Easy Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

As humans, we are usually excited and motivated when we set goals that can improve our health and make us look better.

But after some time, our drive to work on these goals we have set gradually fizzle out. Individuals who have tried losing weight in the past can attest to this.

Well, the good news is that there are some easy but effective ways to keep yourself motivatedtoexercise and eat right.

We will be looking at a couple of them in this article.

Before we dive right into the core of this article, there is something you should know.

The importance of taking the first step

Have you made elaborate plans in the past to follow a diet or workout program but didn’t follow through? Is it difficult for you to start new things or build new habits? If yes, it is going to be very difficult for you to build your dream body.

People who tried losing weight and failed can go back to the drawing board and re-strategize. On the other hand, people who don’t try at all will never know what they are capable of.

Always remember that it is better to try and fail than not to try at all.

Take a step back

Have you tried losing weight in the past? If yes, think deeply about the challenges that hindered your progress and ultimately madeyou quit.

Ignore this, and you are likelygoingtorepeat the cycle again.

Brainstorming what went wrong will increase your odds of success the next time you try losing weight (1).

Below are some possible reasons why many people give up on their weight loss goals:

• Their diet is too strict (2).
• They felt they were deprived of their favorite foods.
• Their workout was too intense.
• They became too busy to prepare healthy meals and exercise.

Make your own list and think about ways to get around the issues that made you quit in the past.

If your workout was too intense, then start with something simple you enjoy and can keep up with it. If you are busy, then reduce the duration of your workout.

Keep making small changes until you figure out what works for you.

Stop waiting for a miracle

Things aren’t going to magically improve for the better if you don’t take massive action.

Weight loss has never been easy, and it probably never will (3).

If you are waiting for the perfect time to start your weight loss program, you are never going to start, as things are never going to be perfect.

Something is always going to arise that will set you back, make you less motivated, or even hinder your weight loss efforts.

If you have been working out for a while, but aren’t seeing the results you desire, don’t become frustrated and give up on your goals. Keep pushing.

As you likely know, there are no shortcuts to permanent weight loss. So, do your best to make each day count. You are going to wake up to a healthy and fit body someday.

How to keep yourself motivated to work on your fitness goals

Join a support group

Truth be told, not everybody can achieve their fitness goals on their own.

If you need help, join a fitness group in your area (4). They will be there when you aren’t motivated to exercise.

One study shows that joining a support group can make one more accountable and even stir up healthy competition (5).

Feel free to join an online support group if you are too busy finding a fitness support group in your area.

Before joining a group, it is wise that you do a little research to learn if they are credible and active.

Mix things up

See, you don’t have to stick to a particular diet or workout to achieve your weight loss goals.

If you are like most people, you are likely going to become bored if you follow a particular workout program for a long time.   

You can keep things interesting by trying out different exercises and eating different healthy foods.

If you can do this, you are always going to be looking forward to your next workout. What’s more, you will be able to achieve your fitness goals quicker.

So, step out of your comfort zone and try out new things.

Surround yourself with positive people

Many people eventually fail to achieve their fitness goals because of the type of people they hang out with (6).

For example, if you are looking to reduce your tummy size, and you associate with people eat loads of unhealthy foods, it will be difficult for you to reach your weight loss goals.

Because you don’t want to be the odd one in the group, you will make a few compromises that will sabotage your weight loss efforts (7) (8) (9).

The bottom line here is that you should choose your company wisely.

Follow a diet you can keep up with

As previously mentioned, you don’t have to do what everybody else is doing to lose weight.

Always remember that a diet that worked out for your friend may not work for you.

So if you can’t keep up with your present diet or just don’t like it, then you have to go back to the drawing board and put together one you can follow.

Having the all or nothing mentality or feeling that you have to follow your weight loss diet flawlessly to lose weight isn’t going to do you any good. (10).

Your goal should be to follow a healthy diet that you love and make you look forward to your next meal.

Things you should stop doing if you are really serious about losing weight

Waiting until you are motivated to workout

See, you are not always going to feel motivated to take steps that will help you achieve your fitness goals. There are going to be days when you just don’t feel like getting out of bed and going to the gym or preparing something healthy to eat.

On days like that, you have to dig deep and discipline yourself to do the right thing.

Below are a few things you can do when you don’t feel like working out.  

Reward

Make plans to reward yourself with something healthy if you eat right or exercise when you don’t feel like doing it.

Re-evaluate your workout or diet

If thinking about your workout or diet sends chills down your spine, it is probably not right for you (11) (12). You should make out time to change it to something you can keep up with.

Think about your goal

Think about the benefit, or how you will look and feel if you keep working on your goal will motivate you to keep pushing even when you are not motivated.

Pushing yourself too hard

Many people have the notion that they have to push themselves to the limit and beyond to lose weight.

While there is some truth in this, you need to keep in mind that pushing yourself too hard may wear you out. Even worse, it will make you start seeing your workout routine as a chore or punishment.

In the end, you are going to burn out or even injure yourself.

Below are some things you should do instead of pushing yourself too hard.

Start small

If you are new to working out, start with the basics, and work your way up. Resist the urge to bite more than you can chew. If you missed a workout yesterday, don’t overwork yourself today to make up for the exercise you missed yesterday.

Instead, focus on the workout you have for today and do whatever you can so that you don’t miss a work out in the future.

Hire a personal trainer

If you are having problems training on your own or don’t know if your exercise is too intense or not, you should consider hiring a personal trainer. Trainers have the skill and experience to help you achieve your fitness goals.

If you are on a tight budget and can’t hire a personal trainer, you may have to do extensive research so that you can figure things out on your own.

The bottom line in keeping yourself motivated to achieve your fitness goals

Your weight loss journey isn’t going to be linear and problem-free.

A few challenges are going to spring up along the way that will derail you from your goals and drain your motivation.

Don’t give up when these challenges eventually come, rather work hard to scale through them.

Always remember that you have the freedom to mix things up and explore new things. So, you don’t have to keep following a diet or exercise plan if you don’t like it.

If you hit a roadblock, seek professional help or join a reputable support group with active members. They will be glad to help you address your issue.