So you told yourself you were going to get fit before summer rolled in, but it’s back to school and you only lost five lbs. and you lost motivation two weeks in.
Losing weight and staying fit is more than just a six month plan. It’s more than just lifting weights or cutting the fat.
It’s about creating a training plan that you can stick with and that will motivate you to keep on going.
It has been noted by many experts, that people who train regularly (even if their training is not that intensive) have significantly better health and higher life expectancy than people who don’t. Another thing about training is that it helps you feel better so in no time, it transforms from a chore to a habit.
However, this is a habit that on its road, meets many boundaries. Let’s look at how to ride the bumps and maintain motivation when you adopt a training program.
A First Bump In the Road
Every now and then, you’ll hit a bump in the road – you won’t be able to keep up with your program because of unforeseen occurrences.
Reasons can be numerous, from a brief illness, increased work hours or some emotional problem but the result is always the same. Regardless if you have been training for years now or have started a month or two ago, any break carries a risk of you not picking up where you left off. Do not allow this first bump in the road to distract you from your goals and dreams.
Try to At Least Show Up
Some would say that the hardest thing in the world is getting up in the morning. Once you get this covered your job is practically half way done.
When you are already at the gym you might as well work out. Every time you feel like not going try to force yourself to do so. In no time, not going to gym will no longer even be an option. By making yourself go there when you don’t feel like it, you are also strengthening your power of will. Yet another gym victory you can add on the list.
Make it Into a Commitment
Try going to gym into a commitment of some sort. Make up an excuse why you have to go there three times a week and stick to it.
A great idea here would be to always go with a friend or a group of friends, you don’t spend so much time with anymore. This way, these gym visits won’t be only investments into your own body but in your social life as well. Not going to gym is the easiest thing in the world, failing your gym buddies, not so much.
Keep the Gym Fun
Doing same exercises over and over again can be exhausting not only for your body but for your spirit as well. Because of this, it is always a great idea to keep your gym routine interesting.
What this means, is that there should be as many different exercises as possible to keep things fun. Still, doing same things over and over again always results in some degree of boredom. This is why, you should replace an exercise with a new one as soon as you suspect that it might start boring you.
Use a Proper Supplementation
First of all, everyone knows that by far most efficient motivation is an intrinsic one. There is nothing as inspiring as seeing the results of your hard work. Although proper training is a cornerstone of progress whey protein is always a great addition. Making your progress visible sooner, and having a more lasting effect will most definitely make you want to train more. After all this is what it is all about.
Make a Gym Ritual
Although this might seem as a trivial thing, in practice it usually helps boost your morale. Create a workout order, or have your gym attire and you have a better chance of transforming your visits to a gym into a habit yet again. Whether this helps or not can be debated but the fact is that even the greatest professional athletes have these rituals. For example, the great Michael Jordan wore his shorts from his days at UNC under the uniform in every NBA game. If you really believe something can help, that it already does.
Be Smart About the Schedule
You simply cannot place your gym hours when you have most work and then act surprised when something happens that will prevent you from training. This is why, set aside some quiet hours like early in the morning or right after work as a gym time. Prevention is half of the cure, and by being able to predict any future interference you will already do a great deal of work.
Start Small
Depending on how long was your break, you should adjust the intensity of your training. Most probably you won’t be able to continue exactly where you left off, but this shouldn’t concern you. Start small, and work your way up. Strength once already built is quite easy to regain and there is no doubt that you will be your old self in no time.
Every beginning is hard, and beginning again might be even harder than that. Still, where there is a will there is a way and with just the right amount of resolve you could be back in the gym before you even realize it.
Never be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get back to work.
Now it’s your turn – how do you stay motivated with your fitness program?
