A lot of folks are stuck in the following scenario.
If you will, play along.
- For months you have been wanting to finally push yourself enough to get in the gym and find a diet that works for you.
- You finally learned the importance of hitting your macros and your diet is on point. (Learn what macros are HERE)
- You also put together a solid workout program and you’re on the right track.
- You’re finally a month in but results are coming in slow.
- You skip a few workouts to grab drinks with friends.
- You start losing interest in exercise and your nutrition is going down hill.
Now what do you do?
If you’ve been invovled in fitness for any amount of time, I am sure you’ve had simliar feelings or have been through a simliar scenario. The gym simply isn’t so exciting to you anymore and you wonder how you can build up the fire and motivation to want to be there.
How do you stay dedicated?
Sometimes gym motivation can be hard to find, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay hidden forever.
I personally stay motivated by using the following steps.
Write Down Your Goals
The first tip I offer you is to write down your goals. You can write your goals in the notes on your phone, or, what I reccommend, is to write your goals down on paper.
By writing your goals down on paper, it shows you’re serious about your goal. It’s simple to type something on your phone or on your computer. But, actually taking the time and effort to hand write your goals in a journal, that’s something real.
Set goals that you want to achieve this week, this month, or even this year. After you complete them, check them off.
For example, a solid goal could be, “This week I am going to go to the gym and lift weights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday I will run a mile each day.
Did you see what I did there? Not only did I write down my goals for this week, but I get to enjoy the accomplishment of checking off each goal as I complete it. It’s almost as if you are creating a competition within yourself.
Another goal you could set is to bench press 170 pounds in 3 months from today. Or, to lose 10 pounds in the next month.
By setting goals, writing them down, and accomplishing them, you are sparking a fire within yourself to be the best you that you can be.
Stay Accountable To Those Goals
In order to hold yourself accountable to the goals you set, you can try a variety of ideas.
- Set an alert on your phone to appear every morning around the time you wake up. In this alert, I want you to write 1-4 sentences on why you began your fitness journey in the first place.
- Why did you want to start?
- Personally, I began my journey because I came upon a quote that took my breath away. It stuck in my head and I knew there was no choice but to be different.
- “Your body is your vehicle through life, you can’t buy a new one.”
- Why did you want to start?
- If you must miss a gym session or have a rough day of eating, hold yourself resonsible with a positive punishment. By this I mean, make the off day up by lifting on Saturday instead of watching your favorite show. And if you have a very unhealthy meal, make sure your next one is nothing but clean.
- Send your two best friends weekly pictures of your physique. This one might seem a little strange. Make sure they are two of your best friends that you trust. By sending them physique updates, you will hold yourself accountable to your eating and your gym ethics because they will help support your cause. They will help you hold yourself accountable.
Track Progress
There are a variety of ways to track your fitness progress. By tracking your progress, you can self motivate yourself as to see the numbers you wish to be seeing.
- By using a measuring tape, track your waist size, bicep size, chest size, etc. Write your measurements down in your goals journal and update it weekly. This is a huge motivator because as you begin to see the numbers you’ve been hoping for, you will only add fuel to your fire.
- Similarly, weigh yourself. Once or twice a week (for me, every Friday and Monday) I want you to weigh yourself when you wake up on an empty stomach. Track your weight in your journal as well and see how your progress changes.
- **WARNING** the number on the scale doesn’t always reflect truth as your weight can experience a lot of variations.
- Keep a weight lifting log on your phone or in a journal. Write down each of your lifts, the amount of reps, sets, and how heavy. It is an incredible feeling to challenge yourself every single week and watch your progress grow. I find it to be an incredible motivatior to compare my week one progress, to the progress of wherever I am this week.
Join A Fitness Community
Join a fitness community on Facebook or some type of social media page.
In a fitness community you can meet other people that have similar goals to yourself. Together, you can self motivate one another and help eachother reach your goals. Also, people will more than likely share different tips and workout plans that you could find beneifical!
By being active in a fitness community you can find the motivation from within and from others you connect with to help you move forward.
Do It For Yourself
One of the most important motivators should be to do it for yourself. Like I said, you have one body and you need to take care of it. Do you want to resemble a mini van, or a sports car?
Get to the gym every week, hit your workouts, hit your macros and watch yourself grow both physically and mentally.
Find the fuel that is your motivation and watch it burn bright.
What motivates you to stay healthy? Comment your thoughts below!
Russell
Founder of myshakercup.com