It’s that time of year again, the month where everyone tries to get that summer body. Okay, I blatantly lied, that introduction was completely inaccurate and, if anything, this article came way too early. But there’s nothing like setting healthy habits and routines now so that by summer, we’ll be ready. Maybe it’s a good thing this article is published in winter instead of summer, because motivation takes a long time to build. It’s a process that everyone struggles with, no matter how much they exercise, so it’s better to give ourselves more time.
Working out is a tricky thing. Why spend an hour doing something exhausting and painful like lifting weights or running (AKA suffering) when we could be chilling in bed all day with pizza within reach and a cute rom-com on our computer screen? We all know the answer to that, and it goes beyond a Gymshark body. We want to be physically and mentally healthy and set lifelong habits that will benefit us in the long-run. But it’s hard to conjure up the motivation when your bed is so comfy. So, here’s a list of tactics that I have used to fuel up my motivation, which I hope will come in handy for you!
1. Find what makes you sweat happily
Believe it or not, exercise and physical activity are not limited to just the old treadmill and sweaty barbells in the gym. Exercise comes in so many other forms, whether it’s swimming, dancing, yoga or boot camp. The key to sticking with a consistent exercise regimen is discovering what makes you feel more accomplished post-workout. Are you happiest when you can squat with heavier weights than before? Maybe your soulmate workout routine should consist of strength and resistance training! Do you feel exhilarated after running for five miles straight? Try signing up for a ten-kilometer race to really push yourself! Or maybe you prefer low-key and calmer activities such as yoga, in which case, go for it! Don’t restrict yourself to what everyone else is doing – find which form of exercise makes you happiest, and you will naturally want to do it more often!
2. Set a tangible goal to work towards
This is my biggest tip, so I’m going to put it near the beginning of this article to start us off strong (think of me as your virtual personal trainer and cheerleader). Let me tell you a personal story. In September, my sweaty self did not want to put in any more effort after running a kilometer. That’s because I was running and getting nowhere (literally) and I had nothing tangible I was working towards. Once I signed up for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront five-kilometer race, I became more motivated to ensure that the money would not go to waste and that I would cross that finish line feeling accomplished. Soon, one kilometer became two, which eventually became five. Anytime I wanted to skip a run, I made sure to remind myself why I ran in the first place, because it improved my mental health by leaps and bounds. Find your tangible goal and always remember why you chose to work towards it if you ever feel like giving up. Having something tangible increases motivation, because you either finish it or you don’t.
3. Try to avoid the scale
This is really difficult for most people to do, and it’s very clear why. Society makes us believe that this arbitrary number on a cheap contraption is supposed to define us and how beautiful we are. I’m here to tell you that society could not be more wrong. From a heartfelt perspective, you’re beautiful the way you are and I can genuinely tell you that the person you see today in the mirror is more inspiring than you’ll ever know. That person had the courage to start their journey towards better health, and the person they will turn out to be could not have gotten there if it wasn’t for the person who started it all. From a more scientific perspective, when you work out, you build muscle (depending on what you do). Muscle is more dense than fat, so you could be gaining a few extra pounds but going down a couple of waist sizes. If you only rely on the number on the scale, you’ll feel more unmotivated and be more likely to give up. Use progress photos and your well-being as measurements instead. Can you do more burpees? Do you see some slight bicep definition that wasn’t there a month ago? Do you feel like you have more energy to power through an entire day of pure studying? If you answered yes to any of those, you’re doing something right. Those are things an arbitrary number could never show you. And if you answered yes to the last question, please write an article so I can learn your secrets.
4. Eat healthier at a gradual pace
Sigh. If I could, I would happily chow down eight large Hawaiian pizzas and demolish a bag of Sweet Chili Heat Doritos every single day while going to the gym. But everything about that statement is wrong (besides the part about my pizza preferences, because pineapple on pizza is the best combination ever – fight me). Diet is unfortunately a major factor that impacts our progress towards better health, and the number of empty calories in that second sentence alone is enough to guarantee that my workouts would never pay off, no matter how many miles I ran. If you do a lot of physical activity but don’t match it with a clean diet, you won’t see results and that hard work won’t pay off as much, thus decreasing motivation. However, diet is hard to change, possibly even harder than going to the gym, so start off easy. Start by learning how to cook one healthy meal in a week. Eat three healthy meals in a week, and slowly increase that number. It’s hard to start, but it gets easier. That’s because your palette eventually starts craving whatever it is you’re putting into your body. Schedule cheat days so you have something to look forward to, and slowly increase the time between your cheat days as time goes on.
5. Follow a training plan or guide
A lot of people don’t enjoy going to the gym because they don’t know what to do or how to use certain machines. I mean, are we supposed to just swing some dumbbells around and hope that we get results? Maybe, but I find that having a plan before heading to the gym increases effectiveness way more than if I were to just figure it out there. Lots of YouTubers and fitness influencers have free workout guides and videos you can follow, with people posting their testimonies on how well it worked for them. While you might not necessarily get their results (since everyone has different body types), it gives you something to work towards, knowing that it worked for other people as well. I personally love using the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) from Kayla Itsines.
6. Self-compassion goes a long way
It’s easy to get discouraged. Some of us may eat incredibly healthy for weeks and then suddenly have cravings so intense that we’ll go crazy if we don’t eat a large burger or cheese fries immediately. I want you to know that that’s okay. Compassion and motivation are more interrelated than you think. We’re not machines that can just turn off our old food preferences, and burgers are pretty delicious, so don’t eat something amazing and then guilt-trip yourself for the rest of the week. Just enjoy it while you eat it, and then pick up where you left off and continue your healthy eating habits. Show yourself some love and compassion – this journey was never meant to be straightforward and linear and you were never meant to completely give up everything you love eating. As long as it doesn’t become a frequent habit, you’re fine so don’t stress!
7. Practice consistency
On the other hand, some of us might find it hard to drag ourselves to the gym at times. Maybe we skip some days for personal time, or we’re just too tired to put ourselves through an hour-long cardio session. That’s okay too, we need breaks every now and then so that we can come back stronger. But don’t underestimate the importance of consistency, because that is what gets results. Exercising for thirty minutes every day is more effective than doing two three-hour sessions in two weeks. Even going for a brisk walk is better than you’d think! Rest days are crucial to your fitness journey, and avoiding burnout will benefit your motivation in the long-run.
There’s only a little over a month left until the new year, so let’s end it strong and start off the new year with a healthy mindset! I wish you all the best of luck in your workout endeavours, and no matter what step of the journey you’re at, remember to be proud of yourselves and practice a healthy balance of self-discipline and self-love!