How to keep your fitness motivation
Motivation isn’t something you discover one day and suddenly & permanently have. It is something that requires constant stimulus- I like to inappropriately call this poking or prodding. Without a good poke or prod, we easily end up back on Mehsville where we are simply ok, cruising along but inherently tasteless, bland, bored. This happens with our fitness routine, our relationships, our social life, and our careers. Change is necessary to bring about motivation. I’ve compiled 10 simple strategies you can use to keep your fitness motivation (plus added a few bonus ones in because why keep it to ‘nice’ numbers all the time aye).
1. Dance
There is ALWAYS a reason to dance. When you feel like there is no reason that is when you need to dance the most. Top musical playlists to inspire a dance move breakout are Dance Rewind & Massive Dance Classics by Spotify.
2. Take a class instead of doing gym workouts
Sometimes you need to break the routine to keep the motivation going so instead of hitting the gym why not take a class? I’m not talking a class at the gym I’m talking a Latin dance class, surfing lessons, aerial yoga, or group military fitness class with people you have never met. Bring some fun-loving aspect to your fitness. One of my favorites was North Face’s workouts in Covent Garden in London. You can participate in free & meet so many people.
3. Get outside & workout
Working inside helps when it is hot which let’s face it, that’s often in Australia, but working outside allows us to be more mindful and challenge ourselves. Often we workout on treadmills forgetting that hitting the sidewalk is where the real work gets done. You also meet other likeminded people if you are willing to get outside of your comfort zone. I love working out at the beach. Below are a few moves from one of my workouts that usually come after several runs of the beach stairs!
4. Make slight changes etc workout barefoot
Now first of all I must say that I am NOT an advocate for people lifting weights in socks or bare feet. I still believe that proper ankle support is best. However, lots of functional movement without adding weights can be done barefoot without causing harm to your body or stinking up your local gym with foot stench
5. Change your exercises
I am the first to admit that I get bored with the same exercises. However, I know that my trainer Henry (yes I use the resident Trainer myself, why wouldn’t I use who I employ?) crafts workouts that help to improve my metabolism & get results faster in the areas I’m targetting. So whilst my weights program doesn’t change until I’ve mastered the core workouts he has provided I can change my cardio up as much as I like and this freedom will only positively affect the results I’m getting in the weights room.
6. Change the time (or length) you exercise for
Similar to changing from gym workouts to classes, variety IS the spice of life & the motivation blood life of your fitness routine. You may find that working out at the same time doesn’t make you jump out of bed or inspire you to watch your favorite show on your own time on 7play. So why not change it up? It’s worthwhile also noting that time plays a major role in the results you can expect to experience from a workout. As your fitness increases you should not be working out for the same time at the same intensity if you are you are detraining yourself- you should eat a bag of chips instead or simply stay at home. If you recover quickly change the rest periods you have or the entire time you workout for. It is likely you are not demotivated because you don’t like your fitness but rather that you’ve hit a plateau and your body needs a challenge.
7. Record your workouts and log them online to keep yourself accountable.
Do you think every post on social media related to fitness is for people to boast about their efforts? Don’t get me wrong-a lot of them are about this however I personally use my online check-ins for personal accountability. It’s particularly helpful if I’m having a rocky few days and I’m lacking motivation (yes that happens to me also) because I can look back and my week and see that every day I have committed to my workouts. It’s the same as taking food photographs actually. Each of my food photographs is a simple food journal that requires no writing at all because guess what? Your iPhone already date stamps them!
8. Eat well, meal plan- it will make everything else seem less difficult and you'll have more time for time with loved ones, self-care, hobbies & workouts…you’ll also have more money!
Many people hate meal planning snubbing their nose to it as if only vegans, people with 3 food allergies, or intense fitness fanatics partake in the practice but the reality is meal planning is the last thing people should snub. First, it saves you a TONNE of money. Think of this: got to Subway and by a $13 sub & drink or go and make a meal that serves 4/5 people (or you 4 to 5 times). Now which person is going to have more money & still have their health at the end of the year? The meal planner, it’s that simple. You don’t need fancy containers for it, you just need plastic containers that can be used a few times (obviously long-life containers are better than short term use plastic containers). Some people don’t like meal planning because they learn that one day a week you cook all of your meals. ‘I don’t have the time’. This always baffles me because instead of cooking for say 4 hours on a Sunday they cook for 1 hour approximately every night they come home from a long day of work/after doing 16hours in their business. More often than not in these situations, it turns into a convenience meal that isn’t healthy. Meal planning is perfect for this because you create your own convenience meals with nutritional goodness. I’m still like a child on Christmas Day when I’ve finished a hard day’s work and I go to the fridge/freezer to find my dinner waiting for me.
