By
Jo Chris
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe one of the hardest things
in getting back into shape is staying motivated. I mean seriously, who
wouldn't rather be sleeping when that alarm rings at O dark thirty in
the morning saying, "Time to get up...in a not so nice way." And if you
decide to do your workouts in the evening, who wouldn't love to
"accidentally", miss the turn that goes to the driveway of your gym and
then hit the couch for some TV and Bon Bons...or whatever your edible
temptation might be, for the evening?
When it comes to getting back into shape, doing the work is not the problem, once you get started. It's the getting started and sticking with it that seems to be the hardest part. That part can be resolved if you have the motivation you need to get the job done on a daily basis. To help out, here are 7 tips I have found that have helped kick start my motivation when it was running on low and I had no gas to get going in my workout tank.
Buy new clothes/shoes - This has to be one of my favorite jump starts to motivation. Who wouldn't like to have on a new pair of shoes for training or put on a new T-shirt or shorts? Hey, I know looks are everything but wearing something new...even to the gym or while working out at home does put a little pep in your step. Now you might say that considering the size you currently have to buy, it wouldn't be worth it. To that I would have you consider how it would feel when after just a few weeks you find that those clothes you just bought don't work anymore because their too big. Now that's another motivator in and of itself.
Stocking your cabinets with a week's worth of healthy food - Eating healthy and clean has provided me with some of the best tasting dinners. In fact, knowing I've got a delicious Pecan crusted Tilapia with a side of fresh spinach planned for dinner keeps me enthused all day especially when it comes to eating right after a really good work out. Stock your shelves in advance so you don't come home to empty cupboards, especially when you're hungry and scrounging for whatever you can find. Typically, that's when whatever you can find will be fairly undesirable when it comes to the cleanliness level.
Plan your meals and snacks in advance - Ever heard the saying that "Failing to plan is planning to fail." When you set up not only a meal plan but snack one as well along with associated eating times, you are creating a roadmap to success. Planning in that manner prepares you mentally and tells your stomach that there is food and it won't starve, (which is never the recommended process in the first place). And again, you're not left scrounging to find food or come up with a plan for your next meal which will most likely cause untimely and undesirable eating patterns compromising you efforts to get back into shape.
Get a workout buddy - This motivating factor is huge. I can't tell you the number of times that having a workout buddy has saved me from skipping a workout. Plus, when you have two people committed together to get back in shape, it provides the boost you need, lends an ear of understanding,...and if you care at all about your buddy, makes it pretty hard to look him or her in the eye if you end up bailing on a workout. It's like an accountability partner. And after all, you're there to help them reach their goal too!
Have a program designed or prepared for you that you know how to follow and perform - When you don't have a program and walk into a gym, it's easy to get distracted with all of the equipment. Then the questions begin such as where I should start, which equipment should I use, and how does this machine work. From that first day you end up spinning your wheels trying to learn the "what, where, and when" of it all. For efficiency...and effectiveness sake, get with a personal trainer who can design a program for you and teach you how to use the equipment. Doing so will allow you to hit the ground running from the very first day you start working out. Personal trainers can also help set up in-home training routines that will help you get the most out of the equipment you have.
Prepare in advance where you are going to workout - If you plan on hitting the gym, go get a membership now and sign up for 3 months minimum although 6 months is better. Having a membership set in place makes sure you're ready for the very first day that will be the beginning of the new you. And signing up for that amount of time helps you stay committed to a long enough term when you will start seeing results if you are committed to your program. The same thing applies if you are working out at home. Set up the area that you will be using, refer to it as your gym and know that you will be spending time there for a minimum of at least 3 months.
Schedule a cheat day - It's no secret that part of getting back into shape means watching what and how much you eat. But if you're like me, food can be quite a good friend to your taste buds. (Oh that chocolate is such a devilish delicacy and my biggest downfall.) So to feel like you aren't depriving yourself, schedule a cheat day when basically anything goes. Once every couple of weeks treating yourself to the food temptations on your list of yummy stuff will help calm the cravings and keep you from continually giving in to your unhealthy food desires. And one day every so often won't be a huge negative impact on your results.
