10 Ways to Stay Motivated
Friends and family repeatedly ask me how I stay motivated to reach my health goals.
I will be honest—it isn’t always easy. I have been working out consistently and eating clean (about 80% of the time) for over eight years; yet there are days when I get home from work and feel like I just can’t. I want to sit on the couch with a bag of tortilla chips and watch TV. Yes, I have those days—everyone does. But it’s those days when it’s even more important to focus on you and your fitness. Here are 10 ways I stay motivated—even when I really don’t wanna.
1. Plan My Workouts
I plan my workouts in advance. I know exactly what workout I am going to do, at what time, for an entire month. I write all my workouts on a whiteboard and then mark them off as I complete them. I love drawing the “X” over the workout! This time is MY time and it is non-negotiable. I would never cancel a meeting with a colleague last minute, so why would I cancel on myself? BeyondFit Mom, Kate understands the power of planned workouts—that’s why she creates a new workout calendar for BeyondFit Life members every single month.
2. Post Your Goals
If you’re a member of the BeyondFit Life Club, you already know the power of posting your goals to the private BeyondFit Life Club Member Facebook page. Once you put your goals out there (Instagram photos, Facebook posts, conversation with your friends and family), you know people are watching your progress. And hey, don’t just post your goals—post your successes too. Think about all those times you didn’t want to work out or eat right, but then a BeyondFit Sister posted her “Sweaty Selfie” or you saw a quote that made you get your butt moving—you might be doing the same thing for someone else.
3. Download a Playlist
This isn’t your workout playlist—this is your motivational playlist. Think of all those songs you hear on the radio that make you dance in your seat. You know the ones that make you think going to the “club” could be fun (until you remember you have kids who like to wake up early). Download about 10 songs that really get you pumped up and play them when you feel tired or stressed. After listening to about three songs from my motivational playlist, I am ready to hit the gym.
4. Workout for Five Minutes
If you put your playlist on, and you still feel frumpy and unmotivated, make yourself workout for just five minutes. Get warmed up; jump around; get your blood pumping. If after five minutes, you still can’t get going, cut yourself a break and make today your rest day. There are some days that no matter what I do, my body just keeps telling me, “NO!” And that’s okay.
5. Put Your Workout Clothes On
As soon as I get home from work, I put my gym clothes on. It is harder for me to make up an excuse or put off the gym when I’m already dressed to work out. If you work out in the morning, set your clothes out the night before so that you have one less thing standing in your way. Sometimes, I even sleep in my workout clothes—don’t judge!
6. Get a Workout Buddy or Accountability Partner
I actually have two workout buddies—just in case one of them is busy or has to bail on me. Any time I start to think, “I really don’t want to work out,” I know that one of my buddies is counting on me to show up and hold them accountable too. I don’t know what it is, but for some reason most of us have a harder time letting others down than we do letting ourselves down. So, ask a friend, family member, or BeyondFit Sister to hold you accountable. Check in daily, hourly, or however often you need to make sure you are sticking to your fitness goals.
7. Get Off the Scale
Yes! You read that right. Stop weighing yourself on that no-good scale. I know for a fact that if you step on a scale and it shows a number larger than you were expecting, you become so upset and frustrated that you don’t even want to think about working out. I know because that has happened to me. The number on the scale should not be the be all, end-all for your fitness goals. For a more accurate idea of how you are progressing, log your measurements and take before and after photos. Be proud of your body, your muscles, your curves—not the number on the scale.
8. Meal Prep
It is so much easier for me to stay committed to my fitness goals when I meal prep. Every single Sunday morning, my husband and I make a menu for the week. We usually end up making three to four meals and then rotating those meals for lunches and dinners. There is no standing in front of the fridge wondering, “What’s for dinner?” For those who can’t stand leftovers, try to plan your weekly menu and get all the ingredients so that there is nothing standing in the way of your healthy, nutritious dinner.
9. Set Bite-Size Goals
Instead of saying, “I want to lose 50lbs,” say, “I want to lose 5lbs.” Then, once you hit that goal, set your next 5lb goal. Too often our goal is so large that it is hard to really believe it will ever happen. Bite-size goals will keep you motivated and moving closer to your ultimate fitness goals.
10. Do What You Love
When it comes to working out, you have to do what you love—or honestly you won’t do it. I have a friend who runs in numerous races a year—but she hates running. She complains about training for her runs and sometimes, she even talks herself out of running because she loathes it so much. The crazier thing is that she really enjoys working out—she loves lifting, swimming, and biking. If she would just do the workouts she enjoys, she would stay motivated and committed to her fitness goals. Remember that any workout is better than no workout, so get in the gym, hit the trails, jump in the pool, do what you love!
Hope this helps you to stay motivated!
For fat burning workouts, fat loss friendly recipes, and an awesome support system of motivated women check out the BeyondFit Life Club!