Motivation tips

Motivation, whether internal (intrinsic) or external (extrinsic) is what keeps you focused and on track for reaching wellness goals. It is said that internal (intrinsic) motivators are more valuable because they come from within and are based on what is important to you, such as your health. Extrinsic motivators, such as a deposit into your Health Savings Account (HSA) by your employer for engaging in a wellness activity gets you on track initially but typically doesn’t keep the fire burning for making long term changes.

1. Write down your goals and view them often. Write down the reasons for your goals. For example, outcome goal: “I want to reduce my fasting blood sugars to less than 99 mg/dL,” process goal (steps or how you will do it): “I will walk for 3 miles, four times/week in the morning from 8 to 9 am. And the why “My poor blood sugar control is damaging my eyes/vision,” or “I want to be healthy and fit to keep up with my grandchildren, not sick.” Keep a journal in reach.
2. Have what you need to accomplish your goal. Be equipped with the resources and tools you need to engage in behavior change and make it a part of your routine. For walking, make sure you have quality walking shoes and a path/route as well as a specific routine planned. Don’t ‘wing it’ and do it whenever you find the time. Results are motivating. Without a solid plan and action the results won’t come.
3. Surround yourself with positivity – positive people, affirmations, motivating quotes placed where you can see them, photos that drive you to engage in the behaviors what will give you results. Positive self-talk is a must. Speak good things into existence.

3 Tips for Creating Healthy Habits

Creating healthy habits is a great way to make small, incremental lifestyle improvements for better performance and to reduce your risk of developing chronic disease. If it truly is all about the journey, make it worth your while by keeping these tips in mind:

Set goals: What do you want to do? Accomplish? Goals should be clear, reasonable, specific, and, if possible, measured or quantified in some way. Instead of “I will eat healthier this year,” try “I will eat 3 servings of vegetables every day. Write your goal down and keep it visible. Read it and re-read it regularly. Use power statements, “I will” instead of “I’ll try.” How will you achieve this goal? What are the steps? If your goal is weight loss, what tools, resources, activities and habits that help you get there?

Stay positive and reward yourself along the way: Celebrate successes and don’t underestimate the importance of recognizing your progress. If your goal is to complete a 5K run, reward yourself every time you complete a practice race, shed time on your miles, etc. Instead of saying “I can’t” say “I can” and “I will.” Complaining won’t get the job done and if it is too easy, was it really a worthy goal in the first place?

Mark your calendar: In addition to writing down your health goals, use an online, old-fashioned, calendar, day timer, journal, etc. Use it to schedule your workouts, shopping trips, to make notes. Noting the number of veggie servings you eat daily will enable you to track weekly average servings. Stay on top of your progress. Make time for your goals and specify the steps you’ll need to complete to reach them.