Tapping into Your Motivation Can Help You Meet Health Goals 

Shandra Martinez

| 2 min read

Ann Marie Wakula
Do your New Year’s resolutions feel like they are in the rearview mirror? What you may need is a shot of motivation to get back on track to accomplish your 2021 goals- don't give up on them. Think of motivation as fuel to reach your goals, says Ann Marie Wakula, a certified personal trainer and macro nutrition coach. She is also the host of the Fitness Over 40 video series brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “Motivation is all the steps to get you there,” said Wakula. “It’s feelings, it’s emotions, it's determination and drive and power and grit. And it’s also measured by how badly you really want something.” On the latest episode of A Healthier Michigan Podcast, hosted by Chuck Gaidica, he and Wakula talked about how to tap into your motivation to push away procrastination that is keeping you from reaching your goals.

Manageable steps

One way to build this emotional determination is by revisiting your overall goal and then start with small, very manageable steps to get you there. Wakula describes the process as a bit of mind over matter and a lot of planning. It begins by setting goals and having a clear vision of exactly what you want. She encourages her clients to start with setting SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals. “It’s being specific about what you want. It’s setting, measurable, meaningful and motivating tasks for something that’s achievable,” Wakula said. For someone who wants to lose 40 or 50 pounds, the first step toward this goat might be increasing activity. It should be something measurable, like taking a walk twice a week for a month. Including a time frame makes it easier to track and inviting a friend to be part of those walks is a way to add an accountability partner. “When you’re starting to feel like you need some motivation, recognize what your ‘why’ is,” Wakula said. “Put little steps along the way to refocus your goals, to look back at where you started, where you’ve come from and where you want to be, and then keep going. You just keep going, reassessing your journey along the way.” Listen to the A Healthier Michigan podcast to hear the entire conversation. Related:

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