Almost each one of us starts the new year with a very high level of enthusiasm, but by the time February comes, our motivation levels start dipping and we start making excuses or hitting the snooze button. Have you ever wondered why you are losing motivation in just one month?
Miten Kakaiya fitness coach and founder of Miten Says Fitness gives a deep insight into the expectation vs reality when it comes to setting new year resolutions and shares tips on how to stay motivated all year long.
Expectation: Your alarm wakes you up at 6 a.m. You wake up refreshed, get ready, and hit the gym.
Reality: Your alarm shrills and wakes you up in a jolt. Bleary-eyed, you pick up your phone *and hit snooze*
This happens because you are not setting your expectations right. You weren’t able to see a visible difference in the first month itself, so you start getting demotivated and give up on your goals. It’s time we start looking at fitness from a long-term perspective.
Set realistic expectations!
Six-pack abs in six months. Losing 20 kgs in 2 months. Most of us set unrealistic expectations when starting the fitness journey. But as we start working on it, these unrealistic expectations start looking like magic pills that are too hard to swallow.
Setting realistic expectations is what takes you closer to your goals. Determine how much hard work you can put in sustainably and then set expectations that look achievable. Setting small targets and achieving them boosts your motivation and makes you go for more! Consult an expert to help you set realistic expectations for what your body can achieve.
Fitness is a long-term journey – not a quick fix!
The biggest challenge people face in their fitness journey is their perspective toward fitness. Fitness is not a one-month advent, nor is it a one-time goal. Fitness is about creating a lifestyle around staying fit and healthy and maintaining it in your life. So if you are not able to see drastic changes at the end of the first month, don’t be disheartened. Most often than not, you won’t see any visible changes in the first month. But it’s not the end of the road.
Look at fitness as a long-term commitment and don’t give up! This is actually what distinguishes the Champions from the Ordinary! Get consistent and determined for at least 6 months! Consistency is the path to fitness! You have to make sure you keep trusting the process and put in effort daily i.e. show up at the gym every single day! Be mindful of what you eat daily. You need to believe in the hard work you are putting in and do it for at least 6 months to be able to see visible results. Trust the process.
It has taken you years of uncontrolled eating habits and unhealthy lifestyles to reach where you are today in terms of health and fitness. One simply cannot undo it all in just one month. Allow yourself more than just one month to achieve your result and you will start seeing visible results in just a few months. This could be the change in the number of your weight scale, body measurements, stamina, energy levels, or any fitness challenge you had been facing.
Put in the work!
The one thing that you can control is your actions. While no one can be perfect, you must put in adequate work at maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a fitness routine. Rather than focusing on your expectations and end goals all the time, focus on your everyday routine and daily goals. Achieve them daily and you will be surprised to see what you would have achieved 6 months down the road.
Don’t feel you have a sound plan to work on fitness as a lifestyle? Then get yourself a coach. Hire an expert who understands you and your requirements, and then lays down a path for you that is not only achievable but also enjoyable!
