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Get Motivated - Stay Motivated! How? Ask The Expert - Andy Core Do you sometimes wonder, "Why do I reach for a snack when I know I should find some fruit? Why do I stay up to watch late night talk shows when I know I will wake up tomorrow dog tired? Why do I let my home exercise equipment serve as expensive clothes hangers?" Andy knows there is a lot more to improving your health than simply moving more and eating less. There are powerful barriers keeping you from living as healthy as you want and deserve to. What is holding you back? Read Andy's answers to viewer's questions below. |
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May's Ask The Expert online session with Andy Core was conducted on Thursday, May 22 at 4 pm.
Well it's time again for another Ask The Expert session. This month Andy Core is our guest expert and we're thrilled to have him.
Lisa Turner, SWH Online Editor: Welcome Andy! Thanks for being with us today.
Andy: You are more than welcome.
Lisa Turner, SWH Online Editor: You have been a very popular speaker at our SWH events. You seem to bring a lot of humor and science to your presentations.
Andy: We all know that science has to be the foundation of our healthy living plan, but I have also learned the no one was ever bored into doing anything. We all need more fun in our lives, and that includes in our health and wellness programs.
So here we go with our first question:
Question 1: Andy,
I am having such a rough time losing weight and keeping it off. I sabotage my new habits and go back to the old, comfortable habits so easily. I just don't know what to do. I am tired of this and I want to get healthy. My doctor told me I should cut out carb's and continue eating protein and vegetables only. He also stated that I should not eat fruit, because of the sugar content.
I have diabetes (type 1). I am insulin dependent. I am also 56 years old. I am trying to lose 30 lbs. I started 3 weeks ago with a diet that has a controlled amount of carb's, protein and vegetables. I enjoy drinking shakes for breakfast as I feel it keeps me full for the morning hours. I have started on a Medifast Diet for Diabetics. I drink shakes, eat oatmeal, eat soup and a thicker version of chili and vegetable stew. I eat one meal of Lean meat and vegetables during the day.
Now I am at a point where I don't know if I care anymore. I don't feel as though I am benefiting from dieting. I need to be more active, as I sit at my desk for 8 hours a day. I try to get up and walk during the day, but it is not always possible. I used to get up every morning at 5:00 and be out the door by 5:15 am to power walk. Now, I have no motivation to go back at this good habit.
I have tried using pictures on the refrigerator of myself when I was thinner, I have tried cutting out an outfit I want to look good in when I lose the weight, I have kept motivation/inspirational saying on my bathroom mirror…..and I keep failing at losing the weight I want to lose.
When I have a low blood sugar of 49 or 59 in the early morning hours, it takes me off of my diet as I have to eat sugar to get the blood sugar back up. I am so frustrated! How can I stay motivated for something that is so important as good health?
Andy's answer: Thank you for your honesty, both with me and yourself. Being honest and real with yourself is a big step toward a healthier body and life.
You have something else going for you. I love the fact that you are frustrated and "tired of this." It is often only when we reach these "moments of truth" that real, lasting change is possible. It is in these moments that we are willing to change the way we live. Use your frustration to fuel a "no matter what" mindset and pretty quickly your motivation will start to change.
My first suggestion for you is almost impossible to do completely, so that is why I want you to just begin the process of separating your emotions from what the scale tells you. Your weight is not a measure of your self worth. Your ability to lose or maintain a certain weight is not a measure of your ability to give, live and love. Your weight is simply the result of how you have structured your life. I want you to move your focus from the scale to a doable checklist. Your new mantra is check the box! I have provided a downloadable 24 hour checklist (24 hours of motivation with Andy). Please download and adapt it to your life. As you start checking boxes, your motivation to check more boxes improves and this momentum will eventually turn into lasting motivation.
My second suggestion is to toss the fasting and low carb diets and take the money allocated for those programs and use it get an appointment or few and with a registered dietician. Have him or her work with you on better understanding good and not so good carbohydrates, serving and portion sizes, and then outline some solid meal plans. I have seen the education gained form this situation produce a lifetime of better eating and a better body for a lifetime.
Question 2. How can you stay motivated when your life has so much stress? When I get stressed I eat, unfortunately.
