Monday, 18 June 2012

Ways to Stay Motivated...

 
I hope you enjoyed that 3+ minutes of elegance.  Maybe the best way to stay motivated to exercise is to become a ballet dancer. There's something about having every inch of your body captured on film (like the above), then having that image reproduced for all the world to see, that makes working out more of a necessity rather than a luxury. Getting a paycheck based on maintaining a certain shape or size helps too.
Since most of us don't have the kind of job that motivates us in quite the same way (thank God!), we have to work a little harder to keep the momentum flowing. The hard truth is, motivation isn't something you wait for and it isn't something that just happens when the time is right. It's something you have to work to find, not just today, but every day.
Sound depressing?  .... What about you? What keeps you going day after day? Do you find that what motivates you one day doesn't always work the next? Leave a comment and tell us your ideas for how to stay motivated to exercise.
Here’s some ideas to help make the process easier:
Re-Visit Your Past
Think back to previous attempts at losing weight or exercising. What made you quit before and are you on the same path now? If so, you may be stuck in a pattern you haven't noticed before. Break it by figuring out what went wrong before.

Make your own list and then figure out how to get around these issues. If the diet is too strict, make smaller changes you can live with every day. If you're busy, try shorter workouts. Change what you're doing until it works.

Get Real
Most people fail at their fitness goals because they're waiting for something spectacular to happen. Losing weight isn't always a spectacular process...in fact, it isn't even a linear process sometimes. What you may find is that you lose a little, gain a little and repeat the process again and again.

There are no shortcuts to weight loss so even if you're frustrated that your body hasn't changed, don't give up. If you're burning more calories than you eat, your body is changing, even if it's slower than you'd like. Make sure your goals are realistic and, most importantly, that you give your body the time it needs to respond to what you're doing. It can be weeks, often months before changes start to show.

Get Pumped
We all get a spurt of motivation when deciding to lose weight and that energy carries us through the first few weeks of a workout and diet plan. However, it's normal to lose some of that energy after a month or two and wonder if you should just give up. Before you do, try these tips:

·         Revisit your goals - Do they still mean something to you?
·         Think about how far you've come - Don't just look at how much weight you've lost, but other ways your life has improved. Are you stronger or faster? Do you feel better about yourself? Could you use those feelings to keep going now?
·         Change things up - Variety can infuse more energy into your workouts. Try changing your workout schedule or trying something new to stay interested in exercise.

Reward Yourself
It's surprisingly easy to get excited about exercise and it's called massage. There's nothing that feels better than finishing up a week's worth of workouts followed by a relaxing massage. Schedule one once a month if you can or, if massages aren't your thing, try some other ideas:

·         Buying new workout gear
·         A weekend getaway
·         A night chilling out with your favorite TV show
·         A new book or song you've been wanting
·         An MP3 player for your workouts
·         A new computer game you can only play after exercise
Exhaust Every Avenue
Before you quit, try everything you can to stay on track. Instead of drifting away from exercise without acknowledging it, give yourself a minimum amount of exercise to get in each week. When you dip below that (or stop altogether), promise yourself you'll try other things before you quit altogether:

·         Hire a personal trainer or work with one online
·         Find a workout buddy
·         Join a fitness group or gym
·         Try a new way of exercising - a video, a class, a sport, etc.
Sometimes you just need something new and fun to keep you going.

Stop Waiting for a Miracle
Some people think if they exercise long enough, they'll wake up one day and suddenly love exercising and eating healthy. While it does get easier, you'll always have to find ways to motivate yourself for your workouts. If you're waiting for a shining moment of excitement, you might be waiting for a long time. Instead, you can make it happen!
Lose the Excuses
Every day is different. What motivated you yesterday may not work today, so sift through what inspires you to find that one thing that will get you out the door. It may be pants you want to fit into or competing with your friend (he's working out--you don't want to fall behind, do you?).  Before you skip your workout, try these ideas to get moving:
·         I'll feel good about myself if I finish my workout
·         I'll just warm up and, if I want to stop, I can
·         I'm going to dinner tonight, so I know I need this workout to balance my calories
·         This workout will give me more energy for the rest of my day
·         If I finish this workout, I can spend some time reading, watching TV or playing around on the computer
Open Your Mind
Being bored is the perfect time to try something new. You'll be more willing to try things you may have dismissed because they didn't fit within your definition of exercise. It could be belly-dancing, a latin dance class or that spinning class at the gym. Or try something more mind/body like Pilates or Yoga.
If what you're doing isn't working, it's time to find something that will. Sometimes even just a new piece of equipment or a workout is enough to get you moving again ....or maybe you will become a ballet dancer!
 
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