Make a Motivation Kit

As your clients pursue health, weight, and fitness goals, sometimes their motivation can wax and wane. When motivation is high, it’s a good idea to help them make a personal motivation kit that can help inspire them when the going gets tough.This kit can help your clients to stay on track throughout the process of setting and reaching their goals.Here are a few ideas for items that may remind your clients of the importance of their efforts. Feel free to take the tips below as inspiration and customize each kit as you see fit…

• A magazine article about people in the National Weight Control Registry. You can find a sample in People magazine — look for the issue about losing half your weight. You can also access articles and tips directly from the National Weight Control Registry itself at http://www.nwcr.ws.
• A list of reasons to lose weight, including better blood glucose control, making family proud, maybe taking less medicine for diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol, etc.
• Wedding picture
• Photos of children and/or grandchildren
• Progress report including milestones like “I can cross my legs,” “I sleep better,” “people tell me I look great,” “exercise is more fun,” etc
• Motivational saying such as “We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough” (Helen Keller) or “Each morning brings a new chance to do something right.”
• Lab reports
• Travel photos

By Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND, CHWC