Don’t Quit, Motivate Yourself
Starting an exercise program is easy – sticking to one for 3 weeks when you haven’t lost 25 pounds is hard. It’s time to motivate yourself and finally reach your goals!
Simple ways to motivate yourself
Starting an exercise program or joining the gym is the easiest part – the hardest part is motivating yourself to keep going at least once a week.
If staying motivated is your problem, here are some simple solutions:
1. Write down fitness goals
You’re working hard to get healthy for a reason (or reasons). Don’t lose track of these reasons by writing them down and placing them somewhere you can see every day.
The ‘whys’ behind working out will serve as your reminder so you can refocus on the goals whenever you need a little push.
2. Keep a fitness journal
2. Keep a fitness journalThis might sound very beginner-ish, but it’s totally fine to put everything into writing. Jot down the small wins to keep tabs on your progress while referring to your fitness goals which you wrote on the first page of the journal.
Write down your personal challenges as well and the time frame within which you want to achieve them.
3. Integrate simple cues
Cues are a great reminder that you are slacking on workouts. For example, put your car keys beneath your gym clothes. Every time you have to use the car, you’ll get a glimpse of the clothes.
You might be tempted to bring them to wherever you are going so you can get a workout in at the end of the day.
4. Loop with rewards
Set up rewards that drive you to exercise even when you are feeling lazy. You may reward yourself after every workout or after a week of completing the week’s schedule. It’s your call. The bottom line is to give yourself something to look forward to.
However, be careful when choosing a reward – it shouldn’t defeat the purpose of gym-going.
5. Buddy up
Working out doesn’t have to be boring. Make fitness fun by asking your friends or coworkers to come along. If not your friends, perhaps a gym mate.
Make friends at the gym and agree on working out together on specific days. Your gym buddy could be your spouse. You may devise a friendly competition to see who can drop the weight or bulk up faster.
6. Consider the costs
6. Consider the costsAdmittedly, exercising or getting a gym membership entails specific costs. The same goes with not going exercising. For instance, if you pay an annual membership of $150 and you haven’t attended for two months, then you’ve just wasted $25 of your hard-earned money.
Can you afford to waste more? What about the fitness clothes you bought? Who’s going to wear them if not you?
7. Raise the bar
Initially, you must be clear and realizable short-term objectives. Once you reached the goal, raise the bar. Our body adapts to increasing demands when subjected to such.
For continuous improvement, therefore, you should increase the challenge.
Wrap-Up
Own up to the commitment that you made otherwise you are the one who’s going to suffer the consequences.
Listed above are some ways to motivate yourself and achieve what you’ve dreamed of. Don’t disappoint yourself, not this time!
- How to Motivate Yourself to Workout - December 29, 2015
- DIY Gym Equipment Must-Haves - September 22, 2015
