Thursday 13 November 2014

Workout motivation for when the going gets tough

I work out to make myself feel good. It calms my mood which can often be tense and its a great way of getting rid of some of my pent up frustrations about being unable to achieve the 101 things I unrealistically set myself to do on a daily basis.




It also makes me feel like I'm part of a club. United in some unspoken bond with all the other women in the gym doing more than just cardio. 

I work out in the mornings mostly. It's something I started doing following advice from a friend as we skived the gym and drank ourselves silly on a Thursday night. She told me that she works out in the morning because its the only time she can commit to for herself and she was so right. The morning is a sacred time where there are no expectations as most people are snoozing away whilst we're out pounding the pavement or lunging out and I have learnt to love it; to enjoy those precious few hours where I don't actually have to speak to anyone but can just spend time by myself working out all the kinks that need my attention and making a difference to my body too. 


Images courtesy of Pinterest 

It is hard though, getting up pre-six am and lacing up my trainers. And I can feel it's about to get a whole lot harder as the mornings get darker and colder. I've been doing this for the past 10 months and I'm glad that it's become habit but I know I need to get new motivation to keep going. I've started to wain ever so slightly so I know I need to re-focus and re-dedicate; after all my next 'treat' is just around the corner and I've got my sights set on some new jeans, so here are my top tips for being able to beat the winter blues and keep fighting fit.

1. Get yourself a schedule and stick to it. I work out in the morning because I love being able to enjoy my evenings and it allows me to do that.
2. Mix up your workouts. There is nothing worse that doing the same thing day in and day out and if you get bored, you're more likely to not go.
3. Use Pinterest to keep you motivated. I find loads of inspiration on a daily basis on my way to the gym to get me pumped and excited for my workout.
4. Have a goal/treat in mind. Whether its holiday, dress size or just being able to get a certain amount of reps or workouts in during the week.
5. Enjoy your workout gear. I have my orange trainers that I love lacing up. They symbolise success for me and remind me of how far I've come, but beyond that I love having something bright and colourful to get me inspired.
6. Workout with a friend. I started working out with Pip before and after work, even though we don't have the same routine or don't spend any time chatting, seeing her smile and wave at me whilst I'm sweating it out on the treadmill and she hops onto the rower just makes you feel like you're in it together.
7. Remember to not throw the baby out with the bath water. If you have a crappy day, it's OK. No big change is going to appear over night, just re-dedicate and prepare yourself for tomorrow. Don't let a bad day turn into a bad week.
8. Take care with what you eat! This is my biggest issue, I started out really well, controlling my food and watching what I ate made the biggest difference to my weight loss. Now hear me when I say this, it's not a one way street, you can't just do one or the other and expect to get the best results. You need to do them both, just like a pair of legs, both need to be moving in order to get you to your destination quickly.

So I'll see you in the gym tomorrow morning?

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