Andy's answer: One of my Core Concepts is Positive Motion Creates Positive Emotion. If you are stressed and tired, the fastest way to de-stress and re-energize your motivation and optimism is to do some physical motion. When I am stressed I get up and walk around my house or office, go outside, or when possible, exercise. Exercise is the best way to burn off stress, stress hormones and rebuild the damaging physical effects of stress.
And, by the way, I believe physical motion is the best ways to improve your healthy eating willpower. You may have heard other health experts lecture that to improve your health or lose weight you need to "move more and eat less." Well, I think that needs to be tweaked a little to say "if you move more, then you will eat less!"
Question 3.
Andy,
I have a yoga tape that is for over 50 to do in the AM. In order for me to do this I need to get up at 5AM. I cannot motivate myself to do this. It is either too cold or I feel sleepy. When I get up later (if I don’t have to work) I can do the tape, which makes me feel better. Also the doctor has told me to go to a gym because I am over 60 and starting to get the middle age spread. Any suggestions?
Andy's Answer: Your lifestyle (I prefer to call it your LifeSystem) either sets you up for success or fitness failure. Here is another Core Concept and a few quick ideas to improve your motivational muscle in the morning:
CC: Tomorrow’s Motivation Starts Today
1. Layout or pack tomorrow’s exercise clothes so that when you wake you don’t have to think about it. You can stumble into the bathroom, throw on your clothes and get moving. Some people even sleep in their exercise duds, which is a little extreme to me, but what works, works.
2. Ensure you sleep deep so you wake up and feel great. If you are dog tired when your alarm goes off it quadruples the necessary willpower. To help you sleep deep and feel great do these simple steps:
a. Two hours before bed shut down your intake of water and other fluids so you will not interrupt your deep sleep.
b. In the hour before bed darken, and cool your sleep environment to 67 degrees.
3. Find an exercise buddy, or if that is not possible, an accountability buddy. It is much easier to let yourself down and sleep in, then to let someone else down who you made a promise to meet. How many buddies can you have? The more the merrier. But if an in-person exercise buddy is not possible, then find an accountability buddy. This is someone who you are responsible to report your exercise for that day to, and vice versa. There is only one criteria for exercise and accountability buddies
– they have to be mean. You do not want someone who will let you off the hook too easily. You want someone to hold your feet to the fire and vice versa.Question 4.
Hello Andy,
I am in desperate need of motivation. My life is overwhelmingly stressful (the most it has been in my life with career, finances, single parenting). I am overweight and have been for the last 14 years. I have a BMI of 40. I know the key to my weight loss/getting healthy is to exercise. I joined a gym in January and have worked out a total of 3 times thus far. My heart is willing but my head and body are not! H-E-L-P!
Andy's Answer: CC: Motivation is Momentum in Disguise.
I believe, even for the busiest of us, exercising five times a week takes less willpower than exercising three times a week or even three times in five months. Even if you have to cut your workout time in half to make this happen, exercising more frequently increases your motivation to exercise fairly quickly. Exercising five days a week makes exercise part of our daily routine. Think about it, if you planned on brushing your teeth three days a week, would it be harder or easier to keep up with than brushing daily? So, think short, fast workouts more often and you will feel your motivation start to soar.
Question 5. Hello Andy,
I know I need to lose weight, and I have no idea why I don't. I am very active, but I do have a lot going on in my life right now with dealing with my husband's illness (Guillion-Barre Syndrome) and taking care of everything around the house, the bills, yard work, etc. Everyday I get home I think I will go for a walk, because I wanted to start walking, but don't. I say to myself I am going to get a lot done today, but then I get unmotivated. Sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything and then I feel guilty because I don't do the things I know need to be done. I also go places my sisters want me to go or do things they want me to do even though I don't really want to, but I don't want to hurt their feelings or I don't want them to be mad at me.
Andy's Answer: OK, this one is simple. You and those around you need to acknowledge the Number One Law of the Universe – If momma ain’t happy, NOBODY’S happy. I know that sounds like a joke, but it is not. One of the biggest barriers to achieving a healthier, happier, and more accomplished life is the belief that total self sacrifice is what it takes. Believe me, I understand that looking out for the needs of others before yourself is hard coded into the DNA of most women, especially moms, and especially in your case with a sick husband.
