Many people struggle with figuring out how to stay motivated along the path to fitness. If you can tap into your natural inner drive, you will be far more likely to succeed. It’s important to design an individualized fitness program that allows you to experience success and pleasure along the way. This five-step guide provides tips on how to stay motivated on the journey to fitness, health, and happiness.
1. Shake It Up
There’s no such thing as a cookie-cutter solution that works for everyone. Don’t get stuck in a fitness program that isn’t producing the results you want. Rather than convincing yourself that you’re just not working hard enough and redoubling your efforts in vain, try shaking things up with a new routine.
2. Find Your Motivation
Before you can find the fitness program that’s right for you, first you’ll need to figure out what motivates you. What is the source of your desire for change? What inspires you? What gives you hope for the future?
3. Feed Your Inner Drive
Once you understand what drives and motivates you, design a fitness program in line with your inner drive. For example, if your motivation to get fit stems from your desire to set a healthy example for your children, “lose 20 pounds on the treadmill” is not an appropriate plan for you. Try replacing that with, “play soccer with the kids for 1 hour twice a week.” Weight loss may very well be a side benefit of getting that extra 2 hours of exercise per week, but it shouldn’t be your end goal.
4. Set Yourself Up for Success
Once your plan is in place, the best way to stay motivated is to give yourself ample opportunity to experience success and pleasure along the way. Here are the key things to remember:
- Set reasonable, attainable goals
- Maintain realistic expectations
- Measure your progress incrementally
- Learn to enjoy the process!
5. Develop a Support System
Designing an individualized fitness program (and sticking to it) can be difficult. A supportive community, such as a group of friends to work out with, can be very helpful. A health and wellness professional can also be a tremendous asset. An experienced professional can help you design a program, determine appropriate measures of progress, and establish a realistic timeline for reaching goals.
Interested in learning more about how to stay motivated? Sign up for my newsletter or check out my new podcast! In The Human Network #3, we talk about the power of positive thinking, following through, and using challenges as inspiration.
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