, then don’t say it at all.”  You cannot claim that you want something and then contradict that with your words and expect to get it.  As much as possible, isolate yourself from the people who make you feel negative about yourself, if this is not possible and they have no desire to change their habit in order to be more supportive, then just realize who they are and don’t receive their negativity.  Seek to interact with those who have already been down the same road and are willing to be role models for you.  Finally, clean out your kitchen.  Don’t tempt (torture) yourself by allowing unhealthy items to linger around you.  Get rid of the junk and start from scratch, you may want to consider employing a nutritionist or dietician to help you.

You have taken a great first step, KEEP PRESSING ON!!!