HOW TO FIND FITNESS MOTIVATION
Who can relate to the following comment?
“the hardest part of developing a solid workout routine is finding time, getting off the couch or the computer, lacing up your shoes, and beginning your workout”
The barriers to exercise can be exponential. Even when you think you have a plan and have found some motivation, it can be easily derailed.
How much exercise are you actually getting?
Photo Credit: (World Health Organisation, 2015)
If you are currently getting in 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity exercise per week, congratulations! Your risk of contracting inactivity related diseases is significantly lower than most people and you are enabling yourself to live a better and longer life (WHO, 2015). Regular and adequate levels of physical activity have been shown to improve muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness, improve bone and functional health, reduce the risk of many heart diseases, diabetes, various types of cancer, and reduce symptoms of depression (WHO, 2015).
How to get there?
If you’re not getting 150 minutes of exercise per week, not to worry! Your starting point is to simply assess exactly how many minutes you’re currently completing. From there it’s just one step at a time to build up your frequency. The following factors which impact exercise frequency will be discussed in detail to help you build your toolbox and create an unbreakable exercise routine:
THE STAGES OF CHANGE
SMART GOALS
MOTIVATION
Stages Of Change
Photo Credit: (Boston University, 2019)
How is the psychological “Stages of Change” model related to exercise frequency? It exposes the gap between your current state and your desired goal and provides your next primary task to close the gap. Which statement below resonates with you the most:
Precontemplation: Currently do not exercise and have no plans to start.
Contemplation: Currently do not exercise but think it would be a good idea to start.
Determination: Currently don’t exercise or do sporadically, have started to make a plan.
Action: Participating in a new exercise routine for the past few days or weeks. Easily derailed.
Maintenance: Participating in exercise routine for months or years. Able to overcome obstacles.
Recurrence: Have relapsed back to stage 1, 2, or 3 after achieving stage 4 or 5.
Once you have identified your current stage, the next step is to determine what your “primary task” or “next action item” will be. Below are the corresponding action items to the stages:
Precontemplation: Educate yourself, identify what motivates you (family, physical, health, etc.).
Contemplation: Research gyms, trainers, resources, equipment, workout partners, etc.
Determination: Identify potential barriers & solutions to overcome them, implement the plan!
Action: Implement solutions to overcome barriers/setbacks as they arise.
Maintenance: Develop new skills. Educate and hold others accountable.
Recurrence: Break the downward spiral & stay positive. Begin again.
SMART Goals
Photo Credit: (Pro Health Physio Australia)
As you work through your “stages of change” to achieve the desired maintenance stage, you will notice that planning is a trend that must be done frequently and done well. Proper planning can either set you up for success or set you up for failure. SMART goal setting is your best chance to ensure you set yourself up for success. The smart acronym can be broken down and explained as follows:
S – Specific:
Following the WHO guidelines above of 150 minutes of activity per week, a specific goal would include a quantifiable number. For example, if you currently exercise twice per week at 60 minutes per session, you may choose to set a goal of adding one additional 30-minute workout per week which would put you at the 150-minute mark. You can also apply “specific” to a quantifying body weight goal or lifting weight goal. You can and should think outside of the box here as your goals can extend to physical, mental, or spiritual well-being. The key is to define the goal.
M – Measurable:
If you complete the above step correctly, the measurement should be relatively easy. You can measure your number of days exercised, minutes per week, body weight increase or decrease, and lifting weight increase. Again, thinking outside of the box means a little creativity in terms of measurement, which shouldn’t be too difficult if you pick something that you’re committed to achieving.
A – Achievable:
We must remember that change does not happen overnight! Additionally, goals change overtime. If today you are aiming to exercise twice per week for 30 minutes per session, over the next 6-12 months your new goal may be to train for a half or full marathon! Goal setting is something that must be updated as you progress and hit your goals. Setting achievable and realistic goals is the key to success. Assess where you currently are and make your weekly improvements easy to attain. Big and crazy goals are GREAT, but let’s break them down into smaller bite sized pieces to get there. This also leads to sustained change.
R – Relevant:
Why did you choose this fitness goal? Your goal must be relevant to YOU. You are the one that will need to make lifestyle adjustments, overcome obstacles and temptations, and stay motivated. If your goal is arbitrary with lack of care and thought, those obstacles can take over in a hurry.
