You’ve joined a gym and you’re all set to drop that 20 pounds you’ve promised yourself you’d lose for years. Your motivation is high and you know you can do it!
That is fantastic news, but it’s time to temper your enthusiasm with a bit of reality. The fact is your motivation is very high right now and that’s a good thing. Your motivation, however, may not last forever. When you’re 10 pounds in and that last ten pounds won’t seem to go away, you need a plan in place to keep yourself going.
So, how can you bolster your motivation and make sure it stays on course? There are a few fairly simple tricks that can help you retain your desire to achieve even when the going gets tough. Try these things to help yourself stay on track:
Don’t work out alone – When you work out alone, it’s all too easy to quit in the last 10 minutes. It’s also a whole lot easier to skip a day here and there. You need a way to hold yourself accountable to overcome those dips in motivation that are very likely to occur. Instead of going it alone, workout with a friend. Hire a trainer to keep you accountable. Join a Boot Camp class. Just do something that involves another human being that can help hold your feet to the fire if and when the urge to quit strikes.
Keep a journal – The journey to changing your lifestyle can be long and arduous. It is often fraught with ups and downs, too. Write down everything that happens in a journal. Record your successes and complain about your struggles in writing. Releasing your doubts can help you gain focus and help you to remember why you started this process to begin with. Recording your successes can give you the strength to draw on when you need it the most.
Set goals – Saying you want to lose 100 pounds is great, but it’s a pretty big number to shoot for. While it’s a great idea to have an end goal, try setting smaller ones along the way. Use milestone goals to help keep yourself going. Give yourself rewards when you attain these milestones, too. Little things like a massage or a day at the salon for losing five or 10 pounds can motivate you to keep reaching for loftier goals.
Changing your lifestyle is a journey that calls for motivation. Keep yours high by enlisting some help. Our coaches and personal trainers can help you get on track and stay that way.
About the Author
Ginny Grupp is a co-author of the #1 Best-Selling Book, 3 Steps to Your Best Body in Record Time. She has also been featured on radio (KSKA’s Line One: Your Health Connection), television (ABC News with Mike Ford and Natasha Sweatte) and the internet (KTUU’s Alaska’s Health Connection). She is an expert in the art of body and lifestyle transformation who has helped hundreds of local Alaska residents achieve the body and lifestyle they have always wanted. She is the owner of AlaskaFit, LLC, Anchorage’s only Results Guaranteed fitness and nutrition business.
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