Motivation. We’ve all struggled with it, right? And if you’re like me, 2020 has made it especially hard to find motivation and keep it.
I recently asked in my free online group for fibro warriors what the biggest struggle was when it comes to managing health. Motivation was a big one! It can be hard to want to do much when you’re body aches and you can’t think clearly. Making changes, even if for the better, can feel so overwhelming and like too much work. I get it!
So, I thought I’d offer a few tips. Word to the wise though...motivation only works when you put the work in. It’s not always going to be easy, but it will be worth it. But let me see if I can take a little of the work and overwhelm out of it for you.
A few things you can do to get and stay motivated.
Find your why. Why do you want to get and stay healthy? Make a list and keep it where you’ll see it daily. If you don’t know why you want to take the steps to improve your health, motivation is definitely not going to be there.
Dig out an outfit you want to fit into but can’t. Don’t have one? Buy one. Seriously. I’m not saying it will work on its own, but it will help you keep focus on the direction you want to go. So, give it a try.
That being said...take baby steps. Don’t go crazy and dig out (or buy) something 5 times too small. Even if that’s your goal. Make small goals that will eventually lead you to that big goal. Same goes for nutrition. Don’t jump in all at once. Cut out soda first. Then creamer in your coffee. Move onto cutting out all added sugars and processed foods. You get the idea. Baby steps.
Ask yourself who needs you at your best. Who will benefit from you living a healthier life? I read a book earlier this year, High Performance Habits. The author suggests placing a post-it note with the question, “Who needs me on my A game right now?” where you’ll see it daily. I’m going to say there’s a good reason for him making this suggestion. Maybe give it a try. It just might help.
Keep focus on your end goal. How do you feel now vs how you want to feel? This will kind of tie your why and your goal together. Stay focused. Take the steps to get there in small chunks. And know that if you don’t give up, you’ll reach that end goal.
Know you’re not alone. Find a support group or person. Accountability and encouragement from those you know truly have your best interest at heart goes a long way. You’re welcome to join my free grouphere.
Have more motivation tips to add? I’d love to hear ‘em!
30 days of thankfulness. It’s something I’ve done every November for the last 10 years or so. I’ve always believed in leading with a thankful heart. I’ve always believed that there is always something to be thankful for. I believe it’s more important now than ever to be able to find the good in every day.
2020 has been a year for the books for sure. Depression and anxiety have been on the rise. Not surprising. People have lost jobs, become sick with an illness that no one seems to understand, been kept from loved ones and, in some cases, lost loved ones. Finding the good can be extra hard in times like this.
But it’s so so important that we do. The negative is staring us in the face this year. It’s everywhere we look. But what if we shifted our minds to find the good? Whatever it may be.
The blue sky. The sunshine. The beautiful snowfall. Being able to spend more time with our loved ones at home. The fact that our pets love having us home more. Time to finally get a workout in. Our favorite ice cream. That cup of coffee. The online support group we may not have otherwise found.
You guys, there is so so much to be thankful for. The big and small things. Learn to look for those things and appreciate them on a daily basis. You’ll find you’re thankful you did (see, another thing to add to the list).
I invite you to join me this year in 30 days of thankfulness. (Even if you’re jumping in after the first. It’s never too late!) And then carry this mindset through the rest of the year and into the next.
The negative things will be pointed out to you enough. There’s no need to spend time focusing on them and finding your own negativity to add to it. So, let’s do this! Let’s fill our minds with all the good things!
Need a little help in resetting your mindset? Check out my free group here for a 3 week mindset challenge.
Fibromyalgia. If you’ve been diagnosed with it, it’s likely you’ve experienced frustration, bewilderment, and probably even depression. It can kind of feel like a life sentence. Am I right?
The muscle weakness. The fatigue. The brain fog. The lack of restful sleep. All the questions.
Will I ever be able to live a normal life again? Will I forever have to take meds that may or may not work? Do I really have to endure the groggy side effects of those meds on top of the fatigue and brain fog I already feel?
Let me tell you, as a fibro warrior myself, this is far from a life sentence. You can absolutely live a normal, active life. You can manage without all the meds. You don’t have to succumb to the drugged feeling on top of the fibro brain fog.
I was diagnosed with fibro when I was 19, over half my life ago. (And have been diagnosed several times over since.) I never stopped being active. I just learned what I could and couldn’t do without repercussions. It’s been 25+ years of trial and error. I try to stay with the things I know won’t cause flare-ups. But if I really want to do something I know will cause one, I’ll plan to rest the next couple days. And I’m ok with this. Because I still get to do the things I love.
I’ve also learned that food can help or harm. I’m still learning but I have a pretty good idea of what my body needs and doesn’t. I stick to clean eating (very little processed foods and added sugars). I’m also learning (yes, still) what foods cause reactions of some sort and what ones help me feel my best.
Always trial and error. The trick is learning to listen to your body. It will always always tell you what it needs and what it doesn’t. If you’re not sure how to do this, I recommend starting with a journal.
Know that you are more in control than not. And know that you are not alone. I’m here to help in any way that I can! Maybe start with my guide to managing fibro naturally. You can get that here.
If you're anything like I used to be, when you think of getting results from a workout, you think high impact. Low impact workouts are for rest days only, right? Wrong! In fact, I've gotten some of my best results from low impact programs.
Now, don't get me wrong. Shaun T is always fun! (Cize and T-20 are some of my favorites.)
But after a freak fall while playing volleyball in February of 2018, I had to slow it down. High impact wasn’t what worked best for my body anymore. (I’ve finally begun to truly heal the last few months thanks to dry needling, but that’s for another post.)
Yoga has become my best friend. Yoga? That's not even a workout is it? I mean you just stand there (this according to a neurosurgeon I was seeing after my fall).
If you think yoga is just standing there, you have obviously never practiced it. I find it to be the most well rounded form of exercise I’ve ever done, working on the inside and out.
And yoga is great for defining muscles, not to mention the strengthening and flexibility you get from practicing.
I’ve tried going back to some higher impact workouts a few times, thinking I miss it. But I really don’t. I’ve fallen in love with yoga. It’s what makes me feel my best, in every way.
So yes, you can absolutely get results from low impact workouts. The point is to keep your body moving. Find what works for you. Listen to your body and give it what it needs.
And don't forget to clean up your diet in the process. Bad eating habits will absolutely keep you from your best results.
How are you? Are you a low-impact or high-impact worker outer (yes, worker outer...it’s a thing. Ask me.)
- If you're curious, here are the ingredients I switched up:
1. Ground turkey in place of ground beef. I had some on hand and wanted to use it.
2. Fresh onion in place of dried. This is just my personal preference.
3. Orange bell pepper in place of green. Again, it's what I had on hand at the time.
4. Stewed tomatoes in place of diced. Another personal preference.
5. 2 small zucchini + 2 small yellow squash in place of 3 zucchini. It's what I had and needed to use them. Plus, I just love yellow squash and zucchini together! Yum!
6. Montreal seasoning in place of Italian. It's what was in the pantry, and it worked! Yay!
7. No cheese. This was by shear accident. I totally forgot it. Oops!
Slow Cooker Turkey & Veggie Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Turkey cooked and drained
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 Bell Pepper any color
- 2 small Zucchini chopped
- 2 small Yellow Squash chopped
- 24 oz Spaghetti Sauce
- 14.5 oz Stewed Tomatoes
- 2 cups Brown Rice uncooked
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Montreal Chicken Seasoning
- 1 cup Shredded Cheese your choice
