Aug 20, 2009

Posted by Andy in Health & Fitness | 0 Comments

Staying motivated

Staying motivated

There are many parts to a good fitness regime – but one of the primary ones would have to be motivation. Without it, there’s just no desire to keep going. So how does one stay motivated?

When you’re starting out, it’s important to keep in mind that results take time. A fitness plan, be it jogging, cycling or bodybuilding (through free-weights and the like) won’t yield overnight results. In most cases, they won’t even yield overweek or overmonth results (new words? :P ). As such, you’ll need to keep the motivation levels high from the get-go… but how?

Firstly, take a photo of yourself. I know it might sounds stupid, but trust me – it helps. And heaps of bodybuilders regret not doing it at the start (thinking they won’t need it). If you’re going to be working on the legs, then take a photo of your legs. If it’s the upper body, then take a photo of that. If it’s all over then stand back, set the timer and take a photo. This is important because if you, like many others (myself included) see yourself in the mirror each morning / night after a shower, you won’t notice much of a difference because the changes on a daily basis will be minor. However, if you have an older photo to look back upon, you’ll often notice the bigger changes… especially the “filling in” stage of early bodybuilding. So again, Step 1 is that all important shirtless photo for your own records.

Once you’ve got the “before” photo handy, Step 2 is to work on a workout plan (and stick to it!). What time will you workout and what will you do? Will you be strict enough to adhere to it? Is it too much, or too little given your potential level of laziness?

Step 3 then, is to eliminate your excuses… “it’s too dark” or “too cold” are common winter excuses, but have you thought about the benefits? Morning exercise can do wonders for the rest of the day – particularly those first 2 or so hours when the endorphin levels are high. It’ll really wake you up and get you going for the day – both physically and mentally. If you’re still having issues, what about asking your boss if you can start earlier and finish earlier, so you have time in the afternoon? Or the other way around? What about joining a local gym & going at lunch? Or asking for a longer lunch break in return for starting earlier (or finishing later), so you can fit a good workout in?

Step 4 is to seek motivation from others – particularly if you’re the lazy type. Go jogging / riding / gymming with someone. If you workout at home, as I do, seek motivation from posters, photos or videos. YouTube, for example, is an excellent resource for motivational fitness videos… not to mention some great exercise tips, ideas and general motivational aids (much like I’m attempting to do with this post). Look at others that have achieved what you are setting out to achieve. Better still, look for before vs. after photos and videos – then you’ll really know what’s possible if you put your mind to it and stay motivated. BodyBuilding.com has some great transformations with before & after shots… hit this link and scroll down to get started. Not only is there exercise info, but these guys also list how they changed their diet and what they ate to get into shape.

Speaking of diet… Step 5 is, of course, to eat right. Remember that it often takes at least 20 minutes for your body to give your brain the “I’m full” signals. So if you eat your dinner quickly, don’t jump into dessert straight away. Wait 30 – 60 minutes and ask yourself – am I still hungry? Do I really need dessert? Remember – dessert should be an occasional treat. Most desserts are sweet and high in fats – particularly cakes, puddings and ice cream. They rarely provide any nutritional value so, again, do you really need dessert? If you’re looking to gain weight (like me), have a protein shake instead. Want to loose? Eat an apple or banana with a handful of nuts – try walnuts or cashews (unsalted – otherwise what’s the point?!).

And lastly, for Step 6, be sure to mix it up. Keep things interesting so you don’t get bored – new exercises, new toys to workout with (pushup bars, ab rollers, tricep ropes, different attachments for your gym machines, weighted arm / foot bands, benches at different settings), exercise variations, different orders, etc.

Useful links / resources:

Good luck… and remember: stay motivated by following others, working together, eating right, eliminating excuses, make a plan & mix it up!

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