How to Stay Motivated to Reach Your Health and Fitness Goals

By Ashley R

Motivation is typically the toughest part of a workout routine or diet, so pick up some tips for it here and get back on track to reach your goals.rn

We all have off days where our eating doesn’t go as planned and we would rather just relax instead of getting our sweat on. It is essential to listen to your body because being intuitive with your own body is how you create a healthy relationship with both nutrition and fitness. There are days where it is more beneficial to skip a workout, but there are more days where we must push ourselves to get that workout in. So how do you stay motivated when you just aren’t feeling it?

When it comes to health and fitness, there cannot be an “all or nothing” approach. If you skip a workout, that is a better reason to wake up, ready to face the day, energized, prepped for a killer workout. If you ate one too many treats the day before, that is not a reason to throw in the towel. Use that to fuel an upcoming workout. Remember, eating is a social activity. Life is too short not to enjoy the things we like—in moderation of course.

It’s also important to know what your goals are. When you’re aware of what you want to achieve, that picture of reaching your goal must stay in a safe place in your mind. It is there to return to when you feel too tired to workout, or just not motivated to prepare your meals in advance. Think about how great it’s going to feel when you reach your goal. You will be so glad that you never gave up, and you will be stronger mentally and physically because of it.

Life is a gift. You probably always hear that and possibly say it often, but do you truly feel what those words mean? Time goes by so fast, and as scary as it seems, life can change in an instant. You were given this one body to enjoy life, so why not take care of it? Your body is meant to be fueled with nutritious foods on a daily basis. It craves heart-pounding workouts that break a sweat. How amazing do you feel after a workout? How successful and proud do you feel after a solid day of clean eating? Never lose sight of these feelings.

It is true that you will never regret a workout, but you do regret those workouts missed for poor excuses. You should treat your workouts like an appointment that you cannot miss. And when you do workout, practice that mind-body connection. Be present and focus on the muscles you are working. Quality over quantity. Put some headphones in and listen to music that pumps you up!

So keep your goals close at hand. Learn to take care of your body so you can serve others. Always choose the positive side. Inspire those around you to follow your healthy actions. Don’t be hard on yourself. Remember that nothing and no one is perfect. Aim to demonstrate strength. Push yourself beyond your limits. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Above all, do it for yourself.

Try these workout tips!