When my husband and I were trying to get pregnant, I was in a constant cycle of infertility medications and IVF. I was fortunate enough to get pregnant in 2016 and I watched my body change as I began to grow our little Roux. After breastfeeding for almost 1,000 days, I looked at myself in the mirror and realized I had spent the past five years creating some bad habits. I was barely sleeping, I had no energy and I barely recognized the person in the mirror. Right then, I decided to regain control of my body. It wasn’t easy, but I used these five tips to help me focus and create habits that stick in order to see real results. I hope they help you too!
Identify Your Goals
First, identify five to ten goals that matter to you. You cannot look to others to determine what goals you should choose. You must look inward to determine what you really want to achieve. Goals can focus on fitness, career, family — whatever works best for you! You need to identify what is most meaningful for you to achieve, then WRITE IT DOWN.
Writing down your goals brings them to life. Put them in a place where you see them often. This could be taped to your bedroom mirror, in your bathroom or on your desk. This visual will help motivate you to take action.
I put my goals in my Plum Planner each morning. That way I see them each day and can hold myself accountable!
Create Good Habits
They say it takes 66 days to create a habit that sticks. That means coming out of the gate with huge expectations may set you up for failure. No one can make a full 180° life change in just a few days — and that’s okay! Instead of focusing on the end goal, focus on the steps that you can take to get you there.
For example, commit to 20 minutes of exercise five days a week. If most days you decide to stay in the gym for 45 minutes, great! But on the day where everything seems to be working against you, you are more likely to commit to those 20 minutes than a full hour.
Small changes will build on one another to create larger changes, so it’s important to establish consistently first!
I have found huge success with setting small expectations. I often find myself exceeding them without even trying!
Celebrate Small Wins
When you’re working hard to achieve goals, it’s hard to look at the bigger picture and celebrate small wins. You’re amazing, remember that, and celebrate it!
If you made a goal to commit to working out five days a week, tell yourself you’re going to get a reward on the fifth day. This can be something that costs money or it doesn’t have to, but it’s important to acknowledge that you’re taking steps to achieve your goals!
In the past, I have rewarded myself with new workout shoes, a massage, a manicure, alone time with a face mask and a Hulu night, or listening to a new playlist or podcast while grabbing your favorite cup of coffee. It doesn’t have to be huge, but make it authentic to you. This can help motivate you each week!
Set Yourself Up for Success
One of my favorite ways to create habits that stick is pre-committing to your goal. If you set a goal to workout five days a week before your family wakes up, it’s easy to turn off your alarm and go back to bed. But, if you pre-commit in order to hold yourself accountable, you’re more likely to get up those first few times. Soon it will be easy to hop out of bed once your alarm goes off!
Here are some of my favorite ways to set myself up for success:
- Set clothes out the night before.
- Tell my husband I’m planning on getting up early.
- Tell a friend I’d text them when I started my workout.
- Found a workout buddy.
- Tell my sister I’ll pay her $10 if I miss a workout (this will get you out of bed!)
- Make a public commitment: share on social media or at work that you’re making a change. Then you will have supporters there to motivate you on those hard days.
Be sure to find what works for you. Everyone’s lifestyle is different and what works for me, may not for you and that’s okay!
I love setting my workout outfit out each night. I always buy clothes that make me feel my best, so jumping out of bed to put them on is a real motivator! My solo mornings are also my fav, so getting up for some quiet time is THE BEST.
Make It Fun!
You’re never going to commit to something if you don’t enjoy it. Sleep will always win if you let it! Finding new ways to make building these habits fun will help motivate you to keep going. Here are some things that get me excited to workout:
- Clothes: When I was just starting out, I loved finding workout outfits that made me feel really good. I rotated three to five outfits per week that I LOVED wearing.
- Pre-workout: I really enjoy the taste of the supplements I use before working out. I started looking forward to my pre-workout ritual. As soon as I start mixing up my drink – my brain knows it’s time to get active!
- Music: I love making playlists that are upbeat and encourage me to keep going even when I’m tired.
Remember that it takes time to create habits that stick. Changes aren’t going to happen all at once, but these stepping stones can help you create a path to your goal that previously seemed like an uphill battle. Let me know in the comments below what habits you’re creating this month!
