In the first stages of your fitness workout journey, with your body responding to everything and anything you throw at it in the gym, striving to achieve a lean and toned body is a motivational impetus in itself. As your rate of improvement slows, however, you may find from time to time that your enthusiasm decreases as well. Staying motivated over the long haul is the key to being able to shed that extra body fat and gain a lean body. If you feel you need a metaphorical kick in the pants, here are 5 tips to get your mind and body back on track.
1. Start a Training Log - A daily examination of a training diary of sorts can be one of the most motivational fitness tools. If you aren't already recording your workouts, begin doing so now. Training logs are crucial for giving you a frame of reference and allowing you to look back to see the progress you've made. Such reviews help you understand that improvement doesn't take the form of one consistent upward dramatic curve but rather is a series of peaks and plateaus.
2. Create a Pre-Workout Ritual - As with anything in life, the way you prepare affects how you perform. Individual rituals can vary tremendously and may involve aspects of nutrition, meditation, forms of warm-up and any other activity or environmental shift that encourages you to focus on your workout. Your ritual should allow you to focus and bring all the intensity you can muster to your training.
3. Don't Be a Slave to Your Workout - The purpose of your workout is to serve your body, not for your body to serve the workout. Too many people become impeded by blindly trying to follow a preset workout routine rather than focusing on the larger goal of improving their physiques. When you become a slave to individual workouts, you've lost sight of your true goals. The better way is to ascertain whether you are fit enough to workout for the day. If you feel a little tired, you might want to consider resting for the day so that you can get fully recharged for your workout tomorrow.
4. Dare To Be Different - If you feel stale and jaded as a workout approaches but are unable to just abort it (as suggested in No.3), another alternative is to do something completely different. Maybe you go in and perform a series of high-rep supersets, or use a selection of exercises for the planned body parts that you haven't used before. Whatever route you choose, changing the pace and focus of your workout will act as a fresh challenge and help re-energize you.
5. Measure and Monitor Stress Levels - Stress is the enemy of muscle recovery and growth. Stress not only makes it difficult to get enough quality sleep but also depletes your energy reserves and taxes your entire body, ultimately impacting your desire to make improvements. Some pointers to take notes are:
Avoid training when sick; illness hinders recuperation.
Stretch and warm up properly before working out.
For mental stress, try not to bring outside problems into the gym. Instead, use your workouts to help alleviate your worries.
Relaxation techniques such as yoga, saunas, meditation and massage can also assist in minimizing anxiety.
The human body constantly sends signals to the brain, and often we override those signals because they aren't compatible with the goals we've set for ourselves. Nothing derails progress faster than injury or overtraining, and nothing causes these problems more readily than ignoring what your body tells you. On days when you feel your best, take advantage: Push yourself to meet or exceed goals. On days you don't - well, that's what the five motivation tips are all about.
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