Taking time off from my regular habits is a sure fire way to get me motivated for healthier eats and a sweat session. It’s been since last Tuesday that I have managed to get in a workout, thanks to the holidays and illness. As today went on I felt better than I have in awhile and literally craved movement this afternoon. I still have a bit of a sore throat and some congestion, so I kept it very easy with a light 2 mile walk on the treadmill. While reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

Theresa, it is getting really good! Thank you so much for sending me this series!

Then, I came home and continued healthier habits with a delicious dinner filled with veggies. Many of my recent veggies have come in the form of leftover casserole dishes. Delicious, but not the best choice for days on end. 😉 Besides, a tofu veggie stir fry is still deliciously satisfying!

This all reminds me of one of the first questions I received for the Q + A posts. How do I stay motivated? I didn’t want to answer such a question with a basic answer but it really does boil down to one thing – I stay motivated to eat nutritiously and maintain workouts because I feel so much better when I do. Going a few days without that balance in my life leaves me out of sorts and feeling unlike myself, which I have obviously struggled with more during pregnancy.

Perhaps I didn’t always have the motivation I have now, though? Perhaps it was tougher initially and now it has become second nature that its easy to naturally maintain momentum and motivation? With that in mind I branched out to other things that keep me motivated and focusing on health.

Eat & Do What I Enjoy – I find healthy food choices, recipes, and combos that I actually like eating. I no longer force myself to follow food rules. For workouts, I pick things that are fun to me. I took time to discover what I truly like and try to incorporate those as often as possible. It doesn’t feel like a chore when I make decisions that suit my preferences.

Variety Is The Spice of Life – I consistently mix up my workouts. I make a point to try new recipes regularly. I try very hard to keep myself from falling into a rut. This makes healthy living more fun.

Surround Myself With Like-Minded People – This is where blogs come in to play. I read many blogs and each one inspires me in various ways. Plus, they provide me with the ideas to keep more variety. You can also find friends to work out with or keep in touch with when things are tough. I’m always just an email, tweet, or FB comment away if you need a dose of support, too. 😉

I’m An Example – Little M and Baby B will look up to me when forming their eating habits. My actions and how I spend my time will influence their own as they grow. I want my children to be healthy, but in a natural and non-pressured way. The best way to do that, in my opinion, comes through practicing what I preach. Living for my family is HUGE motivation. It makes me smile that M will ask to “kickbox with Mommy” or that she seems so proud when we go to the gym and she says “Mommy workout”.

Mini Challenges – I have also joined in various challenges or started personal ones of my own to get my butt in gear with certain things. Sometimes making the process a game with some a reward can initiate changes and go a long way.

Move On - When starting out with new & healthier habits, I always give them time to sink in and really become part of my lifestyle. I avoid thinking in terms of “good” or “bad” days. Every decision counts towards a greater picture. Whenever I get caught up in trying to be perfect with eating or workouts, I end up losing all motivation as things inevitably get thrown off course.

Those are just a few of my big ones off the top of my head. I certainly don’t think they are anything new or life-altering, but they help me keep focus on healthier living.

• What helps you stay motivated in your healthy habits? Have your motivating factors changed with time?
• In case you missed it earlier, the blog is now on Facebook. I would be honored to have your support! CLICK HERE

I don’t like feeling juxtaposed between not eating as well as I would like but having no motivation to change right now. I don’t like feeling caught between knowing my body produces a miracle and worrying about getting in shape after baby B arrives. I know I explained before that I feel unlike myself at times and this is one of those times.

It all started when I began craving sweets and giving in to  those cravings regularly. Then, I began to question my eating habits and if I was pulling the “I’m pregnant, so I don’t care” card. I certainly do care because I want to provide my body what it needs. Then, I became frustrated as I realized I didn’t want to feel restricted, even if it meant eating more of the “bad” foods than I typically like. This lack of motivation had me bemoaning my choices and questioning whether I would gain too much weight and then not be able to get back in shape over the next year. It left me analyzing and critiquing my body, instead of embracing it even in its bigger state.

I’m only human and these mental games get to me too. For awhile I didn’t even try to stop them, even though I fully recognized them. Perhaps they felt comforting in an old, familiar way? Perhaps I knew that when it boiled down to it I feared my decision. Would I “put up or shut up” so to speak? Typically I am a “put up” girl – make the changes you know will leave you feeling better physically and then mentally. In the last 6-8 weeks of pregnancy though? I’m going to “shut up”. I know the changes I would like to make would feel very forced right now and done more out of guilt or what I should do over what I want to do.

I will still focus on consuming healthy meals the majority of the time and not criticize myself for treats above the norm. I will remember its completely okay to not want to worry the last bit of my (hopefully) last pregnancy. I will “shut up” those negative thoughts about my body because I know it is temporary and I have faith in myself to accomplish everything I hope fitness wise post-baby. I may not be making a ton of changes yet, but I don’t want to make the end of this pregnancy any harder on myself by adding in mental games.

I had to get a grip on myself before my baby shower after all. My good friends from church wanted to throw us a shower in combo with a Thanksgiving lunch to help us start stocking up on baby boy clothes and other baby necessities. Here’s a few shots from the party. I’ll let them speak for themselves of the good time I had – no mental games included. 😉

• What was the best part of your weekend? I love my friends and all the support that they continue to show!
• When have you had to “put up or shut up” in something?
• Today is the last day to enter the Exercise TV giveaway!