Verified Purchase
Everyday Athletes: Motivation- Part 3 of 4
Posted by BEAST Sports on
“How do I stay motivated and see continued success on my health/fitness journey?”
In parts 1 and 2 of Everyday Athletes, I introduced the approach of Moderation, talked briefly about how it’s not often used in the health/fitness industry because it’s generally considered boring and laid out a plan to figure out how many calories you need daily to start losing some of your unwanted weight. In part three I’ll go over some ways to help you stay motivated on your journey to health and wellness.
So now that you’re committed to losing weight and you know about how many calories you need – What are some ways you can stay motivated and not “fall off the wagon”? Here are a few of my suggestions:
First - and foremost is to make sure you have a good support system in place – friends, family, Facebook, Twitter etc. Without a support system you’ll find it extremely tough to stay positive and motivated. Start a blog to write your thoughts and feelings about your journey.
Second- you’ve got to have a plan for your workouts in place. Without a structured approach, it can and will be very difficult to stay on track and remain focused on your goals. If you just wander into a gym and do random weight bearing exercises and use three or four different cardio machines, you’re going to end up disappointed in your results.
Third – use MUSIC! I rarely go through a workout without some tunes. I use a huge variety of music (Rap, Country, Rock, Alternative, Heavy Metal etc) from several different sources including the songs on my iPod, Pandora, or any other streaming music source. Music during a tough workout will help keep you pumped up and will help the time pass a bit quicker.
Fourth – Don’t be afraid to switch things up with your workouts or meals. Try a routine or program for 3-4 weeks and if you don’t like what you’re getting for results or you sense you may be getting bored with it, by all means switch. I tend to come up with a new routine every 8-10 weeks. I don’t like doing the same thing for too long. Another perk to switching things up is that you will force your body to change. If you do the same thing day in and day out, month after month etc, your body will adapt to that and slow down your progress. So, change your rep and set scheme, switch to dumbbells for bench pressing or use a stairmill instead of treadmill. Don’t be afraid to try new things with your diet either. Just make sure to keep your calorie intake inline, don’t eat a ton of twinkies or processed crap and make sure you get plenty of protein.
Those are 4 of what I feel are important motivators to keep you going. Do you have other ideas? How do you stay motivated? Let me know below! In part 4 of everyday athletes, I am going to get into supplementation. Used correctly, supplements can be a great addition to your health and wellness plan. Feel free to follow me on twitter @LonnieRuns for additional motivation!
In parts 1 and 2 of Everyday Athletes, I introduced the approach of Moderation, talked briefly about how it’s not often used in the health/fitness industry because it’s generally considered boring and laid out a plan to figure out how many calories you need daily to start losing some of your unwanted weight. In part three I’ll go over some ways to help you stay motivated on your journey to health and wellness.
So now that you’re committed to losing weight and you know about how many calories you need – What are some ways you can stay motivated and not “fall off the wagon”? Here are a few of my suggestions:
First - and foremost is to make sure you have a good support system in place – friends, family, Facebook, Twitter etc. Without a support system you’ll find it extremely tough to stay positive and motivated. Start a blog to write your thoughts and feelings about your journey.
Second- you’ve got to have a plan for your workouts in place. Without a structured approach, it can and will be very difficult to stay on track and remain focused on your goals. If you just wander into a gym and do random weight bearing exercises and use three or four different cardio machines, you’re going to end up disappointed in your results.
Third – use MUSIC! I rarely go through a workout without some tunes. I use a huge variety of music (Rap, Country, Rock, Alternative, Heavy Metal etc) from several different sources including the songs on my iPod, Pandora, or any other streaming music source. Music during a tough workout will help keep you pumped up and will help the time pass a bit quicker.
Fourth – Don’t be afraid to switch things up with your workouts or meals. Try a routine or program for 3-4 weeks and if you don’t like what you’re getting for results or you sense you may be getting bored with it, by all means switch. I tend to come up with a new routine every 8-10 weeks. I don’t like doing the same thing for too long. Another perk to switching things up is that you will force your body to change. If you do the same thing day in and day out, month after month etc, your body will adapt to that and slow down your progress. So, change your rep and set scheme, switch to dumbbells for bench pressing or use a stairmill instead of treadmill. Don’t be afraid to try new things with your diet either. Just make sure to keep your calorie intake inline, don’t eat a ton of twinkies or processed crap and make sure you get plenty of protein.
Those are 4 of what I feel are important motivators to keep you going. Do you have other ideas? How do you stay motivated? Let me know below! In part 4 of everyday athletes, I am going to get into supplementation. Used correctly, supplements can be a great addition to your health and wellness plan. Feel free to follow me on twitter @LonnieRuns for additional motivation!
From 9-5, Lonnie sits in front of a computer. Outside of being an IT Geek, he’s an athlete who’s familiar with the cycle of being fit-fat-fit that so many of us struggle with. Down from his highest weight of 300lbs in June 2009, he’s made the permanent lifestyle change to remain Big. Strong. Fit. Healthy. When not spending time with his wife, son and daughter, he’s at the gym keeping off the fat and adding quality lean mass.