Finding Motivation to Keep Going
I’ve been working in this industry for over 14 years now and one thing I can say I’ve observed is how predictable the behavior and logic of my clients over the years changes with the seasons. Now, I know when I say that, you may be thinking to yourself “Betsy, this doesn’t actually apply to me because I’m a pretty consistent person annually, regardless of the season”. And yes, there are those people that are consistent and committed to their fitness/wellness journeys, no matter the season or the weather! However, there are classically the majority that turn down on their movement or type of fitness routine during the summer months because of various factors, but the one I especially hear the most “Well, I’m more active outside in the summer anyways, so I will be getting more walks/runs/biking/hiking/etc. in the next few months”.
As a seasoned Fitness Professional who has heard pretty much every excuse/logic in the book, I’m going to call most people’s bluff, with kindness and support of course. I’m all about good intentions and I will fully support someone wanting to dial back on training or coming to their gym because they’re going to be out and about more, but it’s important to develop a plan and have clear and direct expectations. Not only for yourself, but also for your Fitness Professional (if you should have one). Most times people are okay with sticking to the plan, but often times you aren’t even 30 days into summer and you’ve fallen off the wagon more times than stayed on it. So here are some ways to stay motivated and stick to the plan you set forth, regardless of the season or reason!
1. Stay accountable. Seems pretty simple but it’s actually more challenging than you might find. Statistically, it takes 21 consecutive days of the same behavior to create change or adopt a new habit. It also only takes 3 times to fall back into old habits or fall out of the new habit you’ve been trying to create.
a. Create a schedule! This can be digital through your phone or e-mail server (i.e. Microsoft, Apple, Google etc.), or you can go “old school” and buy a planner that allows you to detail out hour-by-hour your daily schedule. There are also many companies that allow you to purchase a planner that they’ve designed specific towards goals, such as fitness! You can also go online and create your own planner, which is actually easier than you would think and can be as specific as you need it to be for your lifestyle. The goal would be to build out your schedule down to the hour so that you can really see where potential free time is not used to your best and you can optimize those windows of time to be more productive … and also fit in time for you! Maybe it’s not daily, but maybe it’s twice or three times weekly, but it’s there scheduled in your daily planner.
b. Be honest with yourself about your barriers. Not a morning person but want to be? Start with being honest about WHY mornings are so hard for you. Do you stay up later than you need to? Do you struggle with the quality of your sleep? Do you prefer to have a slow and enjoyable morning over a cup of coffee or tea? The sooner you can truly own where your barriers are, the sooner you can start to make adjustments to the behaviors that are linked to these setbacks. For example: You want to start working out in the morning, but you also like to stay up and watch your favorite show or scroll on social media until about 11:00 PM, so really, waking up at 5:00 AM or 6:00 AM to workout is challenging. The question to ask yourself is, are you willing to move your bedtime up to 9:30 or 10:00 PM so you can wake up at a time that allows you to workout? Can you do this consistently? Why or why not? Write these things down so you can evaluate further why these are limitations.
2. Respect your schedule and time dedicated to your fitness, like you would treat an oil change appointment, doctor appointment or business meeting. The difference is, you are having a very important meeting … with yourself. The more you understand the value of your dedicated time and respect that time, the more you will show up in general. Stop making excuses and justifying that you can “do it later” or “fit it at the end of your workday”. The more you flake out on your own appointment, the less likely you will stick to your schedule in general. Follow through on what you say you will do, that in itself is integrity.
3. Find a friend or loved one that you want to join you in your workouts! There is NOTHING more powerful than having what I call an “Account-abili-buddy”. Yeah, I know it’s tacky. But it clearly states what that person is to you, and what you are to them. Pull them along into your schedule or offer up for them to join you on a specific day. Having good company makes exercising always more enjoyable. You’ll also naturally find those moments to provide the support you each need and to encourage each other to stay on course with your goals. Maybe your friend is your dog, and I bet they would LOVE to go on a walk/jog with you!
4. Share your intentions with your family/loved ones at home. If you have someone at home with you, share with them your goals and plans. First, it brings them up to speed with your intentions and you can collectively work together on finding solutions to any potential barriers/issues with your workout schedule. For example, if you are planning on working out after work from 5:30 – 6:30 PM, Monday, Wednesday and Friday – perhaps they own getting dinner started so by the time you get home you can help with the rest. Or they just own making dinner altogether on those days! You can own dinner then on the days you aren’t working out. Second, you are now roping in someone to help keep you accountable to your actions. Accountability is essential to your success.
5. Be realistic with your expectations. Getting back into a workout routine after a hiatus? Or fell off the wagon for a short period of time? Don’t reinvent the wheel or force yourself to commit to more than you can realistically handle. If you are just getting back into things, perhaps commit to 2 days a week. Statistics have shown that having more than 1 goal to focus on decreases your chances of adhering to those habits and reaching your goals. 1 goal to focus on = 85% success; 2 goals to focus on = 65% success; 3+ goals to focus on = 35% or less success. Keep it simple and pick one thing. Maybe it’s going to the gym 2 days a week, just showing up. That’s half the battle. Doesn’t matter what you do. Just show up. As that becomes more of a natural habit, you can start finessing what your next goal is or adding onto that. In the industry we call that “Habit Building” because you are adding onto established new behaviors that will continue to help you work towards your ultimate goal. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day so have the same patience and persistence for yourself.
These are just a few key components you should consider if you are trying to find a way to get back into it. Sometimes it’s having a tough love conversation with yourself and recognizing you have to be the one making the change, because no one else is going to do it for you.
As always, if you are seeking additional coaching support in exercise, nutrition, recovery, supplements, or simply seeking motivation to get the ball rolling – bWell is here to help you every step of the way.