Did you skip your morning alarm to work out this week?
Have you fallen off track with your eating over the weekend?
Are you lacking the motivation to stick to your current goals?
At some stage in your fitness journey, you may lack the motivation that was sparked at the beginning.
How do you get it back?
Where can you go from here?
Firstly, Motivation is what drives you to accomplish something important to you.
In regard to fitness, it is what inspires you to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You might associate motivation with stocking your kitchen with nutritious foods or the thrill of purchasing new workout clothes as you start working towards your goals.
However, the reality is you are not always going to be motivated. And that’s why my advice to you is to not rely on motivation. But to rely on building sustainable long-term habits. These habits will kick in as your motivation levels start to decline.
Doing something you enjoy
Staying motivated comes naturally when you are working towards a goal in a fitness activity you enjoy. Here at Squat Club, we have a variety of fitness outlets to choose from:
Strength training
HIIT
Boxing
Pilates & yoga
When you’re working towards something you genuinely enjoy this will build an ongoing habit, keeping you motivated in the long run.
Making small changes over time
As a coach I’ve seen plenty of people come into the gym with an all or nothing approach.
Highly motivated. Cutting out foods they enjoy. Training 6/7 days per week. Expecting fast results. Then wonder why they are no longer motivated after a couple of weeks.
This all or nothing approach is unrealistic to sustain. The motivation you had at the beginning soon fades and this is why it is easy to fall off track. Implement small gradual habits in your routine. Whether it be only fitting in two sessions a week to begin with or slowly implementing nutritious foods into your current ones.
Schedule it
Making your fitness goals a part of your weekly schedule is a great way to ensure you will achieve your current goals. So, when you have put time aside to go to the gym, it will eventually be a built-in habit that is set. A great way to do this would be picking a reasonable time to go to the gym that suits your schedule and continue with that time every week.
Go with friends or family
Sharing your workout routine with a friend or family member will assist you sticking to it. Including others in your healthy habits will keep you on track, whether or not they accompany you.
Gradual action will get you the results you seek. This action is building long term sustainable habits. Adjusting to a healthier lifestyle can be difficult, and you can experience ups and downs. While motivation can help you get into gear, it's how you stay motivated that matters the most.