If New Year’s didn’t inspire you, maybe the Winter Olympics have. If you are like most of us, motivation seems to come and go. It is hard to stay motivated all of the time, no matter what your goals are. This is especially true when it comes to our health and fitness goals. Sometimes watching an exciting Olympic event or seeing the chiseled physique of an athlete can motivate us to get back into the game.
Whether that means losing a few pounds or rebuilding some lost muscle, when motivation is high it is easy to get to the gym.
But when that motivation fades, getting to the gym and working out can be just about the farthest thing from our minds. At times like that, it seems like just about everything else is more important. There is work to do, there are family obligations to attend to, dinner and drinks to have and lots of television shows to watch.
It has been said that when you are interested in something you do it when you feel like it, but when you are committed to something you do it no matter what. If you are serious about getting back into shape, you have to be committed to it and not just interested in it. Make the commitment to yourself that you will do whatever it takes.
Determine what it will take to achieve the goal that you have in mind. For example, if your goal is to lose fifteen pounds you must figure out how many days per week you are going to have to exercise to achieve that goal and what kind of other changes to your lifestyle you will have to make. How will you change your diet? What type of exercise will you do? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, consult with a fitness professional to help you determine exactly what you need to do and how long it will take to achieve your goals.
Once you have determined what you will need to do, schedule those workouts in your calendar like a work appointment.
These are not optional. Do not say things like “I’m going to try to go to the gym three times a week.” Say “I am going to go to the gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6 p.m.” Be definite.
Plan your workouts ahead of time and do not leave the gym until you have completed what you planned to do. It is not enough to just “Go to the gym,” you have to know exactly what you will do when you get there, otherwise you will just do whatever you feel like doing and that won’t be enough. The same goes for your eating plan. Plan your meals ahead of time, before you are hungry, and stick to your plan. Don’t leave your daily diet up to your whims and your appetite.
If there is any secret to getting into shape this is it. Set a very specific goal, be definite in your plans of how you will achieve it and stick to your commitments. Remember, whether you believe that you can or that you can’t, you are right. Fitness Together Miami is located at 5829 SW 73 St., Suite 2 in South Miami. For more information, call 305-665- 3694, or go online at:
www.fitnesstogethermiami.com or email at: scottbaumann@fitnesstogether.com Scott Baumann is the co-owner of Fitness Together in South Miami. “Where excellence in personal training meets privacy and luxury.”
