Motivation to workout can fade over time. Many people will start a new program for working out or cardio and stick to it for a short while and eventually lose interest. In fact, 50 percent of people who begin new fitness programs quit within three to six months.
Follow these motivational tips and keep your butt in shape. This column is one of a two-part series on motivation since the topic has plenty of information and because of numerous requests I have received to write about motivation.
Try and find an activity you enjoy and you are capable of doing. For example, if you hate running don’t try a running program. Although you may know the running program is a good cardio activity for burning calories, pick something you like, such as biking. You will be a lot more likely to keep up the enjoyable activity.
Set goals for yourself of what you want to accomplish, but be specific. Setting precise goals will clarify what you are trying to achieve and give you an exact point to work towards. Don’t just set your goal as wanting to lose weight or gain muscle. State you want to lose five pounds or bench-press 300 pounds by a certain date.
The best way to keep yourself motivated towards these large goals is to set smaller, short-term goals such as losing a pound every three weeks until you reach your goal of five pounds. This is the “divide and conquer” approach towards achieving your ultimate goal. As you complete each small goal, it will help you stay motivated to reach and finish the next mini goal.
Make your goals attainable. For example, if you are presently squatting 250 pounds, don’t set as your goal to squat 500 pounds by the end of the spring semester. Although this is not impossible, it is certainly improbable. If you set your goals too high at first you may get frustrated when you don’t reach it. However, make your goals challenging and don’t set them too low. The satisfaction you obtain from completing a challenging goal will be enough motivation in itself. Although you may have to go from one small goal to another, ultimately reach for the stars and believe if you put enough time and hard work in, you can achieve anything.
Another way to keep you motivated to get fit is to find a workout partner or someone to train you. Having someone will help put more energy into a tired routine and help you keep going. Try and find a partner with similar goals and that will keep you focused on achieving your goal. In addition, you will also will be more likely to show up at the gym, or not sleep in and walk the lake in the morning if you know that another person is relying on you to be there with them.
Motivation tips part 2 will be continued in next week’s column. I will discuss ways to boost your intensity and avoid boredom in your workouts.