I was recently asked to address the whole 'staying motivated' thing. This is a toughie becuase I am not one to distract you with flashing lights, fun music, fad classes, etc.
Your motivation to workout and to stay healthy can't come from a please-distract-me-from-what-I-am-doing strategy....it should come from that base-line, honest level of I-am-doing-this-because-I-know-I-will-feel-better-after.
When you don't feel like working out, that inner voice has to speak and say, "feeling like working out isn't part of the game - do it anyway". Then you just do it because you know you will be happy you did after.
This can apply to doing an actual workout - or to sticking to your meal plan - or choosing NOT to eat that extra dessert/serving of healthy food/etc.
This can apply to doing an actual workout - or to sticking to your meal plan - or choosing NOT to eat that extra dessert/serving of healthy food/etc.
Now...with that said if you need motivation in the actual workout area -- I always use the cardio interval class or mountain class for when I am not really feeling the workout thing. These workouts begin easy -- so you can warm up gradually - and then they get tough. Usually if you give yourself an extended warm-up you will come around to the workout. OR if you can - take a class at the gym that you really like - like hip/hop or spin or body pump or yoga or whatever.
Regardless - your motivation has to be rooted in your belief that living a healthier, more balanced life will result in you being healthier and more balanced. Here is the scrub....you have to really want that. If you don't really want to be healthier and more balanced.....then we have a completely different issue.
Hang in there - being balanced takes work....and if you think about it, being unbalanced takes work too.
Regardless - your motivation has to be rooted in your belief that living a healthier, more balanced life will result in you being healthier and more balanced. Here is the scrub....you have to really want that. If you don't really want to be healthier and more balanced.....then we have a completely different issue.
Hang in there - being balanced takes work....and if you think about it, being unbalanced takes work too.
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2 comments:
These are all good suggestions to get back your motivation. I especially agree with the cardio-interval workout ... for me, the treading activity is a good one because you can do it yourself without an instructor. I also use music as my motivator. I learned while at FR to create my own workout play list for my iPod. I have about 75 - 100 songs ... all with the fast beat I like (probably too "old" for many younger people) My most motivating song is Bob Seger's "Fire Inside". It's 5 minutes with a great beat ... good for at least 1/2 mile on the treadmill.
I agree with you, Paige. I find that on days I'm feeling particularly unmotivated I do best to put myself on autopilot - the "just do it anyway" attitude that you talk about. I don't always feel like facing traffic on the drive to work, but I know I need to do it so I just do.
The other thing that snaps my brain back into place sometimes is to remind myself how hard I've worked to get to where I am. I'm not willing to un-do all of that effort, and it's like anything else (either positive or negative), one small step at a time gets you to the end result. So you decide - do I want to take a step backwards and AWAY from my goal, or do I want to get myself just that much closer?
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