I have to admit my motivation has been lacking lately. Blame it on quarantine, blame it on my lack of a “schedule”, or blame it on the stress of juggling virtual school for Callie, being productive at work, trying to get our children’s book published, and still maintaining our household….but staying healthy lately has felt like it’s starting to take a back seat on the list of priorities.
For me, it feels a lot easier to curl up with a good book (and a pizza) than it is to want to go to the gym.
Luckily I’ve built some pretty dang good habits that have kept me on track for when the motivation just isn’t there.
Here’s what I use to hack my motivation…..
1. Never miss twice. That goes for a lot of things–workouts, stretching, and my diet. If I have one treat meal I am back on track with the next meal. If I miss a workout I’m back at it the next day. Never miss twice.
2. Listen to my body. Excluding leg day–which is always Sundays, I let my body tell me what it needs. There are some days it needs a long cardio session. Other days it needs to feel strong and I lift. Other days, it might be boxing. Some days, it might be a long family walk outside. This way working out never feels like a chore for me and it stays enjoyable.
3. Food prep. Food prep. Food prep. This was a game changer. I have to have a goal and a route to get there. Food prep lets me plan out what healthy choices look like for me and helps me stay accountable. Food prep also helps keep my diabetes in line. It takes me a couple hours on the weekend to chop, divide, and cook out healthy options for the family for the week but it’s time well spent. The benefits outweigh the time it takes me–otherwise I turn to what’s quick and available and that sometimes can be an entire bag of Cheetos.
4. Recovery. If you aren’t putting just as much emphasis on recovery, you are missing out. I stretch, foam roll, ice bath, and use a massage gun all the dang time. If I hurt the next day I’m not going to want to push it. Taking care of myself post workouts let me be ready to go again the next day. I also see a chiropractor that specializes in athlete recovery–sprinkled with some cryo therapy sessions!
5. Set goals. I have to have something to work towards–its how I’m wired. Currently my fitness goals are run a 5k with Callie, do 15 push ups, and be able to leg press 250 lbs again. Each workout is one step closer to those goals so it keeps me striving for more. I write down my goals every day in The Start Today journal by Rachel Hollis. That way, I have a daily reminder of what I’m working towards and the steps I need to get there!
I hope you can use some of these “hacks” in your every day routines too! Let me know how they work!
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