When I first started my fitness journey, I was feeling very motivated. I was excited to go to the gym and do my workouts. But as time went by, that motivation waned a little bit. Eventually, it became more of a chore than an adventure for me. So what happened? Well, let’s just say that being on a fitness journey is like any other journey: if you stay focused and keep moving forward, at some point you’ll reach your goal — but if you stray off-course or stop moving forward altogether (which happens all too easily), then you may not get there at all! In this post, we’ll talk about some simple ways to stay motivated throughout your fitness journey so that it doesn’t become tiresome or boring for any length of time.
Eliminating temptations
In order to stay motivated on your fitness journey, it’s important to eliminate temptations as much as possible. This means staying away from the foods you want to avoid and avoiding situations where you are tempted to eat unhealthy food. If you have a friend who always wants to go out for ice cream after dinner, consider making other plans instead. Or try going on a run in the morning so that when dinner comes around in the evening, you have already put in the work to enjoy a slightly less healthy meal (don’t always grab the overstuffed burger if you are serious about seeing a change).
Staying consistent with your goals takes discipline–and sometimes that means taking drastic measures! Get rid of junk food in your house; do not keep any highly processed carbohydrates or sugars within reach at all times; avoid situations where it’s hard not to be consistent – i.e., bars or parties where alcohol is served
Staying mindful
Staying mindful is one of the most important things you can do to stay motivated. When you’re mindful, you’re present in the moment and aware of your surroundings. This prevents mindless eating when food is all around us or feeling down because we haven’t been able to fit in our workout for a few days. Here are some ways to practice mindfulness:
- Meditate – Find time each day (even for just 10 minutes) where you sit quietly and focus on breathing, being still, and relaxing your body from head to toe. It may seem difficult at first but soon enough it will become easier!
- Be aware – When walking down hallways at school/work, notice what color paint was used; look at people’s faces instead of their phones when they walk past; listen closely when someone speaks so that their words truly sink into your mind rather than just passing through an ear canal without making any lasting impression whatsoever…these are just some examples!
Practicing gratitude
Being grateful for what you already have is a great way to stay motivated. Although we really want to feel the best in our skin, we can’t keep wasting away life until we hit these goals. Find joy in this leg of life that fits your goals instead. Be grateful for this opportunity to build your body and reset your health to live a fuller life with more energy and creativity – not to be skinny. Be grateful for that chance!
Gratitude is an attitude that takes practice and effort, but it’s worth it! Try these tips:
- Be grateful for your body. Take time to thank your body for all it has done so far on this fitness journey, even if it isn’t where you want it yet. You might be surprised how much good feeling comes from appreciating what’s working well instead of focusing on what isn’t working yet.
- Think about how far away from failure (or success) you really are: one pound gained or lost doesn’t mean that everything went wrong–this is just one data point in an overall trendline of progress; maybe the next week will be better! Or maybe, if you’re like me, the damn scale doesn’t really matter because your body measurements are MOVING!
Exploring recipes
When you’re on a diet, it can be tempting to just cook what’s familiar and easy. But once you have an understanding of how different foods affect your body, it’s important to make sure that the foods you eat are actually healthy for you.
If there’s one thing we know about nutrition science, it’s that there is no one right way to eat–there are many different ways that work well for different people. And while some diets make promises about weight loss or better health (and those claims may be true), they don’t necessarily take into account how someone feels during their journey toward those goals.
For example: If I’m following a low-carbohydrate diet because I want my blood sugar levels under control, but my overall energy level drops significantly over time–or even worse…if my mood dips along with my energy levels–then something needs adjusting before continuing down this path!
Committing to changing up your fitness routine when needed
Before you even walk into the gym for the first time, commit to changing up your fitness routine when it gets stale. Don’t give up working out because your spin class isn’t hitting the same way or you just aren’t feeling empowered anymore when you lift weights.
When you’ve been doing the same workout for a while, it’s important to mix things up. Try out a new workout, class or activity and see how you feel about it. If you’re not feeling like yourself after the first couple of weeks, then maybe that isn’t the right change for you! There are so many options out there – and if you are at a mental standstill, just go on a walk until you feel more motivated.
It’s cliche but get an accountability partner.
This is a piece of advice you hear so often, I don’t think it’s sitting in your head the right way – don’t do this journey alone. But also don’t pick one friend that is in the same mental headspace as you and is also on the verge of giving up to be your accounta-billy-buddy.
If you’re lucky enough to have someone who shares your passion for fitness, then consider yourself blessed. My boyfriend and I both love working out together–it makes staying healthy so much easier when both partners are on board with the same goals! We find new recipes online or cook meals together and cheer each other on during workouts. It’s been so rewarding being able to share this experience with him because it gives us something else to talk about (other than work/school).
Conclusion
I hope this article has given you a few tips to keep yourself motivated on your fitness journey. It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day struggles, but if we can all push ourselves to stay focused on what we are accomplishing, then it makes the journey much more enjoyable and worth it.
