Monday, August 31, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
BOOST YOUR MOTIVATION
10 DOS AND DON’TS TO INCREASE YOUR FITNESS MOTIVATION
Working out is good for you. But my bed… just so comfortable. Being FIT sounds great. But sitting on the couch eating pizza also makes me happy. If you’re having trouble with getting or staying motivated, here are a couple of dos and don’ts to help you get a proper motivation boost.
DO Think about how good you’ll feel after a workout
After a workout, I always feel energized, content and freed of stress. Thinking about that feeling can give you an amazing motivation boost, too.
DON’T Stick to the same routine
If you’re doing the same workouts week in, week out, it can be hard to stay motivated. So instead of going down the line of machines, or doing the same routine you’ve been doing for the 3 months, mix it up! Wear a funny hat, dance while resting between sets. And if that’s not your style, even something as simple as changing the order of exercises can make a workout feel different.
DON’T Think about your looks
A lot of people motivate themselves based on their appearance. But a focus on body parts you’re not satisfied with might actually have an adverse effect on motivation. You might get discouraged because you don’t see change quickly enough. So instead of thinking about your looks, think about your health and your happiness. Thinking about looks comes afterwards. When you’re ‘miring yourself in the mirror, or standing by yourself in a bar flexing your muscles at random strangers.
DO Put on your workout clothes
If you feel particularly unmotivated, try putting on your workout clothes to put you in a different mind-set. You already changed into an outfit, you might as well give working out a go. If that still doesn’t cut it, go outside in your workout clothes and walk around for a bit. That might make you feel silly enough to change course and head for a workout anyway.
DON’T Use excuses
“My favourite show’s on!” Watch it later. This is why we have the Internet.
“I’m too tired!” Go back to the top and read the first tip. Now.
“My parents are in town!” They can wait for half an hour longer. Or better yet, invite them along on your workout.
DO At least try to do your warm-up routine
This is my go-to tactic for when I don’t feel motivated: I force myself to at least do a short warm-up like a push-up circuit or a couple of minutes with a jump rope. Anything to get the blood flowing, really. Most of the times I’ll just keep going and before I know it, it’s an hour later. Great stuff.
DO Reward yourself
If you are not in the habit of exercising regularly, you can easily turn it into a habit by employing a simple Cue-Routine-Reward loop. The cue is a trigger. This can be something like driving to workout immediately after work. The trigger leads to the routine, which is your workout. The final part is the reward, which could be something as simple as an episode of your favourite TV series when you get home. Don’t go overboard, though.
DON’T Listen to people who doubt you
There might be that one friend or colleague who reacts to your new fitness resolutions with a resounding “Yeah right! You’ll never keep it up.” Or the guy next to you in the gym who’s snickering because you’re holding the bar wrong or because you’re not “supposed” to do shoulder presses while balancing your chair on an exercise ball. Don’t listen to those guys. Well, except if that’s actually how you do shoulder presses. We care about your safety here, you know. But if that’s not the case: don’t listen to those guys. Turn them into motivation instead: show them wrong.
There you go, now go forth and exercise!
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Thursday, September 11, 2014
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