This past weekend I ran the runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon and 5k. At the race expo they had tons of merchandise with “Magic in every mile” emblazoned on it. At first, I thought it was a cute saying. But as I ran along the 13.1 mile course, the idea came to me: Magic in every mile is exactly what keeps runners going all the way to the finish line!
I often have used the saying “A journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step” as a way to remind myself that it’s the small stuff that add up to get you where you want to go. But a journey of one thousand miles ends up being two-million steps. How do you keep motivated?
Find magic in every mile.
When we started our half marathon, I knew it was going to take us over three hours to complete it. That’s a long time!
I needed ways to entertain myself and make it fun. Otherwise, my brain likes to start dwelling on how long it’s going to take, what’s wrong with the weather and how tired I am. And THAT is a recipe for feeling terrible and wanting to quit.
So I found ways to make it fun. I dressed up as Ursula so I scoured the crowds looking for other Ursulas or Ariels and cheering them on. I even asked them to take photos with me!
Same thing goes for your weight loss journey. It feels a whole lot better to make the process fun rather than focusing on how long it will take and foods you can’t eat (P.S. I teach you how to lose weight eating anything you want! So if this is YOU, let’s talk).
Find others who are also building healthier eating habits, call out to them and cheer each other on! Get excited for the new recipes or exercises that you use along the way.
Find your supporters
Disney employees were out on the course with cowbells and clappers cheering us on. And boy, did I embrace it! I waved and said good morning. I whole heartedly thanked them for being out there. I told myself that they were there just for me.
I completely ignored the fact that I was running with thousands of other people and that the employees were just clapping and cheering because Disney paid them to do it.
You can do the same! Instead of thinking that your husband is “just saying” that he thinks you look thinner or your friend admires your dedication to your work outs, really take a moment to appreciate their support. Take none of it for granted. It all matters.
Tell yourself it’s fun
People in general can tend to focus on the negative. Our brains were designed to find problems so we could live another day. When you are running a half marathon, there are TONS of negative things to focus on. For instance, it rained on us while we waited 45-minutes before crossing the start line. Then it got hot for a couple miles while we ran on a boring stretch of highway. There were parts where the road was so narrow you couldn’t help but bump into other runners and walkers with every move you made. Plus the fact that we were running over 13 miles and your body starts chaffing, hurting, and pretty much dying.
But what you focus on is always a choice.
And what you focus on, you find more evidence for.
I decided I was going to have fun during this race. It’s not every day you get to run a Disney race and I wanted to love every minute of it. I took selfies while characters posed with other people (I had NO time to stand in lines for my own pictures….otherwise the sag wagon would have swept me!) I looked around the parks in amazement as I ran through them. I reminded myself how lucky I was to have enough money and a loving husband to watch our four kids while I went and ran with Mickey.
The more I told myself that I was having fun, the more fun I had.
They told me there was magic in every mile but it was really up to me to find it.
If you are having trouble finding magic on your weight loss journey, I can help.
I help my clients find joy and happiness while losing weight and I can help you do the same.
Sign up for a free session with me to find out how.