Motivation

I often get asked how I stay motivated to get up and get to the gym every day. The thing is it’s not how you stay motivated, staying motivated is easy. It’s how you get motivated which is the hard part. I struggled for years on how to get motivated, I really couldn’t hack it. I would occasionally stick to an unrealistic diet and an intense workout routine for about 2 weeks, convincing myself that I had finally got the ‘bug’ which so many gym bunnies talk about. And then I would go to a friends house and be exposed to cupboards of free chocolate digestives and coco pops and there goes my new lifestyle.

I’ve always been a hard working and ambitious gal so the disappointment I would have in myself for essentially giving up and caving in was unbearable. It made me feel so sad that apparently I didn’t have it in me to just say no to sugar. And I couldn’t understand why?! All you’ve got to do is not open your mouth. I mean that’s pretty much it! So it was driving me nuts that I didn’t have the will power to do it.

I didn’t just wake up one day and decide I never wanted pancakes and ice cream ever again. Hell no, they were my best friends! I had to train and teach my mind to not desire those foods anymore. Your willpower is like a muscle, the more you put it into action the stronger it will become. The more you get used to turning down the bread basket at dinner, saying no to free biscuits and opting for eggs instead of crunchy nut at breakfast – the easier it will be. The more sugar you eat, the more you crave, it’s that simple.

For me, the reason I gave it all up was purely out of frustration. I was so tired of feeling controlled by something which was having a negative impact on my body and mind. The guilt I felt after secretly eating chocolate or ice cream started to outweigh anything that those foods had to offer. It’s kind of funny to think that my lifestyle now, something which makes me so happy, partly came from such a depressing place.

I was physically and mentally disappointed in myself, I’ve always wanted to be the best version of my self that I could be. I wanted inner peace when it came to food, and I wanted to invest time and hard work into myself because I knew health-wise my body deserved it.

So early in 2015 I finally had had enough, the combination of being determined and frustrated had propelled me to really try and put my all in to having a fitness lifestyle. And I really knew this time that that was it, I had experienced feeling so low and I wanted to feel good about myself. I wasn’t gonna put up with any more of my bullshit excuses anymore, enough was really enough. And that was it, that is where my motivation came from.

People try and change their lives for different reasons, the thing that motivates me might be the complete opposite for what motivates you. The point is, each and everyone of us knows the struggle. (The struggle is real guys) And that’s what unites us. Whatever your reason for working your butt off and getting up at the crack of dawn is something which has universal respect. And that’s why the fitness community is so strong and beautiful, because we understand how hard it is to change your life, but we’re aware of how rewarding it can be. I friggin loved fatty foods and I resented getting active and going to the gym, but I did it and so can you. If you really are unhappy about yourself or disappointed in what you haven’t achieved then I really recommend putting your head down and trying your very very best at this. I used to think my main reason for trying to lead a healthy lifestyle was because I was unhappy about my body. But looking back on it now my lack of control when it came to food was the thing that really left me feeling frustrated.

I am damn proud at how far I’ve come and how much more confident I feel in general life. I really feel like now I have a purpose to my life and something which positively impacts other amazing people around the world. I am over the moon that food no longer controls me and that I see working out as something necessary and exciting. I train because it fills me with energy and excitement leaving me smiling throughout the day.

I know it’s hard at the beginning, and every day feels like a mission. The best advice I can give you is to take each day as it comes, don’t look at the bigger picture, focus on what you are aiming to achieve that day and achieve it – slowly and simply. The process is not meant to be your enemy, so don’t fight it or you will lose. Try and love each day and think of it as a new opportunity, a way to challenge and better yourself. You’re embarking on such an exciting and eye opening journey that really will change your life for the better. The times which are the hardest, when you are dieing for that slice of cake or when you could cry thinking about going to the gym, if you can overcome these pangs of emotion with a cool and collected decision to say no in the aim of bettering yourself then you are making it slowly easier to ignore  those feelings next time around. Overcoming those desires is you training your mind to adopt a different lifestyle.

So whatever your reason for embarking on this journey, I know you can stick at it. And I am telling you it’s worth while, so pop your trainers on, get your lycra on and go to the gym.

Lots of love

@progresspure