This has been my biggest challenge. Pushing myself and staying on top of my workouts. I do so badly crave a workout partner who has a similar schedule, a similar work ethic, and similar goals; however, those are a lot of similarities. As the mornings get colder, it is more difficult to roll out of bed, put on sweats, and go to the gym. For me, my gym is attached to my apartment complex, so I have no excuse.
But sometimes trekking across town in snow and ice just does not seem worth the effort. So, for those of us who do not have accountability workout partners, how do we push ourselves? And even for those of us who do, how do we push ourselves when and if our workout buddies lose their motivation mojo?
I remember not too long ago, a few of my college dance teammates (Ashley, Carley, and Crystal) and I made a commitment to wake up at 5:00 in the morning and workout together at the student fitness center. Lo and behold, after a few weeks, there were cold morning where we would text one another and punk out. And of course, once one of us stated she was not getting out of bed to hit the treadmill, the rest of us would chorus in unison, "Me neither!" and we would all roll over and go back to sleep, only to see each other later that day and regret not going to the gym when we had the chance.
So, how do you motivate yourself when no one else will? Here are some helpful suggestions:
1. Log or Journal Your Fitness Goals and Activity
By logging and writing down what you are planning to for your fitness goals, it makes it more real when you can see it on paper. One way you can do this is starting a fitness blog like I did. When people leave comments or tell me that they enjoy reading my blog, it motivates me to not only continue posting, but to continue moving forward with my fitness activity.
2. Use Your "Old" Self
One way to motivate yourself is to keep handy, old photos of yourself. Find pictures from the past when you were in better shape then you are now, whether it was from early college, your wedding day, or the summer before that spring break trip to Cancun when you did all of those crunches to prepare for your bikini showcase. Tape the pictures on mirrors in your bathroom or carry a copy in your gym bag. Another trick is to hang a photo on your fridge, so when you are tempted to grab a snack you may not need, you are reminded of your goal.
Now, I am not saying you should try to look like you did in high school, because our bodies change with age, but it might be a good push!!
3. Use Your Favorite Celebrity
When I look through my fitness magazines, there are few fitness models and competitors who I say, "I want their body!" Jamie Eason + JNL are two fitness models who offer great tips and workouts that I have implemented and obtained results from. Every so often I go online and view photos of them to pump myself up. I know I will never look exactly like them, and that is not my goal. But it reminds me that if they can do it, so can I!!
4. Reward Yourself
I have said this before, and I will say it again. Rewarding yourself for sticking with your goals is a great motivator. I also always say, do not reward yourself with food, because you are not a dog. But small treasures like a pedicure for being consistent with your workouts for the entire week or enjoying a night at the movies for reaching a certain weight goal are good incentives.
At the end of the day, you have to make the decision to wake up, you make the decision to go to the gym, and you make the decision to eat healthy. While you may have a workout buddy or friend to encourage you when you are together, the real temptations usually come late in the night or when no one is around.
Be your best coach, be your best motivator, and push yourself... because no one else can do it for you the way you can!!
Until Next Time,
~ Q. Olivia
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