When it comes to getting back into shape, doing the work is not the problem, once you get started. It's the getting started and sticking with it that seems to be the hardest part. That part can be resolved if you have the motivation you need to get the job done on a daily basis. To help out, here are 7 tips I have found that have helped kick start my motivation when it was running on low and I had no gas to get going in my workout tank.
Buy new clothes/shoes - This has to be one of my favorite jump starts to motivation. Who wouldn't like to have on a new pair of shoes for training or put on a new T-shirt or shorts? Hey, I know looks are everything but wearing something new...even to the gym or while working out at home does put a little pep in your step. Now you might say that considering the size you currently have to buy, it wouldn't be worth it. To that I would have you consider how it would feel when after just a few weeks you find that those clothes you just bought don't work anymore because their too big. Now that's another motivator in and of itself.
Stocking your cabinets with a week's worth of healthy food - Eating healthy and clean has provided me with some of the best tasting dinners. In fact, knowing I've got a delicious Pecan crusted Tilapia with a side of fresh spinach planned for dinner keeps me enthused all day especially when it comes to eating right after a really good work out. Stock your shelves in advance so you don't come home to empty cupboards, especially when you're hungry and scrounging for whatever you can find. Typically, that's when whatever you can find will be fairly undesirable when it comes to the cleanliness level.
Plan your meals and snacks in advance - Ever heard the saying that "Failing to plan is planning to fail." When you set up not only a meal plan but snack one as well along with associated eating times, you are creating a roadmap to success. Planning in that manner prepares you mentally and tells your stomach that there is food and it won't starve, (which is never the recommended process in the first place). And again, you're not left scrounging to find food or come up with a plan for your next meal which will most likely cause untimely and undesirable eating patterns compromising you efforts to get back into shape.
Get a workout buddy - This motivating factor is huge. I can't tell you the number of times that having a workout buddy has saved me from skipping a workout. Plus, when you have two people committed together to get back in shape, it provides the boost you need, lends an ear of understanding,...and if you care at all about your buddy, makes it pretty hard to look him or her in the eye if you end up bailing on a workout. It's like an accountability partner. And after all, you're there to help them reach their goal too!
Have a program designed or prepared for you that you know how to follow and perform - When you don't have a program and walk into a gym, it's easy to get distracted with all of the equipment. Then the questions begin such as where I should start, which equipment should I use, and how does this machine work. From that first day you end up spinning your wheels trying to learn the "what, where, and when" of it all. For efficiency...and effectiveness sake, get with a personal trainer who can design a program for you and teach you how to use the equipment. Doing so will allow you to hit the ground running from the very first day you start working out. Personal trainers can also help set up in-home training routines that will help you get the most out of the equipment you have.
Prepare in advance where you are going to workout - If you plan on hitting the gym, go get a membership now and sign up for 3 months minimum although 6 months is better. Having a membership set in place makes sure you're ready for the very first day that will be the beginning of the new you. And signing up for that amount of time helps you stay committed to a long enough term when you will start seeing results if you are committed to your program. The same thing applies if you are working out at home. Set up the area that you will be using, refer to it as your gym and know that you will be spending time there for a minimum of at least 3 months.
Schedule a cheat day - It's no secret that part of getting back into shape means watching what and how much you eat. But if you're like me, food can be quite a good friend to your taste buds. (Oh that chocolate is such a devilish delicacy and my biggest downfall.) So to feel like you aren't depriving yourself, schedule a cheat day when basically anything goes. Once every couple of weeks treating yourself to the food temptations on your list of yummy stuff will help calm the cravings and keep you from continually giving in to your unhealthy food desires. And one day every so often won't be a huge negative impact on your results.
I used to think that by reaching a certain "model figure" weight I
would be happy and look great. I found that being able to drop that
kind of weight only left me frustrated and upset because I could never
reach my goal. As I got older I shifted my focus from weight loss to
simply getting back into shape.
Now, at 40 I am more fit and healthy than I have been since I was a
young teenager. My body fat is at its lowest ever as an adult and I feel
great. From the compliments I get...I guess it looks pretty good too.
You can reach your goals of getting back into shape by clicking on http://www.getting-back-into-shape.blogspot.com.
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