People always ask me how I stay motivated to work out, to eat well, to work so much.

They are probably the most common messages I receive from the EvolveYou Familia.

The answer is simple, my approach has nothing to do with motivation and everything comes down to building healthy, sustainable habits.

I cannot emphasise the power of good habits enough.

I read Charles Duhig’s book, The Power of Habit, ages ago and I was practically screaming at the pages as I felt like it was me through and through.
Working out and taking care of my health have nothing to do with motivation.

The reason I say this is because motivation is just a simple feeling – it comes and goes and you just can’t rely on it.

You could tell yourself, ‘I’ll wake up extra early and workout’ and then quite easily hit the snooze button.

You could say, ‘I’ll make sure I meal prep on Sunday’ and then forget to buy the ingredients you need.

You might arrange to go to the gym after work, but then join your colleagues for a cheeky drink, which turns into three and by the time you’re ready to leave, it’s too late to make that training session.

My point is, the best laid plans do not work unless you work towards forming healthy habits.

Habits consist of the following skills:

• Repetition & routine
  
• Triggers
• Consistency
• Self-disciplie

The reason I call them skills is because very few of us are naturally inclined to forming healthy habits.

Think about it, it’s way easier to eat the tub of ice cream, press the snooze button or order a take out every week.
It’s much harder to change your daily routine to work around your personal health choices – in order to do this, you must make yourself your number one priority.

We have a lot going on in our lives, but in order to build healthy habits, we have to remind ourselves that we matter.

You matter.

And if you matter, everything and everyone around you will matter too.

You’ll be more energised for work, more sociable and present with friends and in better shape to run around after your kids and grandkids too.

It’s a pretty simple philosophy to follow.

So how do you build healthy habits?

1 - Repetition & Routine

Habits are formed when you do the same thing repeatedly.

Research suggests it can take anything from a couple of weeks to 254 days to form a habit.

In any case, it’s not about the amount of days or weeks it takes, habit formation has more to do with how often you do something.

If you want to work out 3 times a week, make sure you workout three times a week. And, make those workouts a routine:

• Set reminders in your calendar;
  
• Schedule the workouts at the same time of day to build the habit;
  
• Put a plan in place (the EvolveYou app can help!) so you know what you’re doing.
  
• The more you repeat a habit, the more you no longer need to think about it – it becomes a part of your lifestyle and therefore a natural inclination – like brushing your teeth!  

2 - Triggers

In order to build healthy habits, you need small reminders, triggers, that get you into action.
For example:

• Packing your gym kit the night before;
  
• Getting ready for the gym before you leave work at the end of the day;
  
• Meal prep ready in the fridge;
  
• Selecting and playing your favourite playlist to get you in the mood to train;
  
• Setting up your home gym space the night before, ready to smash a workout in the morning;
  
• Using the workout and meal planner on the EvolveYou app.

Basically, triggers are anything that gets you ready to train!

They make your life easier.

You are less likely to make an excuse if you set the right triggers, all leading to working out consistently, to the point where it becomes synonymous with your daily routine.

3 - Consistency

You just have to keep doing it.

There is no easy way to say this, but if you set the right routines and triggers, there is no reason why you wouldn’t be consistent.

If you start snoozing, or forgetting your gym kit, or avoiding the home gym setup, ask yourself why?

What’s going on that’s preventing you from starting and completing a workout?

Is it the timing? Is it the lack of planning? Is it the wrong day?

There is always a reason and always a solution. If you reflect and tackle the barriers in your way, you will be consistent.
Just remember, forming healthy habits is challenging, but possible. You just have to keep going!

4 - Self-discipline

Being healthy is hard.
It’s a challenge and one that you have to stick to, to reap the rewards.

In fact, the reward itself will be the great release of endorphins, the energy, the confidence, the physical transformation you see taking place over time. However none of this is possible without self-discipline.

Always remember you are your own competition and the only person you are doing this for, is for you!

Will Smith quite famously said, self-love is self-discipline, and I couldn’t agree more with him.

If you put your own health and benefits first, you will feel better, do better and be better. When has anyone ever regretted a workout?!

If you follow my four top tips and use one of the EvolveYou app challenges to practise and help you along the way, working out, eating nutritious food and being your best self will become ingrained in you!

Healthy habits are the key to happy and successful living – it’s what I swear by and, Familia, it could be your new way of life too!