If you are serious about your health and well-being, you
will take action and begin an exercise program, and you
will benefit in all these ways. Once you see the results,
you will become even more motivated. Action creates motivation!
Set Goals for Motivation
Goal-setting is another great way of staying motivated.
Goals focus your workout program and clarify what you are
trying to achieve. As you attain each goal, you gain encouragement
and further motivation. Here is how to achieve the goals
you set and obtain the results you deserve.
1. Make sure your goals are measurable: A vague goal, such
as "I want to be fit," gives you nothing to shoot
for. Decide when and what you are going to achieve, such
as "I want to lose 2 percent of my body fat by August
1st."
2. Be realistic: Make sure your goals are attainable. If
you set your expectations too high, you will get frustrated
and will be more likely to quit. Make sure, however, that
your goals are not too easy; they should be challenging.
When you achieve a challenging goal, your pride and satisfaction
will create more motivation.
3. Set short-term goals as stepping stones to your "ultimate"
(long-term) goals: If your long-term goal is to bench press
200 pounds in one year, then set short-term weekly or monthly
goals of the weight you will need to bench press to achieve
your long term goal--develop a plan. It is a lot easier
to accomplish a goal one day or week at a time, such as
increasing 2.5 or 5 pounds a week, than it is to think that
you need to increase your bench press by 50 pounds.
Make It Fun
Another way of assuring that you stay motivated is to make
exercise fun. If you perceive your workout as a chore, you
more than likely will not stick with it. Here are some techniques
for making your workout something to look forward to.
1. Add Variety: If your weightlifting is getting tedious
and boring, change one of these factors:
Vary how often you do an exercise and the number of sets
and reps you do.
Find an alternate exercise; for example, if you always do
the bench press using a barbell, try doing it with dumbbells
or on a machine. Change the order of the exercises you do
for each muscle group and the muscle groups themselves.
2. Include Friends and Family: Training with a workout
partner not only makes your training session more fun, safe,
and intense, but will also increase the likelihood of your
showing up at the gym. Make sure you pick a partner whose
goals and interests are similar to yours and who is willing
to spot you correctly and motivate you to do your best.
3. Fight Discouragement: If once in a long while you blow
off a workout because you choose to go out with friends,
just accept and enjoy your choice--do not feel guilty. Otherwise,
the sense of failure can make it harder to get yourself
back on track. Focus on how much progress you have made
so far, not on how far you have to go.
4. Expect and Prepare for Plateaus: If you feel you have
reached a plateau and/or are bored, do not give up--this
is a natural part of working out. Make sure to vary the
exercises, sets, repetitions and order of your workout--continually
search for new ways of making your routine fun and exciting.
5. Schedule your Workout: If you always exercise on the
same days at the same time, your routine will become a fixture
in your life, not a whim. Not going to the gym will feel
unnatural. Including exercise into your busy schedule will
be an adjustment, and staying motivated will be equally
challenging. Change is difficult for many people. However,
if you have the willingness to work through the initial
emotional discomfort as you move step by step through a
safe and effective program, you will find the confidence,
commitment and determination that will ease the way.
When you begin achieving great results, the excitement
and fun you experience will make the change well worth the
effort. Action creates motivation! Good luck: I hope you
enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.
>>
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