Motivation and Accountability

If you're just tuning in, FoodWise Nutrition has launched The Movement Project!  For the rest of April we're discussing how to incorporate exercise into our lives, and on May 1^st we're starting 30 Days of Movement.  I challenge you to move every single day during the month of May!

Now that you've picked your movement and scheduled your movement, it's time to make yourself accountable for doing your movement!  Ever wonder how to keep yourself motivated and stick with your goals?  Wonder no more!

The first step in making any change is to decide on ONE thing to work on.  Right now, on this blog, that one thing is movement.  Decision made.  We've done the background on how to incorporate that change into your life and now it's time to do it!  Sure, the fist few days are great, maybe even the first week.  You feel energized and successful.  You're bragging to your friends over coffee.  You're life is rockin'.  But, what happens on day eight when you didn't get enough sleep, you're having a rough day, you forgot to pack the kids' lunch.  How do you stay motivated?

The answer?  Careful pre-planning.  Those friends who seem to have wills of iron didn't get that way overnight.  At some point, they went through the same process I'm going to tell you about.  The key is accountability: accountability to yourself and to others.

To make yourself accountable for following through on your commitment:

• Keep a journal or write when you exercise into your planner.  If you didn't do it, write down why.
• Find a friend to exercise with, someone you trust to give you a pep talk when you're wavering.
• Email a friend your goals for the week, follow-up on the same day every single week and explain why you did or didn't meet your goals.  
• Find a professional (such as a dietitian) to help keep you motivated and on track.
• Post on the FoodWise Facebook page!

Every day during the month of May, I encourage you to post on the FoodWise Nutrition Facebook Page what exercise you did.  So you don't feel alone, yours truly will also be posting her movement!  And if something comes up and you're struggling to meet your personal goals or stick to your schedule, post THAT on facebook and our little community can help you figure out what's going on and how to keep you on track.

Your Movement Project Goal:
Pick at least one way to build your accountability to yourself and to others.  Don't back down, be honest and go for it!

Next up: Exercising At Home (and the challenges that go with it).