"UGH, I don't feel like going to the gym today"
"I'll just go tomorrow"
"Well maybe I can buy just these bags of chips this one time"
"I'll never lose the weight, I don't even know why I bother"
"I'm not gaining any muscle, I doubt skipping today will matter"
Have you found yourself saying any of these things? Most of us have. Staying home from the gym off schedule is one of the worst things you can do from accomplishing the body you've always wanted. All of us need rest days, maybe even a rest week. It's very healthy to do that, but you need to schedule it. Missing a day because you simply don't feel like going, can very easily translate into two or three days you skip. Maybe it is just one bit of junk food, and before you know it, pop tarts or cookies are a staple on your grocery list again and you'll never accomplish your vision that way.
Well if all those feelings are normal, how do body builders and fitness enthusiasts get to where they want to be? And how are there so many people in shape, if it feels so difficult for me?
The first thing to realize, is everybody that is trying to transform their body or even just get into better shape has felt the way you do at some point. They, like yourself, have to find a way to stay motivated, to stay commited. We'll discuss 4 key points to help you find it within yourself to stick with it.
1. Establishing Goals
2. Tracking Progress
3. the Mental Aspect
and 4. the Back Up Plan
1. Establishing Goals
This, by far, is the most important of the 4. Establishing Goals will help you envision what you want to accomplish. With a definitive objective you can realistically succeed, opposed to having goals like just wanting to have some model body, a goal that can easily feel unattainable. When selecting goals, select goals that are realistic, while not without challenge. For example, if you're overweight, try setting a long term goal of losing 20lbs in 16 weeks. Then create dietary and exercise goals. Create a plan of attack.
Within weeks 1-4 try to cut your calories from maybe 2600 a day, to 2300 by cutting sodas and juices and eating slightly smaller portions.
Within weeks 4-6 try replacing fast carbs with slow/complex carbs in your diet.
Weeks 6-8 try reducing your portions further and lowering your caloric intake to 2000 a day.
Weeks 8-10 focus on replacing dinner with a salad, and using lean protein shakes in place of snacks between meals
Weeks 10-16 reduce your carbs to as low as possible and reduce your caloric intake to only 1700 a day.
(None of this plan has been analyzed or even really thought about, it's strictly an example)
By making adjustments through phases like this, you can really smoothly impliment big changes by allowing yourself time to adjust as you make them. If you try to jump into these big giant radical swings all at once, they'll never last.
2. Tracking Progress
This goes hand in hand with Establishing Goals. In order to see the small bits of progress that you really are making and maybe not directly seeing in the mirror as well as to identify or fine tune anything that needs adjustment can be done by logging your caloric intake and exercise. This can be a major way to stay motivated. As you stick to your plan and can see it in paper, the less you want to blow it. Also when you do make that progress over a period of time you can look back and see your hard work is getting somewhere helping to keep you motivated to stay at it. I highly reccomend keeping a journal and tracking your progress.
3. Mental Attitude
Make exercise your vice. A lot of people today smoke weed or cigarettes, drink alcohol, engage in self injury, or other things as a way to deal with or in reality escape their problems. Some people choose less harmful ways, like art, music or other, even possibly productive activities.
A clinically proven way to deal with stress, is exercise. Use stress, and anger as motivation to get into the gym and exercise. Endorphins can work magic.
On the other hand, keeping a positive attitude can be all the difference. If you stick to your diet and exercise plan, you will see progress in time, always remember that. Never feel like its not working or you cant do it. Where there's a will, there's a way. Always remember that.
4. the Back Up Plan
So maybe you really just don't have the time to get the gym to work out, or for some reason you can't or just don't feel like driving. Be prepared for it and have a couple of at home work outs ready. Maybe buy a pull up bar, go for a run, plan an abs and callisthenics work out. There's plenty of things you can do at home to still get a very good work out in the comfort of your own home.
I hope this can help all of you to stick with your plans and accomplish your goals!! Keep up the hard work :)
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