Why You Should Stop Trying To Get A Summer Body
You know the feeling- warmer weather starts to roll around and suddenly you remember that in a few short months, you’ll be showing much more skin to stay cool in the summer sun.
Maybe you commit to a new workout routine and cut out all sugar, or maybe you opt to sweat through your jeans all summer to stay covered thinking, ‘I’ll do better next year.’
The problem with this mindset is that this external motivation will never sustain good habits long-term. You’ll keep it up for a season and fall off the wagon again when holiday cookies and wool sweaters come back in season. Or maybe you are perpetually telling yourself that you’ll commit to a routine every New Year’s Eve and swimsuit season, knowing deep down you never will.
What is external motivation?
The real culprit here is a little thing called external motivation. This type of motivation comes from a desired end result, like a certain goal weight or perfect washboard abs. So, what’s the problem with that?
External motivations can help us get inspired to start working towards better habits, but this inspiration is fleeting. Weight loss happens slowly, and measurable results are few and far between. Healthy weight loss happens at about a pound per week- for folks who are trying to lose a significant amount, we are talking about a timeline of months to years to reach that goal.
Too much focus on external goals can sabotage us in other ways, too. The moment of satisfaction when you hit your goal is fleeting, and while it feels good for that moment, experts say that a big win actually doesn’t help us feel more satisfied and happy in our everyday lives. Instead, we can start to feel like we are always striving for something more, and the goalpost continues to move.
So, how do you stay motivated?
If you’ve read any of my other blog posts, you already know what I am going to say. Finding your why is a great way to find motivation outside of fitting into a certain size jeans.
Finding your why means finding that overarching reason why you want to change your lifestyle to better your health. For example, your why could be as simple as setting a good example for your kids, or even just that you want to honor and take care of your body.
The only rule is that your why has to be something that you really care about. You have to dig deep and find what your true motivation is underneath all of the external factors.
Another way to stay motivated is by setting small goals that add to your life. Forget about what you want to lose for a minute and focus on what you can gain.
A good goal might be to be able to do ten full pushups, to be able to run for five more minutes than you could last week, or to eat all of your servings of veggies everyday.
Setting smaller, attainable goals helps you to find something to work toward everyday as opposed to some distant goal far off and abstract in the future.
Now, for some homework.
I know, I know, but hear me out! This assignment is short and I am sure it will help you learn and grow.
Sit down with a pen and paper or even just open up your notes app on your phone. Now, write down every reason you want to lose weight or be healthier. You can start with the external goals, but keep going until you start to find some deeper, more meaningful motivators.
Keep it up until you run out, or until you find your why. Now you have a handy list to refer to every time you want to skip a workout or indulge in a third cookie from the break room at work. I promise this list will keep you motivated much longer than the promise of the perfect summer body.
