Workout Basics: Staying Motivated

by TLS

When you begin a fitness program, you may find yourself looking forward to becoming active. As you continue to work out, you may begin to lose motivation, get bored or frustrated, especially if you think you are not seeing any results.
 
Exercise is a commitment you make every day. Some days you're more committed than others, so draw on your discipline “muscle” to get you going. If your discipline “muscle” is feeling a little weak. Read on…
 
Remember your goals:
Write them down and think back to when you set them. Even if the urgency isn’t the same, it may be enough to get you started. Have a friend or a coach e-mail or text you a workout reminder or tell someone about your goals so you’re held accountable. Set new goals. If your goals aren’t motivating right now, set a new goal to complete your workout that day. Making your goals smaller may help you reach them.
 
Journal:
It’s easy to not to notice your progress or even think you’re not making any progress. A workout journal is a great way to track your progress, stay focused on your goals, and to challenge yourself to push a little harder the next workout. For each session, record the date, duration, what you did and how you felt afterward.
 
Environment:
Your environment can have a big impact on how well you focus on your exercise routine. If you prefer being outside, schedule an exercise program around outdoor activities. If you get too distracted by other people in a gym, try investing in videos or exercise equipment and do your workout at home.
 
Mix it up:
It’s easy to lose motivation when you have been doing the same fitness workout routine day after day, week after week. That’s exactly the reason why so many people take breaks from working out and end up losing all motivation to get back into it again. Think of creative ways to get in a short, effective workout that will get the job done. If you have 10 or 15 minutes, try an intense interval workout. Warm up with a brisk walk and then alternate high intensity sprints or speed walking for 30 seconds with recovery walks for 30 seconds. Choose a few whole body exercises like pushups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks or cross-country shuffles and go through a circuit, doing each one for a minute.
 
No Excuses:
If you’re trying to lose weight, how important is this workout? Exercising burns calories, builds endurance, and improves strength. If you skip it, none of that will happen. Maybe missing one day won’t hurt, but remember, it’s the accumulation of your workouts that leads to success.
 
Identify the thoughts stopping you from exercise and work through each one logically.
 
"I’m too tired." After working all day, your mind is tired, but your body will feel better once it starts moving.
 
"I’m too hungry." Have some yogurt or a TLS® Shake. You’ll get an immediate infusion of energy to make it to the gym.
 
"I don’t feel like it." Don't wait until you feel like it, because that may not happen. Once you get started, you’ll be more excited about your workout.
 
"I have too much to do." You'll get more done if you put fitness first. Even a short workout is worth doing.
 
"I'll do it later." It’s harder to work out when life gets hectic. Get your workout in early to guarantee your success.
 
 
Remind yourself of the consequences:
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, think about the consequences of not working out:
 

• Not losing the weight or even gaining weight
• Feeling bad about yourself
• Possible health problems
• Lower quality of life
• Not being a good role model for your family
• Not being able to do all the things you enjoy

 
Your workout isn’t just important for burning calories; it can affect every part of your day, both physically and mentally. Remind yourself that getting in your workout will:
 

• Give you more energy
• Improve your confidence and self-satisfaction
• Start your day on the right foot
• Help you concentrate better
• Help you get more things done

 
Now that you're enthusiastic again, get moving! Set your goals, make it fun, don't be too hard on yourself and pat yourself on the back from time to time. 

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