My motivation to workout and eat healthily comes and goes. Recently all motivation left my side, leaving me to make poor food choices and neglect the gym. Once you break the habit it can be hard to get back on track but it’s important that you do- the longer you stay off track, the further you will get from your goal. I am happy to say I am once more feeling motivated and ready to tackle the flab again, so I thought I should share my top four tips on how to find your motivation after you have lost it.
1. Set a goal
Having a goal will give you a focus and a reason. It will mean you won’t be going to the gym because you ‘should’ but because you want to achieve ‘X’. It will mean having that second piece of cake isn’t as important as ‘X’. My goal is to get in shape for my 6 year anniversary with the boyfriend. Last year we went on holiday for our anniversary and it was so much fun, we’re going away this year too. An anniversary and a holiday are great motivators for me to get bikini ready. It gives me a clear deadline and timescale. It means that I can’t say I’ll start eating healthily next week instead of this week, because time is ticking.
2. Plan, plan, plan
Failing to plan is planning to fail. This saying is so true, I always do my best when I have a plan. Get a workout plan so that you know what you’re doing every time you go to the gym. Having a workout plan will ensure you work each body part, prevent yourself wasting time and will get the best results. You can find a workout plan online, check out Jamie Eason’s LiveFit Trainer, Blogilates and Tone It Up’s workouts. Or, if you have a fit friend or personal trainers at your gym, ask them to help you. Plan your meals too, this will ensure you healthy meals for the week and not get tempted by the offers at the supermarket. Which leads me onto my next tip…
3. Meal prep
Having a meal plan ensures I have healthy meals to eat every day of the week, stops me from overspending at the supermarket and removes the guesswork when it comes to cooking or preparing my meals. I’ve actually have a free meal planner which you can print off and fill out to get organised too. Once I have my meal plan and have done my food shop I then spend one or two nights, usually a Sunday and Wednesday night, to prepare my meals. I season and grill several chicken breasts and salmon fillets, chop and roast my veg (red onion, peppers, courgette and tomatoes), whip up some quinoa, brown rice and sweet potato, let it all cool then store it in tupperware in my fridge. All I need to do during the week is add my salads and steam some extra veg like broccoli, spinach and asparagus to go with my evening meals. Easy peasy!
4. Tell someone
Get yourself a gym buddy, or healthy eating buddy. Someone who will workout with you and share recipe ideas for healthy meals, maybe even cook with you. Tell someone (a partner, friend, parent, family member) that you’re going to start working out and eating healthily and ask them to check in with you to keep you on track. Start a health and fitness diary. Start a health and fitness blog (like me!). Any of these will make your intentions to start working out and eating healthily known and will help to keep you accountable.
This was exactly what I needed love! I’ve been feeling super unmotivated as well!
xx
I’m glad I could help lovely! We all go through phases of feeling unmotivated x
Totally agree with all of these! Though for the goal it tends to be more event-based – body goals aren’t specific enough for me. I like to have a race, or something like that in the future. Nothing like sheer panic to make you get your ass into gear!
Event based goals are fantastic! The looming deadline of event day will definitely make you want to kick things up a gear! x
After a particularly unmotivated few months I am very happy to read this, hopefully these tips will give me a kick up the bum!
Along Came Kelly x
I hope it helps! I’ve been the same these past few months! x
Great tips! I’ve definitely had my ups and downs when it comes to motivation. Planning and meal prep always get me back on track :) Also, not putting too much pressure on yourself helps too I think. In the past, I’ve been too eager, and set slightly unrealistic goals, which just made me more miserable!
I’ve done the same with setting unrealistic goals, telling myself I’m going to go to the gym 5/6 times a week when I’ve only managed 3/4 times a week before I stopped going completely! Definitely set more realistic goals, then when it becomes a habit and less of a chore, up the ante :) x
Loved this advice! Really struggling with motivation just now!
Thank you! We all go through phases, especially when you’re just starting out. Hopefully we can both use these tips to stick to it x
I’m struggling with my motivation too and it’s our 6 year anniversary too should maybe book a holiday for it
Lauren
livinginaboxx
Oooh Happy Anniversary to you too :) Let me know if you do/did go on holiday, I’d love to know where you went! x
I totally need some motivation- had a baby 7wks ago and got far too used to eating chocolate on the sofa!!
Aww congratulations on your baby! How lovely! Chocolate is a big weakness of mine too, especially at the office where everyone seems to be rustling a chocolate wrapper in the afternoon! x
Helpful post. Since injury I have lost my motivation completely and have gained weight as a result. My sporting performance is also injured. Thank you for sharing this tips. I’ve actually linked them from my blog in my most recent post!
| Toni May
I am so sorry to hear you’ve suffered from an injury! I really hope you get back to your sporting peak safely and soon. Thank you SO much for linking to my tips on your blog! I’ll be following your progress :) Good luck sweetheart x
These tips are really awesome, planning is really crucial.
Meg | Meghan Silva’s Blog
Thank you! It definitely is! x
yes , true, if you plan you must stick to the plan!
latesttrendfashion.com/
Definitely! It’s all good and well creating a plan, but then if you don’t stick to it, the plan is useless! x
Great tips (& great blog!) – definitely think for me my food planning has gone downhill so this for me will probably be the key to getting back on track :)
Thank you so much! Ooh food planning is so important- good luck with it all! x
Thanks so much for this! I am getting back into the gym and healthy eating after a couple weeks out and even though it’s such a short amount of time the effect it has had on my motivation has been drastic. These tips will really help! Your blog is awesome, I’m now following you :) xx
I find that once you get out of the habit albeit for a few days, weeks or months, it makes it soo much harder to get back to it so I completely get what you mean! Thank you SO much! I’m following you back :) best of luck lovely x
Meal prep 100%! It’s the main thing that helps me stay on track. Will be posting about it soon.
Also important is learning to say the occasional ‘no’…
Love it.
Definitely agree! I’ll be looking out for your post :) x
Brilliant, I always find switching it up and trying something new a great way to up my motivation- trying a new class or mixing up my sets / doing some tempo training :) x
I love that. I’m definitely going to try out more classes at the gym :) x
Cool post.
the-renaissance-of-inner-fashion.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you x