Eleven ways to stay motivated
Eleven ways to stay motivated
Eleven ways to stay motivated
Motivation it's the key to any exercise program. And we all go through periods of not wanting to exercise. It doesn't matter if you are an experienced athlete or if you just started this year with a New Year's resolution. Here is a list of eleven things you can try when you find yourself stuck in a rut. Pick the ones that will work best for you. Find the ones that you think will work best for you or work through the list one by one to see what you respond to.
1. Track Your Progress
When you feel like you're not making progress exercising, stop and realize that progress can be slow. Many of us have the exact same goal lose fat and gain muscle. I find it extremely helpful to create a spreadsheet and keep track of some progress indicators. A few good things to keep track of are body weight, body fat, waist size, hip size, bicep size, and any other muscle groups. This way you can go back over a time period and see how your progress has been.
2. Have a Easy to Follow Plan
For simpleness and ease get stuck in a routine for three to four months. Pick a set of exercises and do them every time without fail. Obviously this is not going to work for everyone, however you maybe the type it works for. For me personally this works great. When I hit the gym or the treadmill I know what I am going to be doing every time. I can get in, do it, and then get out.
3. Set Small Short-Term Goals
Focus on small easily attainable goals. For example I will work out Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday this week. Keep things short-term and easily attainable. When you see yourself making strides with the short-term goals the long-term ones will be easier to grasp
4. Stay in the Moment
At times when we have a large goal in front of us it is easy to focus on the big goal and think it's going to be impossible to reach. Instead focus on today. Focus on this one workout and squeeze the most out of that one workout.
5. Break Out of a Routine
This one is contrast to get stuck in a routine. Sometimes being stuck in a routine gets stale. Even if I am in a routine I will occasionally throw in a different workout. Instead of running intervals on the treadmill I'll head down to the track and run some sprints. Or go for a run on a trail through the woods.
6. Give Back To Yourself
As you are setting up your fitness goals and what you want to achieve, set up some milestones along the way. For example when you lose 20 pounds, reward yourself with a massage or a new pair of running shoes.
7. Keep the Momentum
Make it a habit and don't break the chain you have going. Keep exercising regularly and it will soon be a habit for you. You will find yourself not wanting to break the streak you have going. Even if you don't feel like trying just give it a shot for that day. Twenty minutes of some kind of activity is much better than laying on the couch.
8. Compete
Want to be motivated to train at your best? Sign up for a competition and pay the entry fees. This works great with running. Sign up for a 5k or 10k race a few months away and pay your entry fee. This will be great motivation to train hard for your upcoming race.
9. Join a Message Board
There are a thousands of message boards out there. From running, jogging, walking, weight lifting, cycling, yoga, and everything in between. There are people just like you sharing with each other and helping out. Find one that fits you and become part of the community. These are great places for inspiration.
10. Workout Music Play List
Music is a great motivator for a lot of people. Most people have some form of a MP3 player now. It's a great idea to set up a few play lists for working out. Create one for resistance training and one for walking or running. It's a good idea to make the play lists on the large side. For example if your workouts run about 30 minutes, create a play list that runs about 1 hour. This way you are not always listening to the same songs over and over again. Hit shuffle and enjoy.
11. Just Try
There are days when you are not going to feel like exercising. Even on days I don't feel like working out I try. By this I mean get in there do your first few exercises or start on the treadmill and see if your mood changes. Most likely it's going to. Some of my best and most memorable workouts are ones where I'd rather have just sat on the couch. Instead I forced myself to at least try a few exercises.
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