Sometimes individuals get into a rut with exercise and become unmotivated. It happens to the best of us, but we need to learn how to work through these tough times. When your feeling down, and unmotivated you need something to bring you back so that you can reach your goals! How do we do that exactly? Well today we are going to read about all the different ways to stay motivated!
Set a goal or vision. Having a clear picture of your desired outcome (your destination) makes you much more likely to achieve it. Clearly specify how you will know when you’ve reached your goal. You might take a picture of yourself now and every four weeks, so you can see how you’re progressing.
Strategize. Develop a realistic action plan. Create a clear, logical and achievable action plan that includes frequency, intensity and duration of cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching. Include realistic short- and long-term goals. Start small and progress gradually to help you feel successful and avoid injury or burnout.
Build a social support network. Find a buddy with whom you can work out regularly. You can help and encourage each other, rely on each other for moral support and accountability, and share in your accomplishments. If you need additional help and accountability, you can hire a personal trainer in CT.
Believe in yourself. You can implement a strategy and achieve your vision. Self-efficacy, or confidence in your ability to succeed, can be built by self-affirmations or positive self-talk and by small fitness gains. Don’t expect perfection or compare yourself to others. Keep your focus on what makes exercise meaningful for you and what you ultimately want to gain from your exercise program.
Get minted. As far-fetched as it might seem, research in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology found that sniffing peppermint resulted in increased running speed, hand grip strength and number of push-ups performed in a test.
Psych yourself up. Listening to uplifting music before and during exercise can be beneficial.
Reward yourself. Treat yourself to something that is compatible with your health and fitness goals (e.g., not a piece of chocolate cake, but something else you enjoy, like a movie, flowers or new exercise clothing).
Believe in yourself. You can implement a strategy and achieve your vision. Self-efficacy, or confidence in your ability to succeed, can be built by self-affirmations or positive self-talk and by small fitness gains. Don’t expect perfection or compare yourself to others. Keep your focus on what makes exercise meaningful for you and what you ultimately want to gain from your exercise program.
Persist. Making good exercise and nutrition choices day after day can be challenging. If you have momentary setbacks, accept them and get back on track.
Record your progress. Keep a written record of your exercise (weights, sets, reps; distance walked, run, or biked; flights of stairs climbed; etc.) to provide information about progress that reinforces your exercise behavior.
As a top CT Trainer I always make sure to have fun! When you have fun while exercising you are more likely to stick with what you are doing. Use all these tools at your disposal so that you can stick to your fitness goals! Remember that achieving your vision of fit and healthy is hard than it seems, but with the right motivation achieving your own personal goals is simple.
