Have you ever begun a fitness routine but then abandoned the program? If your answer is yes, do not throw in the towel just yet because you’re not alone. The majority of people who begin fitness routines, tend to discontinue them as results come very slowly and their motivation wanes. If you don’t want to join them, you’ll need to find some ways to keep your motivation sky high beyond the initial burst of optimism. To that end, here are 10 tips to keep yourself motivated to stay healthy.
Start Slowly
Many people discontinue their fitness routines because they try so hard at the start, and then decide that working out is unbearably painful, excruciating and impossible. If you’re running, for example, start by walking fast, and when the walk breaks into a jog, maintain that pace.
Remind Yourself of Your Goals
You started this program for a reason, and that reason probably has not changed. Make yourself a visual reminder of why you started, and put it somewhere you will see it every single day. Visual reminders are often far more effective than a written goal, as they provoke a more emotional response. It doesn’t matter what the reason is, as long as it is important to you. It could be a better body, more energy for playing with your kids, health reasons, whatever is important to you.
Is playing with your kids your ultimate health motivator? Image from http://thecanvasfactory.com.au/
Change your Thinking
Appreciate the fact that exercising is not just about shedding weight and transforming your physique. Working out is more than that. It improves your mental wellness, physical functioning and lowers your susceptibility to diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses and other conditions. The health benefits are even more important than the aesthetic ones, just ask your doctor!
Using increased health as a motivator can often be more effective than appearance based motivation – image courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/
Instant Satisfaction
If you’re feeling too lazy to workout, think about how gratified you will be immediately after exercising. Even a few minutes of exercise can lower your stress levels and enhance your mood. Spend some time whenever you exercise, fixing in your mind the positive feelings you have during and afterward, so you can recall that feeling when motivation is low.
Prioritize
Make your fitness and well-being a top-most priority; otherwise it will be hard to stick to your health program. You could be dissuaded from reaping the benefits of living active and healthy life if you don’t value your healthiness.
Overcome that Discouraging Inner Voice
When deciding to work out, an inner voice may pop up to tell you every sort of excuse why shouldn’t head to the gym. “It’s a chilly winter morning,†“There’s not any time left for exercise,†“I have a stomach ache,†“I’m afraid of the rainsâ€. Shun this debate in your head and go out. This deliberation wastes precious time in which you could have gone out, exercised and come back already.
Mix things up
If your exercise comprises of the same activity every day, every week, you will undoubtedly get bored. However, there are endless exercise options and you can mix things up by trying new sets of exercise every now and then. Being adventurous and always yearning for the next exercise will keep you motivated to do a lot more. If you’re sick of running, go indoor rock climbing!
Indoor rock climbing is a safe and fun exercise option – Image from http://www.meetup.com
Set goals
Your health and fitness program should have SMART goals so that you can center on a clear objective that you want to achieve. Reducing weight is vague and can be discouraging if results are not coming up fast. However, jogging Thursday and Friday for 30 minutes when I wake up in the morning before eating anything is clear and achievable.
Invest in a new training kit
Putting on a stylish kit can be very inspiring, compared to wearing the scruffy timeworn T-shirt you don’t like. You will be motivated seeing yourself in the gym mirrors with a flattering training kit.
Make it fun
Working out shouldn’t be boring, and you will most likely adhere to your health program if it’s fun. Start by making a good playlist with uplifting songs.
Ignore what they’re saying
If for example they’re saying you’re not a runner,’ pay no attention to that. Get your trainers on and keep going.
Brought to you by our friends at thecanvasfactory.com.au.
