Does my butt look big in these jeans?

Finding your Motivation

Honey, we're not 21 anymore and yes, your butt looks big. So what? You have accomplished so much with your career, family and environmental work. You are super woman. That's what you wanted right?

• Sure it's what you wanted. But you also wanted to stay young and beautiful didn't you? Don't lose hope - if Miss Piggy (a pig for God's sake) can maintain her sexy savvy, then so can you. You have the power to change your exterior (if that is what bothers you most). We already know that you're accomplished on the inside.

There are no secret weightloss plans - just eat healthy and exercise. That's easy to remember. The hard part is keeping yourself inspired and motivated enough to do it. The key to getting your booty back in those jeans is finding your motivation and using it as a tool to help you succeed.

• Achievement Motivation: If you're an achievement kind of person, then you need to satisfy your desire to succeed. Set a goal - maybe you want to be able to run a 5k by Christmas or maybe you want to wear your jeans by January.

• Affiliation Motivation: Will friends and family shower you with compliments if you get back into your skinny jeans? Do you feel good when other people validate you? Hey, they are your support crew. Tell them to send you weekly emails to encourage you to stay on your exercise plan.

• Competence: Are you driven by being excellent at a task? Do you take your job very seriously? Do you like to be perfect? Use that type A personality to your advantage. Tell yourself, "I will close this deal. I will not fail." Treat your diet and exercise plan like a task - something that you must conquer.

• Power: Do you have the ability to change the people around you? If you stick to your exercise plan will that motivate your children to be more active? Will your spouse join you? Will you inspire your friends and family to succeed? Okay Mrs. Beaver, rally the troops and get back on your diet then!

• Incentive: Do you like to receive awards for your accomplishments? Will you win a contest at work if you lose the most weight? Do you want those Prada shoes or to take a little rendezvous to New York? Make a deal with yourself. If you stick to your healthy eating plan for 3 months, then you get the shoes or the trip. Or both!

• Fear: What are the consequences if you don't succeed? Do you work hard because you like to work or do you work hard because you're worried about what will happen if you don't? Go put on a bikini (that will put the fear of God in you). Or go read over a few websites pertaining about the consequences associated with unheathly eating and lack of exercise.

We like you just the way that you are - but if you don't like you, then it's time for change. So, put down the Snickers and put on your running shoes. We'll be out there running with you (and checking out your butt). Let us know what motivates you and we'll work to help you stay on track...

• To Learn more about Motivation: Shah, K. & Shah, P. (n.d) Motivation. Retrieved July 10, 2007, from http://www.laynetworks.com/Motivation.html