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Staying Motivated
Blog | March 18, 2014
Lack of motivation is something we all deal with from time to time. We may find ourselves struggling with our own willpower whether it’s about diet, exercise or both. Maybe we try to convince ourselves not to work out at the Zgym for a couple of days or maybe we’re overwhelmed with a sudden craving for sugar and lots of it. Add to those common obstacles our busy schedules and it’s easy to see why our motivation for fitness and wellbeing can go down the drain. Obviously, fitness and wellbeing can feel like hard work because it is hard work. More often than not, the things in life that help us grow and prosper are usually the most difficult. Eating an entire bag of chips while watching TV for five hours is easy. Sweating it out at the Zgym, followed by preparing a healthy meal is not so easy, but infinitely more rewarding for your body and your mind. It’s also important to remember that everyone struggles with finding motivation and part of the joy of being human is to be up for the challenge even when it feels like the odds are against us some days or even some weeks. Here are some good rules to remember when motivation is hard to find:
Don’t Be At The Mercy of Expectations
Expectations are a common source of frustration when our goals are not met. This is particularly true when working out. You may have a weight loss goal in mind or maybe you’re trying to finally accomplish a pistol squat. You put in a fair amount of work only to find your goal still out of reach. Instead of getting upset or frustrated, reward yourself for your hard work. You put in the time and the effort. That’s a worthy accomplishment in and of itself. More often than not, most good things in life take a little longer than expected. Set goals, but don’t get bent out of shape when things don’t go as planned. Adapt, move forward and continue to work hard. You’ll be surprised how effective and productive this approach can be.
It’s Not A Chore, It’s A Challenge
Diet and exercise are not always fun or exciting. Sometimes it seems like a chore when we’re tired and our bodies are craving comfort. While it’s necessary to reward ourselves from time to time by indulging here and there, it’s important to view diet and exercise as a challenge that is constantly contributing to our growth as human beings. Competitive athletes often talk about mindset being a key to their success and here at the Zgym it’s no different. Focus on the challenge of fitness and how it’s positively affecting your life with each passing day. Remember, wellbeing is earned not given.
Brick By Brick By Brick
There are a lot of clichés about taking things in steps: “Rome wasn’t built in day,” or “Every journey begins with a single step.” Though we’ve all heard them a hundred times, they still ring true. If you focus too much on large goals and not the specific steps that take you there, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and frustrated. If climbers focus on the size of the mountain rather than the very next step in front of them, they’ll never reach the top.
If you’re feeling frustrated and unmotivated, take heart. Do something simple. Take a walk or meditate to help reestablish your focus. Don’t let yourself fall in the trap of saying you’ll get to it tomorrow. Address the moment and don’t make excuses.
Best,
Zuzka
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Thank you.
Private Member |
Totally timely article. I checked my weight this morning to discover it hasn’t budged in a week. I’ve worked out steadily, eaten great and avoided alcohol for three weeks and my weight hasn’t moved in seven days.
I gave serious thought to spending the day binging on junk and feeling sorry for myself. But then I said, No. Three weeks isn’t nearly long enough. I’ve only just begun. And I’m not after a number here, I’m after a lifestyle.
So here I am, planning today’s workout. Thanks for this article, it just reinforced my determination to not fall off the wagon! 🙂
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Zuzka, thanks a lot for all your workouts and motivated speaches, it really helps keep being positive at the end of tough day!
Working hard, getting good results!
Cheers
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yes!
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka, do you have a list of motivating work out music? I find I move more if music is on. I don’t know a lot of bands.
Thanks,
Christina
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I made a commitment in October of 2013 to workout EVERYDAY. I’ve stuck to it and plan to continue no matter what. The funny thing is that once I got my exercise on track, my diet started to suffer. Still not quite sure how to reign things in on the diet front, but I plan my meals every day and hope to make a commitment to my diet that is as strong as my commitment to exercise. How is your commitment to being a vegetarian going?
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I needed this, thank you so much zuska ive been slacking my workouts this week and i was trying to get my motivation back, I really appreciate your words.
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I love the idea of not being at the mercy of my expectations. This is why I usually don’t count my reps during timed intervals. I know what it feels like when I’m working really hard, and I strive to reach that feeling, rather than getting stuck on constantly beating my past numbers. How many times can you out do yourself before you reach a limit? Counting and tracking can be incredibly useful for a lot of people, especially for those just starting out. I’m more in maintenance mode, so it just ends up being frustrating when I hit my ceiling.
That reminds me, aside from staying motivated, I’m dying to know how others achieve a feeling of progress when in maintenance mode. Zuzka, what do you do to feel a sense of progress, now that you’ve “built Rome”?
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And don’t tell me you haven’t built Rome. You have!!! 🙂
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Thanks Zuzka 🙂 youre an inspiration to me in a special time. My body and mind have crashed into the wall(I have overtrained and overworked for 10 years) and now I started to build myself up again. Slowly. Through anger and disappointments. I Struggle with low energy and pain. Everyday I follow you and day by day I can love myself again a littlebit more :)Just did workout #111 it was fun and hopefully I can do another workout tomorrow.
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I admire your willpower being fit and having healthy diet.One of the most important things is experience of happiness after doing exercises.Thanks for supporting words.
Moni.