How to stay on top of your fitness – even when motivation drops

Maybe you want to feel better, look better or just be fitter to keep up with a young family. And at the same time your progress towards that goal seems to come in fits and starts.

You do a bit more exercise and feel a bit better. Then get busy, distracted, or perhaps lose motivation and drop back to old habits.

The result can often mean limited progress, a body you’re not particularly happy with and a general sense of failure that you could really do without.

No one is motivated 100% of the time

First it’s worth acknowledging ups and downs in motivation happen to everyone. And it’s totally normal.

But if you don’t take the right approach those ups and downs in motivation can really impact your chances of transforming your body, health and fitness.

So I want to address staying motivated. How to eat well, move more often and just live a healthier lifestyle, even when you’re not feeling it.

First you need a goal

I love playing tennis. And a few years back I really wanted to be better.

I knew that to be better I needed to play regularly.

But sometimes I just couldn’t be bothered.

As a result, months would pass, and before I know I’d be right back to beginner level. Which made it really frustrating when I did play – because I sucked, and knew I could be better.

So I applied one of the secrets I’d learned about staying in shape to my tennis.

I made a commitment and entered the Leeds league.

This meant that every week, for 12 week blocks, I was expected to play at least one match per week.

And something magic happened.

Even though some weeks I didn’t feel like playing I still did. Because I’d made the commitment in advance. 

And the result of committing to weekly tennis?

I started off in the 5th division (of 5). And over the last 2 years, due to consistent play I’ve managed to work my way up to be in and around the 2nd division.

If it’s important, make a commitment

The beauty of this approach? You can apply the same strategy to your fitness, and transforming your body too.

Maybe you’re wanting to…

• Stay fit to keep up with a young family
• Improve your health to reduce or avoid medication
• Lose weight and change your appearance

Whatever your goals know that motivation is absolutely going to come and go.

So when you’re feeling even the slightest bit of motivation – make a commitment.

Committing to a person is best

Now, ideally that commitment needs to be to a person, rather than committing to a ‘thing’.

For example, if you struggle with motivation to exercise you’ll be better off committing to a personal trainer, rather than to a gym membership.

Just because if you’re not one of the 3 people I know who really loves exercise for the sake of exercising a gym membership will likely just go to waste.

The stakes are too low and we generally don’t care too much about letting ourselves down.

But when there’s someone else involved then the stakes are higher.

Make sure your commitment involves another person (or a group of people).

A few examples;

• Rally a group of colleagues at work and commit to getting out of the office for 20 mins at lunch (I see a group of guys walking along the canal to the local sandwich shop most days)
• Find a running buddy and commit to doing a Park Run together each week
• Hire a personal trainer for a few months and set up weekly appointments to get you into the swing

In any case, set up what you’re going to do in advance. Then make it a solid commitment by involving someone else.

That way when motivation drops (which it will) the commitments you’ve made will help see you through.

Need help staying motivated?

If you’ve struggled with ups and downs in motivation in the past and aren’t seeing consistent improvements with your health, weight or fitness then we’d love to help. Give us a call on 07766 808553 or Click Here to Request a complimentary consultation (worth £75) and let’s get your health and fitness back on track.

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