Does this sound familiar: I used to get into the gym all the time but I've just got so much on at the moment, I can't find the time.
Or, I want to lose weight but I don't know where to start? These are two things I hear on a daily basis.
People start a heath and fitness program with high hopes and great intentions.
Three months later they have given up, because they are not getting the results they were after.
The unfortunate thing is nine times out of ten this is not due to a lack of motivation or effort, but a lack of planning and encouragement.
The top five ways to stay motivated: 1.
Set a clear goal 2.
Make a plan 3.
Give yourself a break 4.
Keep focused 5.
Get into a routine 1.
Set a clear goal Setting a clear goal includes writing down exactly what you want to achieve.
For instance, you would like to loose weight.
How much weight and by when? The "when" is very important, because it gives you a sense of urgency.
Why is urgency important? The I'll do it tomorrow principle.
You all know this from high school.
You had an assignment that needed to be done and you said I'll do it tomorrow.
And when did you do it? The very last night! 2.
Make a plan Setting a goal is great, but without a plan you run the risk of becoming a binge exerciser.
What is a binge exerciser? They start off with lot of enthusiasm and a great goal.
They hit the gym six times a week for the first two weeks and then one of two things happen.
They either get really frustrated because they have seen little or no results for their hard work, or, even worse, put on weight.
Secondly, they get an injury, or are too tired to train; so they take a week off; then feel bad about the lost time.
When they come back they train hard and go through the whole merry-go-round again.
Does this sound like someone you know? Make a plan with clear road signs along the way.
These gauge your progress and show you that you really are getting somewhere, even if you cannot see it yet.
3.
Give yourself a break Do you remember learning to ride a bike? What happened the first time you tried to ride with no help? You fell off.
Now, if you had gone inside and said I am never trying that again, you would have missed many fun adventures as a kid.
But you did not give up and go inside did you? You brushed yourself off and tried again.
Exercise and diet is exactly the same.
If you have had a big night on of drinking, or have missed a couple of training sessions, do not give up and say Forget it, it's too hard.
Give yourself a break; dust yourself off; and, give it another go.
Find a positive way to counter act your guilty feelings.
For example, do an extra training session or find a fun athletic thing to do on the weekend like beach volleyball, or walking up Mount Lofty.
The important thing here is, instead of feeling bad about your decisions, feel good about them.
Enjoy your mistakes - this is how we learn - and work even harder towards your goals.
You will find you feel better about yourself and you will get far better results.
4.
Keep focused Keeping focused is the most important part of staying motivated.
Time is moving faster and faster these days.
Two weeks is very short in our busy lifestyles and yet two weeks seems like a life time on an exercise program.
Why is that? Well this is mainly because we don't see the improvement which has occurred.
We look at our tummy or our arms and see no real improvement.
However, the improvement that should be measured are things like: • Getting into a routine (coming 2 to 5 times a week).
• Eating better food • Drinking more water These are real improvements and will set you up for success latter on.
5.
Get into a routine Research has shown that it takes 21 days to form a habit.
Habits are an essential part of our life; without them we would fail in most things we try to accomplish.
This includes your exercise routine.
The people that get the best results in the gym are the ones that come day in day out at the same time.
This instills a habit.