We all have those days when we feel good and sometimes even better than excellent.
Those are the days when we feel full of energy, motivation, positivity, life, and ready to take on anything.
In a perfect world, we would be fully optimized at every given moment.
But then reality sets in and we have those days when we feel a certain level of resistance.
It happens to each and every single one of us.
The days when we wake up feeling lazy, sluggish, tired, lacking energy, no motivation, filled with brain fog and just feeling “over it”.
These kind of days can be detrimental to our gym motivation (if we let it).
That’s why it’s important to set yourself up for success when these days arrive because they inevitably will.
So If you need motivation to workout, I’m going to go over 5 powerful ways to help you get moving.
Set Goals – The Blueprint to Your Destination.
Think of setting goals as having a blueprint for a house that needs to be built and you are the architect.
But in this case, your “house” is your body.
What do you think is better, going aimlessly and trying to guess how you are going to see the end result or coming up with a game plan and executing it?
Ultimately, our decisions shape our destiny and by setting a goal, we can not only KNOW what we want but also DO what we have to do to get there and keep track of our progress along the way.
So on the days when you might not feel like working out, you can still keep your goal in mind and even look at the progress you’ve made so far.
Having a clear understanding of what you want is very crucial because you know you will make a way to get it.
You can even take progress pictures so you can see what differences you are making.
You should also track how much you are lifting as well as sets and reps so you can try to break your own personal record by progressively overloading over time.
Progress is what keeps us motivated. It’s a way to see and know we are moving forward so designing a blueprint is a must.
When you feel like you haven’t gotten far, just take a step back and see how far you’ve come and you’ll see that you’ve made some progress after all.
Those small little victories along the journey make a huge difference and they are worth celebrating.
Remember Your “Why”.
I’m sure you’ve heard this one before. But it’s a very solid pillar to your success.
When you are feeling down or drained, just remember why you started. Think back to when you made that decision to make a change in your life.
Maybe it was to lose weight or put on some muscle mass. Or maybe it was just to get in shape overall and live a healthier lifestyle.
Whatever the case may be, think about the changes you want and how it would be once you get there.
What kind of person would you become?
Keep in mind also the things that you don’t want and what could become a result if you don’t get started.
Turn your “should” into a “must”.
I’m sure you have your reasons as to why you made the decision to work out.
Keep that in mind or even write them down somewhere maybe in a journal or sticky note and keep them close by to remind yourself and hold yourself to it.
Have Accountability.
A lot of times we try to do things on our own without realizing the power of having accountability.
Having someone like a friend or coach to push you through the process when your’e lacking motivation can really go a long way.
That person can be there to not only help you through your workouts but they can also keep you in check outside of the gym.
You also being able to motivate that person when they too are feeling down can bring you a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
It’s great to be self-motivated but having a like-minded person or two can be even better.
When there is unity there is real strength.
Even if they aren’t with you physically, it doesn’t mean you can’t find some people to motivate you whether it’s joining a forum or some kind of online community.
Start following like minded people on social media and don’t be afraid to stimulate some conversation or ask questions.
Your goals that you set will also keep you accountable so don’t only go to the gym when you feel like it.
Get Enough Rest.
For most of us, this might seem a little far-fetched.
We often have a lot going on in our lives like work, family, chores, walking the dog, responding to emails, and many other responsibilities that can bring stress and affect our sleep time.
But rest is actually very critical for our overall optimal health and we have to make an effort to put it on our priority list.
As obvious as it may seem, without enough rest our bodies simply aren’t fully charged.
Sleep is an opportunity for our bodies to recover from the wear and tear that happens to our muscles during exercise.
When we get enough quality rest, that’s when the muscle growth really takes place as more growth hormone is being produced.
There are so many benefits to getting good quality sleep. Here a some just to name a few:
- Stronger immune system.
- Better brain function and alertness.
- Reduced stress and anxiety.
- Better physical performance.
Those are just a few examples of how powerful quality rest can be.
We just have to make certain adjustments to assure that we create the time for it because ultimately better rest will boost our moods and overall functioning.
Develop Effective Habits.
When we develop habits, whether good or bad, they grow stronger overtime and become a part of our daily patterns.
Sometimes we have certain habits that we may not want but we do them anyway because it brings some kind of instant gratification.
We have to replace those bad habits with good ones.
Ones that will be very effective and beneficial for us not only just on the days when we fell good but even on the “bad” days when our motivation is down to zero.
Habits are automatic and will definitely help us get through to reach our goals as long as they are developed that way.
Almost half of what we do on a daily basis are habits.
Think about that for second. That’s a very powerful fact!
Imagine creating the habit of going to the gym every day and eating healthier.
How much would your life would change?
I think you’d be paving the road to some incredible results.
What’s it gonna be?
Feelings come and go but decisions last forever.
Just to recap, I mentioned 5 powerful tips to help motivate you to workout:
Goal setting, remembering your “why”, having accountability, getting enough rest, and developing effective habits.
All these are very powerful tools and ways to get you going when you need motivation to workout.
But here’s a bonus tip: TAKE ACTION!
None of what I mentioned above can be materialized unless you take massive action.
So you just have to make sure that you put things into motion.
Start off with simple steps and get some momentum going.
One foot in front of the other.
Remember, you’re one decision away from living a totally different life!