When we endeavor to start a new meal plan, exercise regimen or lifestyle change, our motivation is elevated because something has triggered this change. Our motivation stays elevated for a while an din fact, studies show that our motivation wanes at about the 90 mark. That means at about 3 months into our “new lifestyle” change, something happens to challenge our motivation. Was it the party that we were excited about? A holiday that was coming? The stress of a family situation or visit? No matter what the situation is, we are challenged because this is Life. We don’t want to feel deprived, less than or that we are missing something. Life has its ups and downs; good times and challenges; pluses and minuses. What sets apart those that manage their lifestyle change well is how motivated they stay to address the things that Life throws at us. Now, no one manages perfectly every day or in every situation but HOW we respond to those ups and downs correlates to how motivated we are to change and to sustain those changes. Bruce Lee said that to make lasting changes we should “research your own experience, absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add what is specifically our own.” As someone who has embarked on a number of lifestyle changes, I had plenty of experiences hat I could draw on so that this time, I could enjoy lasting changes while managing Life’s curve balls. What I had never tried was throwing out what didn’t work, keeping what did and adding what worked for me. Ideal Protein allows us that. For example: leaving out refined carbohydrates, adding lots of fresh or new veggies and for me, leaving out the restricted snack (because I am insulin resistant and carb sensitive) allows me to adapt the IP protocol to what works for me, all while staying in the plan.

I have written previously about my dad’s passing in March. Behind the pain and misery, alongside the grief and sadness and in front of the ache and loneliness was my motivation. It took a back seat to learning to live without my dad. In those first few days, weeks and months, I could barely see through to remember to breath. i did the best I could with my meal plan. Since I had been on protocol, I had developed some great new habits as I was moving through he protocol phases and those were my saving grace. I had no motivation to much of anything but I knew what to do to manage my meal plan. As time passed, I realized that my dad loved me no matter what I ate, or what my weight was. I also realized that it hurt so much because I loved him so much. That brought some comfort to me and became my turning point. My motivation for my meal plan slowly returned. It stopped hiding because the shadows of Grief, Anger and Sadness and moved toward Light and Living. There are day when missing my dad stops me in my tracks and can cripple me. I picture his sweet smile and hear his hearty belly laugh. Instead of reaching for something that is not on my meal plan, I reach for a bell pepper or cucumber because eating things that are not on my meal plan will not make me feel better and will most certainly not bring my dad back.

So today I ask you where is your motivation? Is it hiding behind something and only peeking out occasionally? How can Ideal Protein, Renee or Judy help you turn up the fire on your motivation and get you to your goal?

If you have an idea, write it down and read it when you get frustrated or angry and want something that might not be good for you. If you haven’t been in to see your coach in a bit, make an appointment. No one is judging you. They are your accountability cheerleader.