There are plenty of statistics that support the claim that the vast majority of people, wish they were more healthy.
Numerous people resolve to get fit at the start of each new year, and often don't succeed. I think we can agree that many of us really do want to feel and look better. So what's the hold up?
I'd say many people have tremendous conflict with their reward systems. Healthy choices don't usually produce immediate appreciable benefits. Eating more healthy and exercising will certainly produce benefits, but you may not see or feel them in the short term. Making decisions that have a delay in the reward when challenged by the temptation of immediate satisfaction can be a real deal breaker.
Food is just too satisfying in the short term while the obscure idea of a healthier you 6 months from now just can't compete.
What you need is feedback that encourages you to continue with your goal, especially when you feel the rewards are not evident. I have a few suggestions to help you make your fitness goal stick.
-Perhaps you need to reward yourself in the short term for healthy choices you make. Don't use food as a reward. We really need to get away from seeing food as compensation. Money that you save from preparing your lunch and not eating fast food should be put into a daily savings account. At the end of the week you can use that money to treat yourself to something you really like.
-Don't just focus on where you think you've messed up. You can't relearn how to live and make new choices in one day. The big question is, can you stay committed to change even when you feel the disappointment of temporary setbacks?
Numerous people resolve to get fit at the start of each new year, and often don't succeed. I think we can agree that many of us really do want to feel and look better. So what's the hold up?
I'd say many people have tremendous conflict with their reward systems. Healthy choices don't usually produce immediate appreciable benefits. Eating more healthy and exercising will certainly produce benefits, but you may not see or feel them in the short term. Making decisions that have a delay in the reward when challenged by the temptation of immediate satisfaction can be a real deal breaker.
Food is just too satisfying in the short term while the obscure idea of a healthier you 6 months from now just can't compete.
What you need is feedback that encourages you to continue with your goal, especially when you feel the rewards are not evident. I have a few suggestions to help you make your fitness goal stick.
-Perhaps you need to reward yourself in the short term for healthy choices you make. Don't use food as a reward. We really need to get away from seeing food as compensation. Money that you save from preparing your lunch and not eating fast food should be put into a daily savings account. At the end of the week you can use that money to treat yourself to something you really like.
-Don't just focus on where you think you've messed up. You can't relearn how to live and make new choices in one day. The big question is, can you stay committed to change even when you feel the disappointment of temporary setbacks?
