Hey all – Happy Hump Dayyyy!!
I gotta say – I find this is a really interesting time of year for being motivated.
Greg and I usually are lucky to travel enough somewhere end of February or beginning of March each year. So usually after Christmas, we hit the workouts and the eating plans hard and get ready for our tropical trip.
But once we get back, I almost always find there are a couple weeks where I’ve hit a lull and I don’t feel super motivated to meal prep or crush my workouts.
I’ve accepted that this is something that WILL happen from time to time and that’s normal. BUT the key here is knowing how to handle it and turning things around quickly instead of allowing myself to fall into the slump indefinitely.
SO – what do you do to snap out of it? Here are a few of the things that work for me:
VISION BOARD/MOTIVATION BOARD
Do you have one of these yet? If not… I DEFINITELY suggest getting on it.
It doesn’t need to look like this one… I really went to town in Michaels when I made this one with all their crafty stuff. But it could be a journal of goals, magazine cut outs, or post it notes all over your life! Whatever works for you and your goals.
Whenever I feel like I REALLY need a refresher, I take a look at my vision board and either totally redo it, or at the VERY least add/remove some things so it’s always up to date and accurate. As a matter of fact I am just about to do that this weekend, just to get ready for the change in seasons and make sure I am fresh and energized!
STARTING A NEW PROGRAM
This is something that always gets me excited. Last summer, I started using the bag that is hanging in our carport (thanks to my landlords for being awesome and sharing!). It was so fun to switch up my workouts by throwing some boxing in. Cardio, muscle work, tons of core. Winning!
Its not uncommon take me a while to decide on a program that I want to do. Check out my post from earlier this year on some of my favourite programs to follow. You need to find something that works for you. If you absolutely hate it… you’re not going to do it!
Some of my fave programs are:
– Max Workouts
– Insanity Max 30
– 21 day fix extreme
I would also recommend taking a peak at Bodybuilding.com, as they have free workout plans
And another online site that is fab is bodyrock.tv. Although I gotta say it’s not like it used to be and it’s pretty crowded with ads now… but still worth checking out.
FOLLOWING A SET WORKOUT PLAN/SCHEDULE
This is kind of similar to the above one, but it talks about being more regimented.
I find following a set workout plan (like one of the programs above) or even just a simple breakdown of having things scheduled each day
(IE: Monday – Upper Bod/Cardio
Tuesday – Legs/Core
Wednesday – Yoga
Thursday – Upper Bod/Cardio
Friday – Legs/Core)
This way it takes the guess work out of what to do when you get to the gym and it’s a little bit more seamless to get a workout done. Also, if you’re scheduling exercises, you might as well schedule/plan what you’re going to do on those days to make it really tough to fail!
WORKING OUT WITH A BUDDY
This is something that is ALWAYS suggested when trying to stay motivated. It just makes things better. If you try to bail, they’ll make you feel crappy about it, and vise versa! Working out with a bud (or a spouse!) is the best!
DO AN EATING/WORKOUT CHALLENGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
#riseandsweat is a challenge I do at least twice a year that encourages people to get up and moving in the morning (duh!). I have been lucky enough to have the challenge sponsored by Under Armour, so keep your eyes open for my next challenge (Coming late spring!!!)
There are tons of other challenges out there though! Whether you want to do a clean eating challenge, a yoga challenge, a pull up challenge etc – just type in the hashtag and you’ll find it!
SIGN UP FOR A RACE OR EVENT
This is a way to ensure that you don’t slack on your training! I’ve never been much of a runner – but something like the Spartan Race, I could get behind! Also – most races/events are not free… so if you’ve already paid, you’re more than likely to stay committed.
I hope this helps you guys. If you’ve got anything I’ve missed, or have a workout regimen/program you’re loving lately… please let me know!! I’m always looking for new ideas 🙂
xxx
Andrea