Struggling to stick to your fitness routine? We'll give you some top tricks to keep on track.
Motivation is key to accomplishing fitness goals. We can all lack motivation at times, but during this hot and sticky weather you may be struggling with your fitness routine more than usual!
Getting out of this rut is quite simple and there are a few key points to help in the process. Below we list the most important!
Change Your Mindset
By changing what we associate to exercise we can change how we feel about it and in the process increase our motivation levels. Viewing exercise as an inconvenience or something that we "have" to do, will make it a chore. Exercise should be viewed as something you want to do. Look at the benefits and see exercising as something which is improving your life rather than being a necessary evil.
Exercising can empower you to lead a happier and more fulfilled life by improving overall health and energy levels and so you should be excited about it. Changing your focus can boost motivation levels and keep you on track through tougher times.
Mix It Up
There is nothing worse for motivation than a stale, mundane training routine. By mixing up your training programme you can keep focused for longer and possibly even reach your fitness goals more quickly.
Mix training styles such as HIIT, weight training, circuit training and group classes to keep your body on its toes and motivation levels high. This will also help to avoid plateaus as you body adapts to different training styles and intensities - meaning increases in overall fitness.
Listen To Something Uplifting
Listening to something uplifting or watching an inspirational video can often give us a quick lift and encourage us to get moving. Studies also show that listening to music while we train can increase endurance by up to 15% - so play some of your favourite tunes to get you in the zone, and keep you there!
There are plenty of short motivational videos out there to watch if you find yourself struggling to get started. Use them like you would a personal trainer - something to give you a lift when needed!
Keep Accountable
Accountability comes in many forms and can be used very much to your advantage. It may be a friend who picks you up on the way to the gym, or a team that you feel you can't let down. Either way it is a powerful tool to be used when it comes to staying committed.
Join a group or class where other people will keep you on track, and give you a much-needed push from time to time.
Immerse Yourself
Anyone with serious fitness goals should immerse themselves into it as a way of life. Anything which you focus on consistently will multiply, whether positive or negative. Focus on the benefits that you wish to achieve and the enjoyment that you get from exercising, and use this to your advantage. Set goals and work out a plan for their achievement. Study the best ways to do this and make it a part of your life. Do whatever it takes to build your knowledge. Read on the subject or watch videos. In doing this and really putting your focus into it the motivation will follow.
Set Realistic Goals
Setting goals is an important part of achieving fitness success. The problem with this occurs when we put too much pressure on ourselves by setting unrealistic targets. As we fall short of these goals, we lose focus and the motivation we had seems to dwindle. By setting smaller more achievable goals we are much more likely to stay committed and enjoy the journey along the way.
Set goals which will still stretch you but are within reach and reward yourself with small treats along the way. The feeling of achievement as you reach these milestones will encourage you to keep going. Keep the larger goals, but break them down into more manageable, smaller targets. Your fitness journey should be enjoyable so don't beat yourself up if you fail to hit them. Re-evaluate and go again!
Reward Yourself
As previously mentioned, the process of getting in shape needs to be an enjoyable one. Results aren't always obvious and so by rewarding yourself for hitting smaller and larger targets, we can keep ourselves focused and committed. These rewards can take the form of a relaxing break or a cheat meal, and are vital keeping the momentum going. Without them, it can sometimes feel as though we are putting in loads of effort for no return. Put a plan in place and reward genuine progress - don’t use it as an excuse to go off course!
As always feel free to leave any comments below!
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