If you are reading this, chances are you are a fitness addict. You live to workout and you workout to live. You probably sit at work counting down the hours until it is time to head to the gym. Non-fitness addicts don’t understand your dedication and may sometimes even call it an obsession.
However, even as dedicated as you may be, it is normal to go through slumps or feel unmotivated for small periods of time. This feeling happens to everyone and it is also your body telling you that it wants you to change things up! Don’t take this brief lack of motivation as a sign of something negative. Instead, use it to harness something good.
There are times of year where you may feel this lack of motivation more than others. When you reflect and recognize your patterns, it is important to put in the extra effort to stay focused on your goals. Here is what you can do to stay motivated during this time:
1. Set a different goal: You have certain long-term goals you want to meet. During an unmotivated period, you want to set a new, short-term goal. A short-term goal is one that you can progress in quickly. This keeps you wanting to go back to the gym to practice on a daily basis.
2. Find a buddy: Identify a person who will keep you accountable. On those particularly tough days, your buddy should reach out and make sure you block out a time to work out. If you miss more than one day, your buddy should push you to get moving.
3. Change up when you go: Change up your routine and attend the gym at a different time. If you are an evening athlete, go early in the morning or vice versa. The excitement of a new time and breaking the routine will encourage your motivation.
Even the most dedicated athletes need a change to their routine to maintain that internal motivation. Figure out what drives you and harness that to ensure that you are still working towards your goals!
In health,
Coach Chris