Lost Your Motivation? Here’s How To Get Back On Track With Fitness This Spring
*Collaborative post
At the beginning of a new year, many of us have all good intentions when it comes to getting fit and healthy. It is probably the most common new year resolution, but within a week or two, it is all but a distant memory. We start off by hitting the gym and hammering the treadmill, watching OriGym’s list of gym motivation videos and following healthy eating plans, but when the weather is cold and grim, the lure of Netflix, comfort food and our duvet are often too much. It is not usually our bodies that let us down, but our mental state. We convince ourselves week after week that we will start again on Monday, but when it comes around, we make excuse after excuse. It is too cold. It’s too wet. We haven’t got time. We haven’t got the right trainers or gym leggings. They are all excuses that mask the fact that quite simply, we have lost all motivation. If you are struggling to stay motivated when it comes to your fitness routine, here are a few handy tips to get you back on track and fighting fit before the summer.
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Remember why you want to lose weight.
If we have a good reason for doing something, we are much more likely to make an effort to stick to it. Think about why you want to get fit and lose weight. Are you worried about your health, or dislike the way that you look? Are you hoping to be more confident and be a good role model for your children? Do you want to be able to chase your kids around the park or garden without getting out of breath? Whatever your reasons for wanting to get fit, write them down and put them on the fridge. When you are struggling to find your mojo, take a look at that list. It might just give you the motivation that you need to get back to it!
Stop telling yourself that you don’t have time.
This is the most common excuse for falling off the fitness bandwagon, but it simply is not true. Sure, you might not have time to do a full session in the gym, but while you are waiting for the kettle to boil for your afternoon coffee, you can do a few star jumps in the kitchen, or get off the bus one stop earlier. Stop fast forwarding through commercial breaks on the TV – you can do a surprising amount of sit ups or squats in those two or three minutes! Any tiny pocket of time can be used for exercise, and even the smallest amount will help.
Set yourself goals
Linked closely to the point above, but it is essential to set yourself goals and give yourself a target to work towards. Spontaneous might be a good thing in many areas of your life, but when it comes to getting fit, having a solid plan in place is the best strategy. Consider how you are going to do it – are you going to join a gym, follow a workout DVD or going for daily runs? Have a look online for inspiration but don’t be fooled by anything that promises a quick fix. Getting fit is a marathon, not a sprint. Once you have got a routine up and running, stick to it and work towards goals and objectives. Make sure your goals are SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.
Reset the boundaries
We often, rightly, use rewards in order to motivate ourselves – a cappuccino after that gym session, a long soak in the bath after that run. However, why not reset your boundaries and include that as part of your fitness session rather than as a reward afterward?
Have fun
If you do not enjoy what you are doing, you will not stick to it. Eating boring plain salads and jogging for miles every day might be your idea of hell, but a plate of chicken and colorful roasted vegetables and an aquaerobics class with your best mate might be something you love. Try various activities and recipes, and have a buddy to keep you accountable and motivated
For many people, it is their mental state that prevents them from getting fit. Hopefully, these tips will help you to stick to your new year’s resolutions this year and not fall off the wagon.
