The secret to transforming your body from where it is now to what you want it to look like in the future is to find out what motivates you.
We are all motivated to do something we like – whether it’s traveling, getting fit, hanging out with friends, playing sports, spending time with family, becoming more spiritual, or whatever. As Sylvester Stallone wrote in his book (A Million to One Shot). . . “Inside each of us is the person we want to be. Others might not realize but … it’s in there”.
I bet on Christmas morning you don’t have to wake the kids. They are so excited to find out what Santa brought them that they will jump out of bed by 6:00 o’clock without your prodding. Any other morning it takes yelling at them at least five times before they respond.
What does Santa have in his bag of gifts for you today? What excites you? What motivates you to take action . . . especially in the mornings? Is it an it an illness or an exercise prescription from your doctor, or maybe you want to look good for your vacation coming up in 3 months. There is something that stirs your spirit.
Whatever it is that gets you excited to take action, it has to be strong enough to cause you to schedule time for it, interact with those who are doing it, set goals – like losing 2 pounds each week for six months. In other words, you must embrace it. It must motivate often enough to make adjustments in your daily life.
Here are 6 motivators to get you going today
- Workout partner
At the top of the list is getting a good workout partner. That’s someone who is in similar physical condition as you and has similar goals. They will encourage when you don’t feel like exercising. They are a positive influence on you. Of course, the same holds true in reverse. You must be a motivator for your workout partner when they need encouraging.
Your partner will be a huge boost to your overall fitness program. They will help you get the most benefits from your efforts.
It’s easy to find a partner. You can join a meetup group in your neighborhood. Find one at meetup.com, or ask your trainer to make recommendations or reach out to friends. I find that being in a gym will give you more opportunities to meet people of similar goals. Join up with them. It doesn’t have to last forever. It could be for a period of time – a month or two.
I personally had two and sometimes three good partners who helped me to reach a level of fitness I would not have realized by myself. I urge you to get at least one.
- Goal setting
Set realistic goals – far-reaching ones as well as near-term. What do I hope to accomplish by starting a workout program? How much weight can I lose in a week? or Can I do one more lap in the pool today?
By setting goals you give yourself a target to aim for.
Be specific with your goals. Don’t make vague plans such as ‘I want to be stronger’ or ‘I want to lose weight’. Come up with real numbers; write them down and keep them posted in a prominent location.
- Track you progress
Progress is one of my motivating factors. When I go to the gym and can consistently lift heavier weights than I did the week before – this gives me a mental boost.
If you are starting an exercise program for the first time or after a long layoff then its important to keep a journal of your activity. You should see progression over time.
- Take before and after pictures
A picture is worth a thousand words. You know what you look like now but having a picture record of now and what you can visualize in the future will spur you the take action.
- Listening to your favorite up-tempo music
If you don’t have a mobile phone that allows you to listen to your favorite up-tempo music then invest in a player that allows you to shut out distractions so you can focus on the task at hand. When I started my workout program years ago – playing my favorite hits helped me to get into a rhythm and before I knew it my workout session was done.
- Invest in proper workout gear
Have you ever notice that wearing certain clothes make you feel a certain way. Wearing bummy clothes to an upscale function would make you feel uncomfortable. The opposite is also true. Invest in proper gear for working out. It will help get you in the right frame of mind.
There are several other steps you can take to get your body and mind moving but start with those listed and build on them over time.
Point here is that if you don’t start your exercise program now, you are losing out on a great opportunity to
- slow down the aging process,
- lose that extra baggage around your waist and
- prevent or even reverse pre-diabetes as well as other potential diseases from affecting your quality of life.
Get more information on how to get focused on your exercise goals. Go to How to Prevent Pre-diabetes.