Ways to Stay Motivated
I’m sure everyone has felt this way at one point or another, we have an “ah ha” moment. We decide we are going to get our butts in gear, we’re going to join a gym or start running, we are going to get in shape. We also say that it’s going to be different than all the other times in the past where we started working out hard, and after a month or two, we are back to old habits, and our running shoes get shoved to the back of our closet. I understand, sometimes life gets busy, things happen, but more often than not, it’s as simple as losing motivation and discipline. I believe that anyone can find at least an hour in their day to fit in some fitness. In reality, anyone will find time/money for the things that are important to them.
If you find yourself lacking motivation, and finding it harder and harder to get to the gym, these are a couple of things that may help!
- Remove Invisible Barriers
For example, if you’re finding it hard to get to the gym after work because you go home to grab your gym gear, and then find yourself being pulled towards your couch instead, remove that barrier and pack gym clothes with you. This way, you are going straight to the gym from work, no distraction of the couch, tv or tasks to do at home.
- Switch Your Mindset
If you have more negative thoughts about going to the gym than positive ones, chances are, you’re not going to look forward to going, making it easier to skip on the days where you just aren’t feeling it. Instead of moaning and groaning and saying to yourself, “I HAVE to go to the gym today,” change your way of thinking to “I am ABLE to go to the gym today.” If you are well and are able to move your body, lift weights, run and jump, you should consider yourself pretty lucky. Not everyone has this luxury.
- Don’t Cherry Pick Workouts
This applies to the way we set up our workouts at Southwest Strength. We post our group workouts online the night before, so members can see the workout for the next day. This can also cause people to look at the workout, decided it’s something they dislike or something they don’t excel at, and they decide they’re going to skip it, rather than show up and do their best. This is a sure fire way to stunt your progress, which can then lead to losing motivation. All we can ask of our members is to show up, do their best and leave feeling good about bettering themselves!
- Pay Attention to How You Feel After Working Out
If you make a conscious effort to make note of how good you feel after you accomplish a tough workout, it will become an addicting feeling. On the flip side of it, also make note of how you feel if you intentionally skip a workout. You will probably feel like your dragging during the day, maybe a little grumpy, and probably a tad guilty if you know you could have made the time. You will notice on the days you workout you have more energy, you’re happier, and have a feeling of accomplishment for putting in the work.
- Get a Gym Buddy
You will look forward to going if you have a friend to keep you accountable! It’s also nice to be around people who you enjoy the company of. At Southwest Strength it’s an added bonus when you know you will have five other friends going to the same group class that will ask you where you’ve been if you’ve been slacking! And even if you’re friends lose motivation, and leave you going solo, guess who’s always going to show up to class…me! And a lot of you will know, that Nathan and I won’t hesitate to text you if we notice you haven’t been showing up!
- Track Your Progress
At Southwest Strength, there are so many other factors other than weight that we really want our members to focus on. We recommend writing down your workouts and your results to easily track progress. Always worrying about a scale can get very frustrating, and can be one of the biggest factors in why people lose motivation when they just aren’t seeing movement. But, if you’re tracking your workouts, you will notice that you have added 20lbs to your back squat, or now you’re able to do a strict pullup or jump on a box. These are huge accomplishments! Seeing what your body is capable of and seeing that you’re getting stronger is a huge motivator!
Reward Yourself!
For people who genuinely enjoy exercise, this enjoyment offers enough motivation in itself to actually go to the gym. For some people who feel like working out can be a chore, it can sometimes feel like you’re putting in a lot of effort and a reward is not always clear, so that can be tough to sometimes find motivation. A good way to combat this is rewarding yourself for consistently coming to the gym. Treat yourself every once in a while to dessert with supper, or get popcorn at the movies (in moderation of course). Something as simple as treating yourself to a new pair of runners or tights can also give you a reason to go test them out!
These tips are not the only things to keep people motivated, I could probably write two more pages on the subject. The trick is to find what really works for you as an individual! Exercise and movement is an essential part of your healthy lifestyle, so understanding what motivates you to hit the gym is your key to success!