HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVE, FIT PEOPLE!
Today we are going to talk a bit about motivation. Specifically, the motivation needed to carry you through the holidays and to the end of the year.
Once the temperature drops and the holiday season sets in, I start to notice a huge dip in motivation (and thus, cancellations) amongst my clients.
Why come in for your 6am workout when you can snuggle underneath warm covers? Doing your prescribed burpees, pushups, and mountain climbers doesn’t sound too fun now, does it?
You know what else isn’t fun?
Holiday weight gain or becoming stagnant with your goals.
That is why I compiled a list of tips for when you are lacking motivation this time of year.
Hopefully, this list gives you just the push you need to finish 2018 on a strong note.
1. Learn to differentiate between discipline and motivation.
The truth is, even the fittest of fit people out there will have days when they don’t want to get up at the crack of dawn to train. Do you think an Olympian truly enjoys/ looks forward to every single session they participated in over the course of 4 years? Absolutely not! But do you think, if they succumbed to those nagging excuses lingering around in their head, they would have made it to the top of the podium? Probably not.
While your goals might not quite be Olympian by nature, they do require you to push through the days where you aren’t feeling motivated. That one workout you skip suddenly turns into a week off before you know it. That one beer quickly becomes 5.
Practice discipline every day and you’ll see a difference with your progress!
2.Control what you can and don’t sweat what you can’t.
This time of year, can be hectic- for everyone! Busy mom’s driving their kids from soccer practice to holiday choir concert rehearsal…. College students prepping for final exams. If you think you are the only one with a busy schedule and possibly too much on your plate- you aren’t! We are ALL in this race against the clock to make the most of our day and get everything done.
I get it, life happens! Kids get sick, cars break down, meetings run over, and workouts take a back seat! The secret to staying on track with your progress during this hectic time is to control what you CAN. Missed your workout with your trainer? Ask them to send you a 30 minute at home circuit if they have the time! Forgot your prepped and tracked lunch at home? Run into the gas station and buy some single serving tuna packets, a piece of fruit and a protein bar so at least you are staying on track with your protein and fiber intake. Control what YOU CAN when life gets crazy (hydration, nutrition, stretching, mobility, etc). It takes effort, but these small tasks might make all of the difference.
3. Let your goals reign louder than your excuses.
As mentioned above, even the most motivated athlete could easily conjure up a list of excuses. What defines a successful person, however, is whether or not they chose to actually listen to them.
Growing up, I aspired to be a professional dancer and was actually in a competitive undergraduate BFA program. I lived, eat, and breathed “BROADWAY”, and yes… I mean that literally! My discipline stemmed from staying fixated on my goal. My goal of “Broadway” drove me to climb out of bed in the morning. My goal carried me across campus at 8am for 7 hours of dance class/rehearsal. Having that goal echo louder than any excuse or lack of motivation is what made me successful (until my career ending ankle injury, that is)
Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle, hit PR’s, or complete a marathon, refocus your energy towards it when motivation runs out. Why are you chasing this goal? Why did you want to do this in the first place? Let it drive you each day.
4) Get over the “all or nothing mentality”
“I already screwed up my diet by eating that slice of pizza, so I might as well finish out the entire box” Or, I didn’t get much sleep last night. I think I will just skip my workout instead of going in and being too tired to PR today”
Sound familiar? The truth is, we’ve all been here before. However, this is SELF-DEFEATING and hinders you from inching closer to your goals. With the holiday season among us, it is time to replace this negative mindset with a better one.
Instead of looking at the buffet table as your ultimate diet pitfall, practice balance and moderation. Perhaps take a small serving of the coveted dishes instead of devouring the whole pie. Stop at one plate or when you are comfortably full. Just like one serving of mash potatoes won’t derail your progress, one sleep deprived workout is better than not getting it in at all. Balance and moderation. Practice these to enhance your mindset during the Holidays.
Lastly, focus on the REASON for this season! Give thanks and enjoy the company of friends and family! In all honesty, I find it way more satisfying to focus on the people around me than I do to go ham on stuffing and taters. Maybe that’s because I can’t digest them…. But if we ignore that small detail, THIS POINT IS VERY TRUE.
I hope these tips help you stay on track this Holiday season. If there is anything I can ever do to help you chase your own goals, please let me know.
Have a happy thanksgiving!