T – Timely:
Benchmarks! Timelines for which measurements are conducted and goals are revamped are a must, as without them the plan is not tight and leaves room for your goals to be derailed. Again, at each new goal setting session you will need to put a new benchmark in place. And if your goal was a little optimistic, not to worry, just move that benchmark out a little bit.
Motivation
Regardless of where you are in your fitness journey, motivation is another key ingredient which must be considered. Motivation is the trigger to your best laid plans. It’s the driver which forces you to find time, get off the couch, lace up those shoes, and implement your plans. Alternatively, a lack of motivation will have the opposite effect and you’ll likely end up caving into that negative voice in your head. In order to tap into motivation, figuring out what really drives your desires and goals is key. It’s the ‘WHY’ the goal or task is important to you. Identifying why you strive for the things you do and then keeping this at the forefront of your mind is a sure way to stay on track. In addition to identifying your ‘WHY’, the following tips are also helpful to keep your motivation at an all-time high:
Make It Convenient:
If your workout plan includes or requires a far drive or walk to the gym, finding childcare, arriving to work late, or rushing/leaving work early then there are barriers present that are detrimental to your plan. Acknowledge these inconveniences and develop a plan to accommodate for them. At home personal training is a great option which can eliminate any commute or childcare issues. Online resources are a great option due to their start time flexibility which will accommodate your work schedule.
Check out our options for home personal training.
Rewards:
Allow yourself to celebrate your daily/weekly wins. Although the health benefits from exercise can be considered a reward in itself, you can also supplement this with something else that you enjoy if that’s not enough for you! Watch your favourite show/movie while you’re exercising. Order a special latte or drink rather than a standard cup of coffee on the days that you exercise. Buy that piece of clothing you’ve had your eye on after hitting one of your small goals or benchmarks. Allowing yourself to indulge in a small pleasure as a reward for staying on track is like an added bonus and can be the kick you need.
Workout Partners:
Having a workout buddy is a great way to stay motivated. In addition to holding yourself accountable, your partner is also holding you accountable. On those days when the barriers to working out poke through, you and your partner can be the little extra external motivation the other needs. *CAUTION* this cannot be a one-way street! We all have good days and bad days, but if you are constantly motivating your partner and they are constantly trying to derail you, then the partnership is not effective and ties must be cut.
Get Help:
If your educational background or work industry is anything other than health and wellness, you are probably not an expert at exercise program design, nor should you be! If this is the case, you may find designing an exercise session quite daunting. Hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions or attending a few exercises classes can help you build your toolbox. Signing up with a trainer is not a lifelong commitment. Purchasing 6-10 sessions can be enough to help you understand how to put a routine together and learn some foundational exercises and biomechanics techniques that you can implement going forward.
Make it fun:
If you dread doing burpees, don’t include burpees in your workout routine! There is no one magic exercise or routine that is absolutely required in order for you to reach your fitness goals. As long as you’re moving, you’re making progress. So whether that includes burpees, pushups, staying in a gym, setting or hitting the beach for some volleyball, there are lots of ways to enjoy physical activity. Rather than saying “I have to workout” you’ll end up saying “I’m looking forward to hitting the gym or the beach”.
(Anderson, n.d.)
Sign Up For A Challenge:
Signing up for a fitness challenge is a great way to inspire motivation. To make yourself more accountable, ask a friend or two to also subscribe for the event. Setting short to long term goals is a great way to get started and not procrastinate your fitness routine. Competition puts your ego on the line and pushes you to succeed! Check out our guide on Irish Fitness Challenges to see what’s going on all year round.
Your Personalized Worksheet:
You are now armed with the knowledge and tools to get started on your exercise plan! Below is a worksheet which you can fill out to help you get started. Remember, every time you achieve one bite sized goal, you’ll need to update your worksheet to align with your next goal. Good luck and happy planning!
Articles to help inspire your fitness motivation:
The Importance Of Maintaining Muscle Mass
References For This Article
WebMD: 10 Ways To Boost Your Exercise Motivation. Anderson, V. (n.d.).
PsychCentral: Stages Of Change. Gold, M. S. (2020, April 11).
World Health Organisation: Infographic - Make physical activity a part of daily life during all stages of life. (2015, September).
Boston University: The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change). 2019.