How To Respark Fitness Motivation

In April, after six long months of 4am gym sessions, endless amounts of chicken and vegetables and a whole lot of willpower, I hit my weight loss goal. In six months I lost over 20lbs and was really happy with my new toned physique. For the first time in my life I actually developed muscles and was ever so proud of my defined 4 pack of abs.

Since hitting my goal, I’ve fallen into a kind of limbo in regards to my fitness goals. I still go to the gym around 4 times a week and absolutely love it, but with no set goal in my mind my nutrition has more than slipped. To my horror, I’ve noticed that my beloved 4 pack is starting to melt away and that my body is shifting slightly away from the toned form I loved. Although I’m the strongest and fittest I’ve ever been, I want to kick start my motivation to transform my body into exactly what I want it to be. There’s no reason I can’t achieve my goals, as there is no reason you can’t achieve yours.

I’m the first to know that regaining motivation isn’t easy, and it’s taken me a few tries and fails before it stuck. Read on to see how I revived my motivation, I hope it can help reignite yours too!

ADDRESS EXACTLY WHERE YOU’RE FALLING DOWN

The first step to solving any problem is addressing exactly where the problem lies. It’s not enough to say “I need to be healthier”, narrow down exactly where you personally struggle and what prevents you from progressing. I love working out but I also love cookies, so for me, nutrition is my downfall. Knowing this has allowed me to put my energy and focus into solving this problem to help contribute to the wider aim.

SET A PRECISE GOAL

Don’t be vague, decide a specific goal to work towards. The thought of completing this goal will keep you motivated to push through struggles that you meet on the way and it also gives you a way that you can measure your success as you get further towards completing it. When you don’t have a goal, even though you might be doing everything right, you lose the sense of achievement and direction and can end up feeling overwhelmed and purposeless.  

GATHER YOUR INSPIRATION

Once you’ve set your goal, surround yourself with sources of inspiration to get you excited to complete it and boost your motivation. Personally, I get majorly inspired by watching fitness bloggers share tips or their own journey working towards the same goal as mine. Your inspiration can be anything from a celeb who gives you #bodygoals or a blogger whose confidence inspires you.

REAFFIRM YOUR GOALS

I firmly believe in the saying “what you think, you become” and repeating your goals to yourself (on an almost obsessive level) will undoubtedly ingrain them into your mind until they come true. Constantly remind yourself of what you are striving to achieve to ensure that your everyday actions will reflect your goal. The key is self-belief!

SWITCH IT UP 

If you've fallen out of love with your old fitness routine, it might be a sign that it's time to shake it up. If like me you've eaten chicken and vegetables solidly for the past three months, explore Pinterest and discover some new recipes to try. If you're bored of your normal fitness class, try a new exercise! Whether you swap spin for swimming or cardio for Cross Fit, make sure your workout is something you look forward to and brings you genuine joy.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF

On my second day of “I’m going to kill my nutrition from this day onwards”, I ordered Dominos. Failing at the first sign of temptation (usually in the form of a baked good) has happened to me a thousand times before and I’m sure I’m not alone. If you slip up, although you may feel deflated and like you have ruined your progress, it is only a failure if you let it put you down and keep you down. We are all allowed to have treats, to have a day off, to fall off the wagon. Giving yourself a break and being patient with the ups and downs shows that you are in it for the long haul and that you want your goal enough to walk a bumpy road to get it. In the words of Sylvester Stallone “It isn’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward”.