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Tips for Staying Motivated on Your Health and Fitness Journey
The start of a health and fitness journey is exciting and the decision to transform your life is incredibly motivating. But as time goes on, it can be challenging to stay motivated, which can get in the way of your goals.
Whether you’re a seasoned fitness enthusiast or just starting, these tips and tricks can help you stay on track and achieve your goals.
1. Set realistic goals
When setting your fitness goals, it’s important to make sure they’re achievable. Breaking your goals down into smaller, more manageable steps can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and keep you motivated. For example, instead of setting a goal to lose 25 kg, set a goal to lose 2kg in the next month. As you achieve each small goal, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, which can help keep you motivated.
2. Find an accountability partner
Having someone to hold you accountable can make a significant difference in staying motivated. Find a friend, family member, or colleague who shares your goals and can help you stay on track. Schedule regular check-ins, whether in person or virtually, to discuss your progress and encourage each other.
Bonus points if your accountability partner becomes your workout buddy as well! Having a workout buddy is a great way to stay motivated to workout. Even if you wake up feeling like you can’t be bothered, knowing someone else is counting on you to show up to training can motivate you get out of bed and into your activewear.
3. Mix up your workouts
Doing the same workout routine day in and day out can quickly become monotonous, leading to boredom and a lack of motivation. Mixing up your workouts by trying new activities or joining a fitness class can keep things interesting and help you stay motivated. Not only will you be more likely to stick to your routine, but you’ll also challenge your body in new ways, helping you achieve your goals faster.
4. Reward yourself
Treating yourself to non-food rewards can be a great way to stay motivated. Whether it’s a new outfit, a massage, or a day off from working out, find something that motivates you and use it as a reward for reaching your goals. Celebrating your achievements can help you stay motivated and focused on your journey.
5. Track your progress
Keeping track of your progress is an essential part of staying motivated. Take before and after photos to see the changes in your body, and keep a fitness journal to track your workouts and strength progress. Complete fortnightly body scans with Bodymapp to track your measurements, and visualise changes with your 3D avatar.
Seeing the progress you’re making can help you stay motivated and focused on achieving your goals.
6. Remember commitment and discipline
While staying motivated can help you achieve your fitness goals, it’s not crucial. Remember that motivation can ebb and flow, and that’s totally normal. There will be days when you don’t feel like working out, and that’s okay. This is where commitment and discipline come in.
Commitment means making a promise to yourself to stick to your goals, even when it’s hard. It means recognising that setbacks and obstacles will come your way, but you’ll keep going anyway.
Discipline means creating healthy habits and routines that you follow, even when you don’t feel like it. It means pushing yourself to do the things you know you need to do, even when it’s challenging.
Together, commitment and discipline can help you stay on track even when motivation wanes. So, while it’s great to have motivation as your driving force, remember that it’s not the only factor in achieving success. Focus on committing to your goals and developing discipline to help you push through the tough times.
7. Focus on consistency
“Consistency is key” is a well-known phrase for good reason. Progress comes from all the things you do regularly. Working out 3-4 days a week for 30 minutes per day will do more than working out for 2 hours once every couple of weeks. Let go of the “all or nothing” approach and remember that you don’t have to be extreme, just consistent.
This can be just the mindset you need to get moving on a day when your motivation is low. Just tell yourself “something is better than nothing” and get some gentle movement in if you can!
