How to get motivated
So last night Paul McKenna was telling us how to get motivated. Basically you extend the technique used to beat cravings.
He reckons the reason why a lot of people hate exercise is because of unpleasant experiences in the past - maybe in school. Then when you start to put on weight you occasionally try to get fit and go at it too hard, perhaps even injuring yourself. This reinforces the negative associations you have with exercise making the problem worse. He points out that getting fit doesn’t have to start with a 2 hour gym session every day. It can start with an extra 5 minute walk, parking further from the supermarket, walking to the corner shop, marching on the spot during TV ad breaks. You build it up slowly and let your body get fit over time. Don’t hammer yourself.
To help with motivation, you imagine a time you felt really good and press your RIGHT thumb and middlefinger together. Keep imagining and pressing and add in the memory of a time you felt really motivated or just imagine feeling really motivated - you feel good. When you’re imagining you’re feeling really good and really motivated then add in the idea of walking an extra few steps, running up the stairs and how good you’ll feel for having done this. All the time you keep that right thumb and middle finger firmly pressed together. then next time you want to boost your motivation you press your right thumb and middle finger together and bam, off you go.
I guess eventually the plan is that you get a craving for chocolate or crisps and end up going for a walk instead.
Of course the problem is I have a rather poor imagination so I’m failing to build up the pictures in my mind. But of course trying to do it while you’re watching the telly is rather distracting too, so maybe I need to try it when I can get some peace and quiet. I perhaps I should just skip the imagining, wait till I am actually feeling really good and motivated and then give it a try.