Not feeling motivated? Or maybe you are. After all, it is 50° outside (and we just got back from a very refreshing walk, giving the puppos some well-deserved exercise). But of course, I digress …
If you aren’t feeling so motivated after all, don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Given that about 80% of folks don’t even have a gym membership, I’d say you’re about ten steps ahead if you’re even reading this post.
But let me help you out with a little insider knowledge: motivation is fleeting. And motivation today probably won’t be enough to keep you going tomorrow. Let me explain.
Here’s the thing: fitness is a journey, not just a destination. And as such, there are going to be bumps in the road. The key to keeping on keeping on is finding out how to keep yourself accountable – accountable to the version of you that was motivated. Because that version of you was pretty cool. And having been around the game a little bit myself, I have a few ideas to share.
Start by setting goals. More importantly, write them down. Think of your fitness journey less like a someday-dream and more like a to-do list for life. Writing things down in your to-do list is a great way to stay accountable to yourself. Even better, incorporate fitness & nutrition targets into your daily to-do list. Crossing off things like “go to the gym” or “buy vegetables” will feel great and keep you motivated to do it again.
The second tip I have is to visualize the big-picture, but execute on the day-to-day. Visualizing the long-term helps us understand that bad days, bad weeks, or even bad months are a normal part of the journey. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to take your next opportunity to get back on track. Mistakes are inevitable and are absolutely no cause for concern.
Furthermore, executing day-to-day helps keep things realistic. You don’t need to be checking your maxes, weighing yourself, or trying on your new clothes every day to see progress. Progress is in your ability to execute the little things, consistently. Only through consistency over time will you see results. So don’t get caught up in constantly measuring yourself. Allow for time to make progress.
The last thing I’ll say about staying accountable is to find someone to be accountable to. Whether it’s the friend you workout with, your spouse on your nutrition journey, or me (simply contact us here and get direct access to my inbox and a cool 50% off your first month), having another oxygen-breathing human being around will make it a lot easier to keep consistent, no matter how advanced you think you may be.
Above all, don’t forget to celebrate the small wins. Every step forward is a step in the right direction. So feel free to post about it on social media – you’ve earned it. And the world could use more positivity.