7 Tips to Stay Motivated in Fitness!
It's going to be me, a step and Shaun T for 20 min a day for the next 6 weeks starting January 14th. It's going to be hard but that's why it WORKS. I have been in LOVE with Shaun T for over 3 years now as he was one of the trainers who taught me how to GET MY MIND RIGHT around exercise!! I'm going to share his 7 best tips for staying motivated because, I'm in a Shaun T frame of mind!!
Shaun T’s Tips to Stay Committed to Working Out
1. Find an exercise you love
“The point of the entire process of getting fit is about making exercise a habit,” says Shaun T. “It’s not about sticking to these workouts forever as if it’s a chore. You have to find a way to make it a lifestyle for you.”
2. Answer two questions
Shaun T says motivation and commitment are the keys to your fitness success.
“Before you start your program ask yourself, ‘How am I going to stay motivated? How am I going to stay committed to this journey?’ Write your answers down and hold on to that piece of paper,” he says.
“Then, each day, when you want to give up, you can look at that piece of paper and remind yourself how you’re going to push through it and show up again the next day ready to work.”
3. Make a checklist and have a “last day” goal
Tracking your behavior helps with both accountability and creating new healthy habits.
Shaun T recommends making a list every night of things you want to accomplish the next day, such as: do a 30-minute workout, eat healthy, drink eight glasses of water, get at least 7 hours of sleep.
At the end of the next day, go through the list and see how many tasks you can check off. Then make your list for the next day!
Shaun T also recommends having a goal for the last day of the program.
Whether it’s to lose 10 pounds, be able to do 20 push-ups without stopping, or feeling like a badass because you didn’t give up and completed your workout program, keeping your eye on the prize can help you stay motivated when you want to throw in the towel.
“Keep track of your progress every day, and then it’s really about the end game. What do you want to achieve on the last day of your workout program?
And remind yourself of this every day — it’s the foundation of why you started,” says Shaun T. “Sometimes it’s about a feeling and not about a number [on the scale]. That sense of accomplishment that you gave it your all every day — to feel that accomplishment that you actually finished something.”
4. Find an accountability partner
Without any accountability, slacking off can be a little too easy. Shaun T recommends finding an accountability partner to keep you honest, and connect with them every day.
When you join Beachbody On Demand, you are welcomed by a Team Beachbody Coach who can be that accountability partner for you!
{You can make me your free coach by clicking that link by the way :) }
“Who are you calling or texting to say, ‘I worked out today. I finished it.’?” he says. “It has to be someone you don’t want to disappoint. If it’s somebody who doesn’t care if you slack, then it doesn’t matter. This person doesn’t have to be someone you work out with. Who do you not want to disappoint? You know who that person is. That’s who you pick.”
5. Join a group
“Joining a group is great because you get to share your experiences, your ups and downs, and maybe someone else can give you a tip on how they got through a struggle you’re having,” says Shaun T.
“I’m all about being in an accountability group. When you have people relying on you and you’re going through those workouts together, helping each other, it makes the whole process that much more powerful.”
6. Focus on non-scale victories
Let’s say you have a party in a month and want to fit into your favorite cocktail dress, so you commit to a month-long workout program on Beachbody On Demand.
Remember, the scale is not the best way to track your fitness levels. Sure, you will probably lose some weight, but committing to an exercise program can also increase your strength, energy levels, and confidence — all things a scale does not measure.
“It’s more than just weight loss; it’s about how you want to feel. Do you want to feel good, confident, and energized when you walk into that party?” asks Shaun T.
7. Be patient and positive
If you aren’t seeing results right away, Shaun T says that patience and staying positive will help you be committed to your daily fitness routine and keep you on your way to creating a healthy and active lifestyle.
“Listen to a motivating podcast or something you can listen to while you’re doing other thoughtless activities, like getting ready at home or driving in your car, so that you constantly keep motivation in your mind,” he says. “That way, you have more positive thoughts, positive words… everything that’s happening in your life can be more positive.”
So there you have it! Shaun T's best advice for sticking to your commitment to yourself about getting healthy. I like to share the fact that I myself AM NOT motivated 100% of the time! I have to go on auto-pilot A LOT and rely on my discipline that I have created over the past 3 years. Do not get down on yourself for not feeling your own sense of motivation!! Just be realistic and ANTICIPATE that some days you just won't be feeling it! But you have to create that discipline, that healthy habit, where you really just do it anyway. It takes time, commitment and seeing the bigger picture to do this. Focus on what you WANT not on what's hard. Focus on that end goal - not on your daily emotions and crappy mood. Switch it. Get rid of it. MOVE YOUR BODY to change your energy :)
That is all. XO, Jen Stawarz
Want to start on this journey with me and Shaun T with his new program starting in January??