We all know a consistent fitness routine has many benefits to our physical and emotional health. We all know that we should make daily exercise and healthy eating a part of our everyday life. But sometimes it is hard to get (and stay) motivated to consistently eat right and exercise daily. Here are five tips to keep you moving.
1. Try Something New
Sometimes it's hard to stay motivated when we are going to the same old gym, doing the same old routine and just plain getting bored. Well, guess what- your body is getting bored too! It is important to keep your body (and mind) guessing for the best results.
Been spending your days on the treadmill? Try the Stairmaster or rowing machine! For an even bigger challenge, run outside! The new scenery will stimulate your mind while the outside elements will challenge your body.
Been using every weight machine in your gym? Take a Zumba or yoga class! Your muscles will be shocked and challenged while you get to enjoy a new experience.
Try incorporating new equipment into your routine for new challenges. Use every piece of equipment your gym has to offer- free weights, stability balls, medicine balls, resistance bands, aerobic steps- to create variety in your routine.
Just by trying a new way to exercise, not only will your motivation pick up, but you will see quicker results as your body adjusts to new exercises.
2. Get a Trainer
Personal trainers are probably the most effective way to boost your motivation and ensure you get a solid work out. Trainers are great because they take care of planning the work out (no more wandering the gym wondering what to do) and motivating you every step of the way. Trainers also hold you accountable, which can be incredibly difficult to do on your own. It's harder to skip a workout when you know your trainer is waiting for you.
Trainers can be expensive, so if you don't feel like coughing up the bucks for one-on-one sessions, there are other options. Almost all gyms offer free group classes which is a great way to benefit from the direction and motivation of a trainer without the hefty cost. You can also mix and match the various class offerings to try out different trainers and new methods of exercise.
3. Think of That Vacation/Hot Date/Special Occasion
Let's face it- vanity is a powerful motivator. Sometimes, there is no stronger mental inspiration than envisioning your hot new bod in a bikini or slinky dress.
If you need a strong visual yardstick of your progress, take a "before" picture of yourself and take progressive pictures as your move toward your goal. A true visual of your transformation will not only motivate you to get started and keep going, but also to maintain your hard earned results!
When it feels like the results just aren't showing, use your imagination (or camera) to help you keep the end goal in mind.
4. Use Technology
We live in a technological world- use it to your advantage! There are some amazing apps out there designed specifically to help you reach your goals.
Hot 5- Hot5 is a favorite of mine. This fantastic little app has five minute work outs ready to go, ranging from easy to hard. There is a trainer on the screen doing the exercises with you while dance beats play to get you even more motivated.
The best part? The trainer is inspiring you the entire time with various motivational shout outs: "don't stop, your body's going to look AMAZING!", or "if you do these every day, your arms will be SO strong".
Argus- Like the uber-popular Fitbit, Argus will track your every move (as long as you carry your phone with you). This little guy will act as a pedometer, will report on your water or tea intake and help you set daily goals.
Information, like additional workouts, can be manually entered if needed. You can even enter meals by snapping pics to the app!
Argus is a fantastic motivator for you to measure your daily diet and activities to get the most benefit out of your everyday life.
Nike Training Club- This little beast packs a mean punch. The best way to go about it is to set up a program for yourself, which the app will build based on your goal and timeline. Then daily workouts are made complete with photo instructions and timing (i.e. 1 minute of squats).
NTC also has 15 minute work outs ready to go for any area you choose to focus on and many of the workouts are led by true athletes (Julia Mancuso, Maria Shrapova, and Shawn Johnson, to name a few).
The app also measures and tracks your progress so when you are struggling for motivation, you can look back and see how far you've come.
5. Set Specific Goals
Nothing feels better than accomplishing something you may have doubted that you could accomplish. And nothing feels more discouraging than feeling that you are endlessly working hard with no end in sight.
A great solution to stay motivated and boost confidence is to set manageable goals with realistic and short-term timelines.
For example, "I want to lose weight" is a generic goal with no timeline and no end in sight.
"I want to lose two pounds in two weeks" is a specific goal with a short timeline.
Shorter timelines allow you to set milestones and break up your overall goal of "I want to lose weight" into a manageable process with realistic goals. The high from hitting those milestones will boost your motivation and keep you inspired for accomplishing the next goal.
Now, get off the couch and hit the gym! You'll be glad you did.
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