1-Stop telling yourself that you’re not motivated
Regardless of what your “inner self” may tell you, the fact is that as long as you really want to lose weight or live a healthy, fit life, you can make progress toward your goal. Showing that you still have clear-cut goals to follow is the biggest source of motivation you need.

Okay, there are tough times when you just don’t want to do a workout, or it simply seems boring. Similarly, at times you would find it difficult to cook those special meals for yourself, and would find it much easier to go out and grab some fast food to satiate your appetite. However, having these “temptations” from time to time doesn’t at all mean that you are not motivated. Instead, it simply shows that you are suffering from a dilemma of wanting two different things at the same time.

If you keep telling yourself from time to time that you don’t have enough motivation, it means you are simply denying the wonderful choice that you have, the choice of decision!

“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”

Therefore, the first step is to first realize that you, only you, can make that choice, the choice of how you want to feel most of time. Can you really do it by focusing more on your goals or do you simply want to escape from the hard work by postulating hypotheses like “lack of motivation and consistency”?

Remember, being consistent does not necessarily mean being perfect, as you could eventually decide to do something else rather than sticking to your exercise and diet routine. At the same time, however, becoming consistent does mean giving yourself the power to choose, the power to decide.


2-Build momentum
Building your momentum gradually is the key to long term consistency in whatever you do. Naturally, the roughest part is when you are about to start something you’ve never done before, and it’s not easy to simply change the old habits or start new schedules. According to research and evidence, it takes about 21 to 40 days to actually convert a new behavior into a habit that is persistent and consistent for a long period of time. However, once you really begin to do it, the next steps seem a lot easier if  you pick the pace automatically. In other words, your mind and your body become accustomed to it.

Here are some simple, time-tested tips to build momentum especially during those early weeks of your exercise. See our beginner tips.
i)    Start easy: Begin with something that you really like and that seems easier to you. It will also help you build the much needed morale for the later, tougher workouts. Define an objective, e.g. doing one ten-minute workout each week.

ii)    Increase gradually: Then gradually increase it to two ten-minute sessions and keep adding minutes to each activity. That’s how you will be able to add one or more additional workouts to your weekly routine. Those tough workouts will no longer seem like a “liability” to you. Instead, you will be performing them as your habit.

iii)    Get an accountability partner / excuse buster: It’s always really helpful to get someone who knows about your goals, sessions and time schedule. He or she would keep a constant check on your activities and would boost your morale when needed by giving you that much-needed push whenever you feel down. This partner could be anyone. e.g. one of your family members, friends, or someone you know at the gym. Each time you find yourself feeling down or skipping your daily workout; do yourself a small favor by writing down the reason. Then share this reason with your partner and get his / her thoughts on the same to figure out whether your reason really makes sense or if it is just some plain excuse?

3- Always have a contingency plan ready.
At times, things don’t work out the same way you expect them to be. Therefore, it’s always better to have your contingency plan ready (even if you won’t need it). This plan could be just another way to be consistent with your aims and objectives, especially at times when your usual normal schedule doesn’t work out as you initially planned or thought. Now, reasons could be anything like natural disasters, accidents, kids or family members getting ill, extra hours at the job or some physical or emotional trauma. These events won't disturb your consistency if you plan well ahead.
You can do so by doing simple things like:
1-    Have a buddy or a family member ready to stay with your kids so you can go to the gym
2-    Always stock your freezer with some healthy meals when you don’t have enough time. Nutrition articles
3-    Try to identify the most frequently occurring issues that disturb your schedule and plan ahead to cope with those problems while still maintaining your meal and workout routine.

In short, if you follow these three simple golden rules, you will be able to deal with some common problems and barriers while, at the same time, building the momentum you need to stay consistent and focused.
“Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” (Mark Victor Hansen)

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