The reality, however, is you can reach the point when being selfless makes you health-less, then you cannot bring the best version of yourself to your family, to work, or to the things you want to do (you do have things you like to do don’t you?). Once you start, in this case exercising, then you will want to exercise more. It is all about generating some positive momentum and then that momentum will carry you. The bottom line is that it may be time for you to take a stand, make time for yourself and have faith that it will all work out for the best. I bet the people in your life will end up thanking you for it. Well, maybe not at first, but it is up to you to show them the light.
Question 6. Hi Andy,
I am 48 years old with three teenagers. I work with Emotional and Behavioral disordered children in the elementary setting. When I come home on most days, I am exhausted! Yet there is much to do with my own children before I can finally sit down. My meals consist of some form of bran cereal for breakfast with fruit, lunch is whatever frozen lean meal I find on sale, and dinner is almost always around 8:00 in the evening. I am 5’6"and weigh 160lbs. putting me about 20lbs. overweight. I love walking and am a pretty fast speed walker (1mi. /15min.). My problem is when to find the time, also how to include body building in my routine that I don’t have. What can I do?
Andy's Answer: A working mom with teenagers! You are making me tired! The bottom line is you need more energy to do what you want and need to do. That is why your walking must be a priority. How do you make that happen? Here are a few quick ideas:
1. Research indicates that morning exercisers have a higher success rate. Can you do it then?
2. Walking is one of the best "sneak it into your workday" exercises. Is a lunch walk possible?
3. If the answer so far is no, then after work is your best option. Pack your walking clothes and bring them to work. Could you do a quick change at work and do your walk from there? How about change at work, then stop by a park on the way home? *No errands or stops are allow between work and the park! They must be done afterward to minimize the distractions.
4. Fitting weight training into your schedule is not going to be easy, but it can be done. One idea is to sneak some body weight exercises into your workday. Download the Master Your Body with Andy handout and start here. These "no-equipment necessary" body weight exercises are perfect for a busy mom.
Question 7. I know that I am 15 lbs overweight and I know that programs like weight watchers work but I also know how to loose the weight myself. However, I just don't do it. Thinking about weight and talking about weight takes up a lot of my time. Why, when it worries me so much don't I do something about it? I'm sick of thinking and talking about weight.
Andy's Answer: It is easy to sit on the edge of change and talk about it. A lot of questions pop up. Can I do it? Maintain it? What if I am successful, what then? Am I ready?
One of the great debates in human behavior change – does a change in attitude come before a change in behavior or does a change in behavior produce a change in attitude. I believe, especially in the case of health and fitness change, that action precedes attitude. It is only after you begin do you realize you are ready. It is only after you feel some momentum that you start really believing that a healthier way of life is really possible for you.
It is only after you experience it that you want it. Have you met someone who was completely unmotivated and negative about healthy living, who has changed and become annoyingly healthy? I bet. I have met hundreds. I want you to become annoyingly motivated. To do that, begin. Take a "no matter what" attitude for four weeks and exercise 5 days a week. If you do not feel a tremendous increase in your motivation, call me. I will put you in the Guinness Book of Records.
Lisa Tuner - Online Editor: Well that's it for this month. Andy, thanks so much for your insight and expertise. I know I'll take a much longer power walk tonight than I had originally planned. And as I've heard you say, 'nothing motivates like success.'
See you next month when we talk about 'Speaking of Men About Health' with Christopher Lewis, MD.
About Andy
Andy Core’s primary focus is understanding "why do we not change when we know it is the right thing to do?" Specifically, he addresses how to overcome the barriers sabotaging your motivation to living healthier and achieving better work-life balance.
Core has a master’s degree in the science of human performance and performed research and understands how women and men respond to stress, stress testing, and what it takes to change your health behaviors for the better.
Over the last 17 years, Core has contributed to improving the overall health of some of America’s most successful companies as well as some of our most unhealthy communities. His success rate at helping people go from "knowing they need to live a healthier and more balanced life" to actually living it? 13X the national average.
24 hours of motivation with Andy
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