There is as much a mental aspect to getting fit as there is physical for many people.
According to America’s most successful weight loss ‘guru’, Jillian Michaels, personal trainers or dietitians can provide all the information needed to help people get fitter and lose weight but it’s no use unless individuals are motivated to use it.
Here Jillian shares some of the most common workout motivation pitfalls and how to deal with them.
You forget ‘why’ you’re doing it
“It’s so important to find out and focus on the why. Why is getting fit and healthy important to you? When or if people forget this, it’s easy to fall into old habits. But when you remember why, it helps keep you going.”
She says it doesn’t matter what the reason is.
“It might be because you just want to look and feel better generally, or it could be something really specific such as your daughter’s wedding. But just make sure it’s something that is really important to you.”
Letting a ‘slip-up’ derail you
“People often have a slip-up,” says Jillian. “They might miss a week or two of workouts. They might go off the rails and eat the wrong thing. But what I say to people is this: if you got a flat tyre, would you get out of the car and put a puncture in the other three? No and you shouldn’t do it with your health and fitness regime.”
Jillian says if this happens, do what the song says. “Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, start all over again.”
Letting your friends drag you down
“The people in our lives are a key motivator and often are a large part of ‘why’,” Jillian says. “But they can also lead us to feel pressure to eat foods that are not the best choices for us, skip workouts and more. What’s better? Happy hour or an hour of yoga?”
She says if you’re serious about being fit and healthy, let you friends know. “Be upfront about it and explain what you’re doing. It helps make you accountable and it also gives your friends and those closest to you an opportunity to support and encourage you. If they are your real friends, they will do this. You never know, it might motivate them to do the same thing.”
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