motivation for fat loss - 10 ways to boost your workout "mojo"
Hey there,
It's mike here with another special post for you. This one is all
about motivation. Motivation is a key ingredient to weight loss success.
That's why I decided to put together some of my favorite ways to get
motivated so you can get out of that rut and get your mojo back. All of
the tips below are strategies I use personally so I know they will work
wonders for you. Hope you enjoy.
#1 Watch a workout inspiring movie
For some of us a workout inspiring movie is just the thing we need
to get a quick boost of motivation for a good workout. I remember
watching Rocky IV as a kid and immediately dropping to the ground doing
push-ups and sit-ups and shadow boxing in my room after seeing Rocky
train for the big fight. There are tons of movies that I watch that get
me amped up to workout just like that. Here's a few of my favorites
(besides Rocky of course):
Running The Sahara - this was a documentary film about 3 runners who
decided to attempt to run straight across Africa from coast to coast.
The amount of motivation these guys have to finish is awesome and it
tends to rub off on me when I watch it. This one is great if you have a
big event like a marathon that you're training for.
Chariots of Fire - Oscar winning film about 2 athletes competing in the
1924 Olympics.
Remember the Titans - a great movie about a football team starring
Denzel Washington. I remember our whole football team watching this on a
bus to an away game in high school to get us pumped up to play.
Peaceful warrior - this is a movie about a cocky college gymnast who
gets in a motorcycle accident and is told he can never compete in
gymnastics again. This is a great movie to watch if you're coming back
form an injury or rehab of some sort.
#2 set a goal
This just might be the most essential tip I can give you. After
all, what good is all this motivation if you don't have a specific goal
to work towards? Setting goals that you want to achieve through exercise
and diet is such an important aspect that I will be dedicating and entirely
separate post on it in the future. so keep an eye out
#3 tell E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E
Anytime I decide a new workout goal that I want to achieve the
first thing I do is talk about it to everybody that's close to me. If
you tell someone, "I'm going to try to lose 10 pounds in 8 weeks" the
last thing you want to do is not do it. This is hugely motivating
because the fear of failure pushes you to do what you set out to
achieve. Nobody wants the people closest to them to see them fail.
That's why it's important to include as many people as you can in your
fitness journey. Plus they can help you out a lot by pushing you to do
it.
For instance if you tell your spouse something specific like, "I am
going to lose 10 pounds by cutting out refined sugars and liquid
calories while exercising on Monday, Wednesday and Friday" you and I
both know that every Monday, Wednesday and Friday that you don't go to
the gym they are going to say something about it and every time they see
you pick up a soda they are going to be all over you about it because
they love you and don't want you to fail.
#4 Plan your goal for a special occasion
Big event are a great time to set as your "end date" for when you
want to achieve your goal because it's usually set in stone so you can't
push it off to a later date. It also seems to add an additional sense of
purpose to your goal. Some great occasions to set a goal for include:
* Weddings
* School reunions
* Vacations
* Birthdays
* Family reunions
* Any type of competition
* Anything that involves minimal clothing
This strategy is one I probably utilize the most. I remember when I
got out of high school I was in a bit of a slump. All through school as
long as I could remember my motivation came from training for sports.
Although I was still working out I wasn't getting any results because I
had nothing to motivate me to push myself. At that point I was searching
for anything to get me motivated. On one occasion I even tried out for a
runway show for a local college. Nothing is more motivating to get
ripped than knowing hundreds of people are going to stare at you in a
Speedo. Right now I am training for the New York marathon because I
wanted something to push me to get stronger endurance.
#5 create a workout playlist on your iPod
This can be one of the most fun ways to stay motivated. Try to find
music that really gets you excited and in a good mood. Everyone has
different tastes in workout music and the music your gym plays is not
going to cut it (seriously who wants to listen to heavy rap music one
minute then immediately switch to fergie singing about crying or some
crap?). Also find something that fits your workout style, For instance
my workouts are usually really short intense bouts of circuit and
interval training so I like to listen to hard rock and heavy metal. My
iPod is full of bands like disturbed, Korn, system of a down, drowning
pool and Metallica.
#6 set a specific time to workout
It's easy to skip a workout when your not on a set schedule of when
you workout. Simply pick a time of day that works on most days and stick
with it. Also try to set at least 30 minutes aside to workout. 5, 10 and
15 minute workout circuits are great but if you don't set a substantial
amount of time aside to workout chances are you'll never get around to
it.
#7 hire a good personal trainer
Ok I might be a little biased on this one but seriously I know that
nothing can be more motivating than having someone else push you to
succeed and it wouldn't hurt to have some professional guidance.
#8 find new friends
It's tough to stay in shape when the people around you are not
pursuing the same thing. Try surrounding yourself with people who are
living a lifestyle that you want to live, this means a healthy one.
#9 don't victimize yourself
your genetics, your metabolism, your job, not having enough time,
having kids and not having enough money are not the reason your out of
shape. You have choices and what you choose to do reflects how your body
will look and feel. This one is tough love and I'm only telling you this
because it's true. ALL of us victimize ourselves at some point and its
tough to take responsibility and I'm no different.
#10 set your self up on a workout program
For a couple bucks you can buy a workout magazine with some sample
programs in them. Another alternative is to search the web for online
workout programs that are a little better than what you would find in
the magazines. Even better you can go to the online training section of
this site and have me build you a custom designed workout program
complete with video demonstrations and a dietary meal plan.
And if you are ever stuck in a rut and you need someone to give you a
little extra boost you can leave me a comment or send me an e-mail on my
contact page. I love hearing from al of my readers and I want to build a
strong relationship with you and help you succeed at all of your health
and fitness goals.
So there you go. Those are my favorite ways to stay motivated
and I hope you use them because they have helped me many times and I'm
sure they will help you too. Do you have any other ways that you like to
stay motivated? Leave a comment and share your input with everyone and
who knows we could get a pretty big list going here.
Dedicated to your personal health and fitness,
Mike Salvietti
Posted by Mike's Blog at 9/23/2009 11:08 PM 
Categories: Motivation,Fat Loss
Tags: Motivation Fat Loss
Categories: Motivation,Fat Loss
Tags: Motivation Fat Loss
This was an excellent post. Very realistic and true in all aspects! Also I just had to mention, Peaceful Warrior was a great movie!
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