Motivational Mondays: How to Start and Stay Motivated in 2013

From WebMD

Be Realistic

First-time exercisers often set unrealistic goals that are too ambitious for beginners. Gerald Endress, fitness director of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C. says, “They want to go for maximal goals, but they tend to get overwhelmed.”

So don’t start off trying to work out an hour every day. Instead, set more reasonable, achievable goals, like exercising 20 to 30 minutes two or three times a week.

Keep Track of Your Progress

Remember to chart your progress, whether it’s with a high-tech online tracker or an old-school fitness journal. Seeing incremental improvements, whether it’s improved time, increased reps, or greater frequency of workouts, can boost your exercise motivation.

Don’t Expect Perfection

Another pitfall is all-or-nothing thinking, a perfectionist way of looking at life that leads to giving up when you miss a day or two or your workout doesn’t go well. Endress says if you accept that there will be some sidesteps on your fitness journey, you’ll be better prepared mentally to deal with setbacks.

Expect that you’ll get sick from time to time, and be psychologically prepared to miss a few days of exercise when that happens. Don’t let it be an excuse for giving up. “From then on, many people say, ‘I can’t exercise,'” Endress says. “But there’s always a way to exercise.”

To keep injuries from sidelining you, do your best to prevent them by warming up, cooling down, stretching properly, and not doing too much too soon.

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

We’ve all seen those toned, fatless specimens who strut through the gym in their Barbie-sized shorts and sports bras.

Don’t compare yourself to them, Endress says. Forget about them. Forgive them. But do not let them deter you from your goal.

Get Support

Enlist the help of your spouse, girlfriends, boyfriends, buddies — anyone who will encourage you to stay on track.

“The person should be in support, but not say, ‘Why can’t you? It’s so easy,'” says Sottovia. If helpful reassurance turns into criticism, gently remind your pal that you don’t need nagging.

If you need additional help, hire a trainer, she advises.

Find the Fun In It

Sottovia and Endress both say it’s essential to find an activity you like. With an explosion in the number and types of fitness classes at most gyms, it has become easier to find something to appeal to you, from aerobics to Zumba.

If you’re not the gym type, walk around your neighborhood or try activities around the house, such as walking up and down stairs or dancing with the stars in your living room. If you’re motivated by being social, follow Geiger’s lead and join a team.

Break It Up

You can make it easier on yourself by splitting your exercise session into two or three sessions, says Endress. Research supports the idea that this can be as beneficial as one long workout, he says.

So, for example, if you don’t feel like exercising for an hour on any given day, do three sessions of 20 minutes each.

Make It Convenient

Do whatever you can to remove obstacles to exercise, and make it as convenient as possible, says Sottovia.

If you are time-pressed, for example, don’t spend 30 minutes driving to a gym. Try exercising at home to fitness DVDs instead. If you’re too tired to work out at the end of the day, set your alarm a little earlier and exercise in the morning.

Forget the Past

Don’t let previous bad experiences with exercise hinder you, Sottovia says.

So maybe you weren’t the most athletic kid in high school and were the last chosen for class games. That was years ago. Your goal now is not to win a letter jacket or make the cheerleading squad — you want to exercise to stay healthy and enjoy your life.

Reward Yourself

Treat yourself for making the effort to exercise — not with food, but with something that you enjoy, like a movie or flowers, says Endress

Try to think of indulgences that will reinforce a mind-body connection so you can savor the rewards of your hard work. Plan a short trip, or just an hour in a botanical garden. Go to a ball game. And remind yourself with each precious moment that you are enjoying this time because of all the great things you have been doing for yourself.

Motivational Monday: Attitude and Gratitude

I saw a post on She’s Losing It about ways to get into better shape now and one of her tips was to keep a Gratitude Journal. From Wiki:

A gratitude journal is a diary of things for which one is grateful. Gratitude journals are used by individuals who wish to focus their attention on the positive things in their lives. In a 2005 study concerning gratitude, participants were randomly assigned to one of six therapeutic intervention conditions designed to improve the participant’s overall quality of life (Seligman et al., 2005).Out of the six conditions, the longest lasting effects were caused by the act of writing “gratitude journals” where participants were asked to write down three things they were grateful for every day. These participants’ happiness scores also increased and continued to increase each time they were tested periodically after the experiment; the greatest benefits were usually found to occur around six months after treatment began. This exercise was so successful that although participants were only asked to continue the journal for a week, many participants continued to keep the journal long after the study was over.

I think it’s a great tip. I have been feeling a little depressed and sad, and fat (LOL) so I am devoting a few minutes each night to write down the things I’m grateful for. I keep track of it in my spiritual journal (it’s my journal that I do my bible studies, prayers, inspirational quotes and all things positive in). I hate that I forget, but I know things could always be worse and I am a very lucky person.

Motivational Monday

Fitorbit Trial: Online Personal Training

Today is the first day of my Fitorbit Personal Training. It’s an online based training. You get matched to a Fitorbit training expert based on your personality and goals. Your trainer will work with you to create an interactive fitness plan filled with personalized workouts and meals that easily fit into your busy schedule. Your trainer will monitor your progress, answer any questions that come up during the day, and give you motivation and feedback to help you stay on track to slim down and tighten up.

I chose to go with a woman who seems likes she’s on it when it comes to fitness and body building, which is what I want to achieve. Her name is Terri West (in the picture). She shot me over a plan yesterday, and I am currently following it somewhat (I haven’t gone shopping for the week yet, I will tonight). I will also try out her workouts, and today’s it back and chest, which I am excited about. I don’t like the fact that it doesn’t seem very personalized at all, it seems computer generated. However, I will try it and see how things go. My trial ends September 4th, so if I lose the last 7 pounds in my goal, I’ll be happy. If she can motivate me after that time period, I may try it for a few more months. We will see 🙂

I am also doing a 30 day plank challenge. It started yesterday and everyday I hold my plank for a little longer. On day 30 I would like to be at 2 minutes. I am currently at 1:02.1 Wish me luck!

 

Are any of you guys currently doing a fitness challenge? How is it going?

Volleyball Body: Women’s Olympic Team

OMG! Why are they so fit? I generally don’t watch sports, but I love gymnastics and volleyball during the Olympics. Partially because I have body envy. I am excited to watch it  (even if I forget I have it set to record as well 😉 ).

LOOK AT THEM! Jealous!