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Did you make a training goal this year? Sign up for a race? Have you already lost your motivation? If so, I am here to help. Don’t despair! Here are 10 tips to get your MOJO back and ACHIEVE your goals.
Money is the ultimate motivator.
The best way to sustain motivation is immediate gratification. Put a dollar in a jar every time you workout for more than 30 minutes. Use the money at the end of the month to reward yourself with a night on the town, massage, or spa treatment.
Enlist the help of a personal trainer or run coach.
Not only will they be able to show you the best exercises for you but they also will teach you the proper technique to avoid injury and hold you accountable for your goals.
Choose a workout you enjoy.
Exercise has a wonderful ability to flood your body and brain with “happy” endorphins but you will counteract this benefit if you are dreading every step. Choose a workout you enjoy. There are so many ways to exercise. If you don’t like running take a cycling class or kickboxing class. If you like to be solo jump on the elliptical machine or stairclimber. The more enjoyable it is, the more likely you’ll be to stick with it.
Set realistic goals and write them down.
Don’t just say “I resolve to lose 20 lbs” or “I will go to the gym more often”. Make your goals specific. Write down a series of smaller goals leading up to the “big one”. Set a time table to accomplish them (i.e. “I will go to the gym 3 days a week to do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise”). Writing your goals down lets you monitor your improvements and is a good review when your motivation is waning.
Make an appointment to meet up with a friend or neighbor to exercise.
If you have someone relying on you to go to the gym or go for a run you’ll be less likely to cancel. Also, if you like to bike, run, or swim, join a club. The social component makes it fun and the group will provide accountability. Similarly, sign up for a class, if you paid you might as well get your money’s worth and your classmates will notice when you’re gone.
There are so many tools to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Heart rate monitors, pedometers, calorie trackers etc. make exercise more exciting because you can see the results of your efforts. For example, make a goal of 10,000+ steps a day and your pedometer will tell you if you have been negligent
You have to allow your muscles to rest and rebuild.
Exercising hard everyday is just as detrimental as not exercising at all. One of the biggest reasons people stop exercising is because they go out too fast and push too hard and get injured. Listen to your body and if you are having an off-day, take it easy and rest.
Make a workout playlist with your favorite upbeat songs.
Studies have found that men and women who do their workouts to music, workout longer and at a higher intensity than those who workout in silence. Music helps the person working out not to concentrate on the discomforts of the exercises, thus allowing them to exert more or try new things in the working out process.
Cross-training is the key to staying injury-free and keeping your body continuously challenged.
If you don’t change your workouts your body only trains one set of muscles, your muscles will adapt to the monotony and you will stop seeing results. To avoid a fitness plateau make sure you incorporate different strength training, cardiovascular, balance, and flexibility exercises into your workout.
All your hard work will go to waste if you eat all the calories you just worked so hard to burn off. It’s a simple equation, in order to lose weight, calories in have to be less than calories out. Try to eat mini-meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism going strong. Don’t deprive yourself of your favorite foods just think moderation. So, instead of having your own super-sized French fry, have a few from your child’s Happy Meal.
Now …..GET GOING!
Meghan is a USA Track & Field coach and a RRCA (Road Runners of America) certified distance coach. She is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a level 3 USA Cycling Coach. She has over 12 years of experience teaching spin classes, weight-lifting, and group exercise. Meghan is also an experienced runner, ultrarunner, and triathlete competing, winning, and placing in 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, marathons, ultra distances, and triathlons. She also holds multiple state Powerlifting records. Learn more about Meghan www.trainwithmeghan.com
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