training motivation
What motivates me to exercise
How do we find the motivation to exercise? At the end of the day, when that big, fluffy couch seems to be calling your name and nothing seems more appealing, what is it that keeps us on track and motivated?
Today the question arose how to motivate the individual and I began to think about how I motivate myself. We are all different and everyone needs motivation to be served on a different plate. What motivates one does not necessarily motivate the next. Some people need constant encouragement, others need a kick in the butt, while others need to be told specifically what to do. Personally, like so many others, I need the challenge and the goal. For years it was easy for me when I was fighting, I needed to maintain a certain weight and I always had to stay fit and slim. Now I have to find other ways to stay motivated and trust myself, I know it’s hard sometimes.
There are literally hundreds of different ways to motivate yourself to exercise and I’ll give you a few examples of what has worked for me. Sometimes I even struggle to keep going, but the most effective way to stay motivated is to have a training partner. Having that friend on the same page as you challenging you to push yourself and keep going always motivates me. I’ve had great training partners in the past and miss training with them.
Writing my program and keeping track of it is also a great method for me. I track my results and week by week I check to see my improvements, and hey, what better motivation is there than seeing results?
Caloric expenditure has also worked for me in the past. I know you read tons of weight loss articles and they say not to count calories. Well, how are you going to get the right amount of calories you need and burn the right amount without tracking? Knowing what I need to burn off for the day pushes me a little further or keeps me on track to not spend too much.
The simple enjoyment of exercise and fun will keep anyone going. I wish I could train with everyone I train all day every day. If it wasn’t for the fact that it takes my focus off the individual, I’d love to train with all of them. Having fun doing a group class or bootcamp has always been motivating for me. I have recently been riding my new mountain bike and I love it. Doing something that keeps you moving while having fun can’t be bad for you.
Magazines and models in the interior have been an inspiration for me in the past. Sure, Photoshop works great and the contest is usually a couple of days away, but working hard to get fit and have a goal is great motivation.
Internet articles, blogs, books, any type of information and reading material is interesting to me and leads me to try new things or methods and different exercises. Sometimes reading what others have done and their success stories is very inspiring.
Set goals and reward yourself when you reach them. It’s always nice to reach a goal and it’s even nicer to know that you’re getting something for your hard work. I like to receive some kind of small reward for each goal I achieve. Set your goals and set your rewards and achieve them often.
Keeping my “skinny clothes” makes me work hard to fit into it and want to look good. With looking good comes feeling good and having those outfits that I feel stellar in keeps me on track.
Stress relief is a great motivator for me. Some days I need to blow off some steam and put some Metallica on my iPod and smash it in the gym it really clears my mind and drains stress from my body and mind.
Clearing my mind while biking has also worked very well. Again, it’s a stress reliever, but it really gives me time to think about other things and maybe just enjoy some scenery.
Back in wrestling days, having a coach or trainer around to push me helped work wonders. I always tell my clients that I would even love to have a personal trainer for motivation.
I like having pictures of myself from when I’ve competed and seeing myself torn lets me know that guy is still out there and that it’s possible to be like that again. Taking the before photo also motivates me to reach my goal. Nothing feels better than looking in the mirror and seeing yourself in great shape and comparing it to where you were.
A couple of other motivators that might work for you could be signing up for a 5K or 10K, not feeling bad about missing workouts, extending your life expectancy, and being able to run and play with your grandkids one day. Weigh yourself and take measurements. Not every day, but once a week, trust me, when you see the numbers go down, you’ll be motivated.
However you choose to motivate yourself, whether it’s taking those steps, logging your workouts, or reading motivational quotes, the feeling you get once you’ve reached a goal and people take notice is priceless. Make and set your goals so that they are achievable and realistic. You’ll catch up with them as long as you work at it and there’s no better reward than feeling good and looking good and being noticed by others.
What motivates you? I would like to know…