It’s almost the end of January which means: winter blues are upon us. Maybe you’ve stuck to your fitness routine, but you’re feeling blah about it. Everyone experiences lulls in motivation: Olympic athletes, professional athletes, that incredibly shredded dude at your gym, and fellow My Virtual Mission-ers.
Have no fear: motivation for your healthy living goals is one click away. Fitness motivation is all over the Internet and there are tons of sources for inspiration if you’re feeling down about your journey. You can Google “fitness motivation” for a smorgasbord of images and mantras or you check out virtual “fitspiration” (fitness inspiration) boards, like Pinterest. As this is usually user-generated content, be wary of messages that may not be beneficial to your health. Look to positive messaging that celebrates your body and healthy living…avoid the negative!
Here’s a list of 10 motivational mantras to keep you on track with your exercise plan:
- Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.
- It’s not about having time, it’s about making time.
- It’s never too late to become what you might have been.
- Don’t wish for it, work for it.
- Don’t let one bad day stop you from reaching your goal.
- Strive for progress, not perfection.
- Work hard because you love your body, not because you hate it.
- When you feel like quitting, think about why you started.
- There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
- Be strong, you never know who you’re inspiring.
Place Post-It notes around your home with these motivational mantras or write on your mirror with washable window markers (like these Crayola Washable Window Markers.) Set daily reminders in your phone or computer’s calendar to send you daily fitness motivation blasts. Read a self-help book about motivation or read your role model’s blog for inspiration. Find fitness forums (there is a whole other galaxy of them on the Internet) or ask your friends how they stay motivated.
It’s okay to lose motivation — sometimes these lulls will reboot your fitness goals and push you even harder to stick to your exercise routine by reigniting your passion and desire to progress and improve. Here are seven tips to help you stick to your fitness routine. Maybe you need to introduce more cardiovascular activities like running or cycling to increase metabolism and stamina. Or maybe you need to introduce more lean protein into your nutrition plan.
Remember to always think about why you started. Why did you decide to #KickTheExcuse? Maybe your reason has changed and that’s okay. As long as you keep moving, you’re still lapping the person who is still sitting on the couch.
How do you stay motivated to keep your fitness goals on track?