You may be like most of us when it comes to change and achieving nutrition related results that the idea starts off with strong motivation for change but within about a week the actions to achieve change have almost disappeared. This is because motivation for change is really unstable and has a ‘life’ of about a week when it is at its strongest. So what can you do to overcome this and actually make changes and achieve your nutrition goals long term?
- Have regular sessions with your Dietitian
A one off appointment to form the major goals and identify the areas of change may seem like a good idea at the time but without the external support making and keeping these changes is really difficult if not impossible. By making regular sessions with your Dietitian they can act as a both a support system when challenges occur and also a resource to get back on track to achieve your nutrition goals.
- Set Motivation Reminders
These should be positive, repetitive reminders which build your motivation because it keeps your goals at the forefront of your mind. Try keeping these somewhere you visit often like on the screen saver of your computer or phone, maybe have a key word as a password for your computer or phone. Other ideas for places to put these reminders could be on your fridge door or bathroom door. These reminders which you expose yourself to regularly will sink in deeper to your subconscious and help keep the motivation and set healthy habits.
- Create a Positive External Support System
This includes not just seeing an Accredited Practicing Dietitian but also other parts of your environment to support your goals and results. The people around us influence our behaviour so be mindful of who you spend most of your time with or if these people cannot be eliminated from our external environment, have a conscious awareness that their behaviour is not supporting your motivation and goals and possibly use your motivation reminders more when around these challenges. Creating a new social environment is also a great way to improve your motivation. This may include joining a gym and attending regular group fitness classes to meet like-minded people if your goal was around healthy weight loss. Or attending cooking classes available in your area to increase your skills to eat well and support healthy eating habits.
Take Home Message: Motivation is like a yoyo but if you take these three tips into action you are more likely to make long term changes for long term results.
