Motivation To Workout – Why It Is Important And Where You Can Get It
If you’re finding it hard to get or to keep your motivation to workout don’t worry. You are not the first person to have started a diet and/or exercise program full of good intentions, only to stop after just a few weeks. This is because you lack the motivation needed in order to actually keep up with what you are doing. Motivation is hugely important. Without it, you will find yourself growing bored -which is the biggest killer – even if you have a huge amount of willpower.
Being motivated is incredibly hard, particularly if you are making yourself do something you don’t enjoy. This is why diets have a tendency to fail. Forcing yourself to eat nothing but carrot sticks day after day may help you lose weight, but at some point you will want that piece of chocolate cake and all your efforts will have been in vain (unless that was a part of your planned cheat day).
This is why motivation is so important. Without it, any efforts you make will soon be discarded again, meaning you may as well not have bothered in the first place. Let’s take a look at a few great ways to keep yourself motivated, so that your workout and/or diet regime will be a success.
Don’t Give Others the Satisfaction of Being Right
When you start on a new workout program, you are likely to come across a range of people within your friends and family circle who will automatically presume you will fail. They may think this because you have failed in the past, or perhaps they just don’t have any faith in you sticking to anything.
“They expect you to fail and never expect to see any changes. They don’t think you can do it. You will prove them wrong and you will love to see the look on their jealous faces when you succeed.” – Bodybuilding.com
Don’t give them the satisfaction of being right.
Before you start your new workout, actually write down a list of the people who you think will expect you to fail. That way, their opinion won’t come as a surprise and proving them wrong will be even more fun.
Reaching a Goal
Another great way of staying motivated is by setting yourself achievable goals. Don’t start by considering your immediate goal straight away, but rather focus on the things you can achieve now.
Human beings are competitive by nature, and setting goals means you will continue to challenge yourself and feel the benefits of actually reaching those goals.
“Set a goal for weight, or your waist measurement, or a number of days to work out, or a number of miles to run this week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make it easily achievable.”- Zen Habits
You have to make it easily achievable, but you will notice that you will continue make harder and higher goals as you keep up with your routine. Your challenge for week one could be a one minute run (just for example) but by week 10 this could be a ten minute run.