9. Take the stairs
If you are like me you want great legs & a firm booty. The best place to get these is the stairs. Now years ago when I was training for Everest I ran 12km of stairs every 3 days. It was hell during it but bliss afterward. I still love running stairs. Stairs don’t ask for a gym membership they are simply standing there ready to help you take your legs & glutes to the next level. Watch out Beyonce buns of steel are about to give you competition!
10. Exercise at work when you can.
‘I don’t have time to exercise’. Let’s just say it now= everyone has said this. I’ve even said this preparing for a big launch. When you hear yourself say this you need to simply say ‘I call bull!’ You have time to workout, you have the same time now as you did as a 14year old, the time hasn’t changed priorities have. Now you may be thinking ‘but Jules I have far more responsibility than a 14year old’ well yes of course you do but just like 14 years old you didn’t have to do everything neither do you. Prioritize. Work will always exist, in fact, you’ll spend 60-70% of your life at it, so it isn’t going anywhere. You can either be healthy during that 70% or unhealthy and try like hell during the 30% to make up for the 70% you are on your tooth. Simple maths says even if you worked your ass off in the 30% of your leftover time, had no relationships, no further commitments other than just the gym, etc you cannot combat bad habits or being sedentary 70% of the time so you need to exercise at work. What does this look like? Taking the stairs, not taking short cuts to your desk, actually doing a workout on your lunch break, using your ergonomic breaks to do squats, lunges, and other compound exercises, making sure each day you get in your 10,000 steps minimum- you can even compete with your work colleagues!
11. Buy simple home gym equipment
Kmart, Big W, and even Aldi are amazing fitness resources. You honestly don’t have to go to the sporting stores to get some really simple yet effective home gym equipment pieces that can help you to work out when you don’t feel like going to the gym. My personal favorites are the yoga mat, dumbbells (choose a weight that is right for you), a foam roller, resistance bands & a sand weight. All of these items can have multiple uses for all areas of the body & take up minimal space in any house or apartment. In total, you could get all of these things for no more than $45. If you find yourself feeling self-conscious at the gym sometimes (or all the time) start here. It will also help when you meet a trainer (or even if you use our trainer Henry) as they can give you specific exercises for this equipment that you have enabling you to do to more than just bodyweight exercises.
12. Set workout reminders on your calendar
This is something I tried out to see if I like it or not and personally I am in love with it. I decided to use my calendar on my mobile phone to set reminders every day at 10 am and 8 pm that say ‘Have you worked out yet?’ When I see this all I do is answer it. If I know I haven’t yet then I’m instantly held accountable by myself and I get to work if I have already completed a workout I’m left with a smile from ear to ear. If I’m lazing on the couch, still with energy and bored with the 18th time Pretty Woman has been showing on Channel 7 in the past 3 weeks then I see my 8 pm reminder & I go to a second workout for the day with my home gym equipment. It is honestly brilliant!
13. Make your goal visible to yourself.
It might be on your phone, in your bedroom, in your bathroom, car; wherever you choose to put it make your goal explicit, visible, and motivating. This means (ladies please hear this loud and clear) that you quite possibly do not want a photo of some tiny woman in size 10 attire with 6 pack abs while you are a size 14 as you may internalize her achievement as something that is easy to come by and it is not. Instead have photos of yourself at a time where you felt more comfortable with your body or put the size down that you’d like to be or the number of centimeters you’d like to lose or photos of the brands/types of clothing you want to wear when you reach your goal weight. If your goals are not about losing weight GREAT! Then have a visible image/phrase about what that goal means to you eg: My inner strength and outer strength are perfectly matched!
14. Get an accountability partner
Sometimes we get in our own way so much that we need someone who is our friend and support crew to get us out of our own head. An accountability partner who is AHEAD of you can do just that. They can show you where you can be at, stop you from self-loathing, and encourage you simply by being their motivational self.
Now this is where we can help you.
From January 7 to February 7 2019 Henry & I are providing ourselves to you as accountability partners for a confidence challenge called Fit Happens. Fit Happens will help inspire you to stay motivated towards your fitness goals as well as develop your body confidence and your mindset so that you can maintain your motivation & confidence beyond the challenge.
From now until January 2 you get amazing bonuses valued at over $300 when you sign up for the challenge!
What you get in the challenge:
A tailor-made fitness program designed to your lifestyle, needs & equipment access
Tailor-made nutrition plan
4hrs of mindset coaching (1hr/week)
6day/week access to your coach & personal trainer
Mobile app access (so you can do your program anywhere in the world)
The bonuses you’ll receive:
A 90x Goal Planner valued at $34USD
1hr intensive coaching call with Julia so you can dive deep into the mindset blocks holding you back from success with fitness or life, valued at $320AUD
A 30-minute intensive call with Henry so you can learn how to maintain your results well beyond the challenge, valued at $160AUD
An invitation to our client appreciation night held in Sydney, Australia
INTERESTED? CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO SECURE YOUR SPOT! IF YOU LOVE THE BONUSES HURRY AS THEY RUN OUT ON JANUARY 2 2019!