It can be hard to stay motivated once that initial enthusiasm of making a healthy change wears off. Here are 10 ways to help keep you motivated so you can achieve those much desired fitness results you’ve had for a while now.
1. Set a target each week: This should not be losing weight you should set a positive target each week to reach. This can be lifting heavier weights or running longer or faster than before. Seeing positive changes in your fitness is very important to stay motivated.
2. Make exercise a habit: Just like work and family make exercise a priority at the same time each week. Schedule your workouts and stick to them religiously. You wouldn’t just skip work if something else came up so don’t skip your workouts for something trivial. No excuses!
3. Have fun with your exercise: pick something you enjoy: Hill walking, cycling, swimming etc… Whatever it is make sure look forward to it because is your don’t like it trust me you won’t do it.
4. Get friends and family encircled: Ask your best friend and closest family to get involved with your exercise. Nothing keeps you motivated better than having a friend to get through your workouts with. You can push each other thought those tough mental barriers.
5. Challenge yourself: Make sure you are challenging yourself, of you’re just going through the motions not pushing yourself you will get bored quickly. Really push yourself each time you exercise.
6. Plan and prep your food each week: Plan your healthy breakfast, lunches and dinners each week on your day off. Make sure you have all the healthy food you need for the week and cook what needs to be cooked. Keeping motivated to eat healthy is 100% preparation.
7. Treat yourself once per week for all your hard work: Treat yourself once a week with any meal of your choice or a couple of drinks with friends but limit yourself and don’t over indulge. Know when to stop. You will really look forward to this each week knowing you’ve earned your treat.
8. Change up your training every few weeks: Try something new with your exercise every few weeks. The body adjust very quickly and you want to keep challenging yourself each week.
9. For fat loss buy a piece of clothing of the size you want to be: Try this on once a week keeping in mind you are getting closer and closer to your goal week by week.
10. Concentrate on how far you’ve come from day 1: compare your strength and fitness from the previous month every 4 weeks. You will be amazed how strong and fit you are each time in comparison to previous month. Every so often compare your monthly results from day 1 and you will be shocked in the best way possible.
Results in fitness come from consistency week by week. There is no magic pill and short cuts but being prepared and concentrating on the positives will guarantee you always stay motivated.