How To Stay Motivated (for those who have lost motivation)

The truth? That spark you feel in the beginning of your weight loss journey- It goes away after awhile.  At first it's so easy to get started because of the initial rush of excitement and inspiration. Then after a month or so we seem to lose steam, we lose interest, and  our motivation and determination to stay on track goes away.

Most of our goals are HUGE .  This journey to fit chick is like climbing a mountain. Climbing a mountain is a slow and arduous task.  When you go for the climb you go in knowing that there will be bumps along the way,  so you bring tools to aid you in reaching the summit.  When you set off on your journey to fit chick you must be prepared to encounter steep climbs and mudslides.  There will be pit stops, and there will be moments when you feel like you can't do it.  Guess what ? It's normal! We all  get discouraged. and that little light- that determination to conquer our personal mountain will dim or even go out completely over time. Knowing this will better equip you from staying down too long when you fall off course. 

Now that you know that what your experiencing is normal, the next  most important and difficult  step is to get started. Getting off your butt and dusting yourself off after a set back isn't as easy as it seems. If you are anything like me  starting is always the hardest part of anything. I can be a horrible procrastinator about the simplest things, making myself miserable about tasks small and large, often for more time than it would take to actually do the tasks. (Isn’t it funny how you can be miserable about something without even doing any work on it?)  Once I finally start, I realize how ridiculous it was to have waited so long.   I have become quite proficient at getting out of those slumps we get in every once in awhile.  On this post I will discuss 10 ways to get and keep you motivated!




1. Set small goals. 
Mountains are moved one stone at a time. Make small attainable goals. Be sure to keep them realistic for your body and life situation. It's easier to implement  a lifestyle change if you take it one step at a time. Write down this goal in a notebook, once you've met that goal, make another.  Look at the list often, it will be sure to motivate you to keep going.

2. Make it fun. 
Choose activities/exercises you enjoy! Take a class at your local fitness center, or get a running/walking group together. Whatever you do make sure you get pleasure from it. If you honestly enjoy doing something- it's more likely that you'll stick with it.

3. Look at pictures  You often don't realize how far you've come until you look at your before pictures. Remember your successes and let them flow through your mind instead of your failures. Nothing motivates me more than looking at pictures of myself when I was overweight. I always think: " NEVER AGAIN"

4. Clothes.  This is a tip my personal trainer gave me at the beginning of my fit chick journey. She told me to go into the mall and buy an outfit or jeans that I loved, but to make sure they were a size too small.  She told me to hang them in my closet and look at it often.  Going into my closet and seeing those jeans hanging there kept my motivation going and today I rock those jeans with so much pride! You can also Buy some nice gym gear to bribe yourself with. Purchase a few key pieces in bright colors or cool styles that you'll feel good wearing. Since the gym/working out is the only place you can wear these goodies, you have a new reason to go.

5.  How it makes you feel   Even though most people view exercise as punishment, fit chicks know it's actually a reward.  Think about how you feel after you're done. Isn't it the most amazing feeling? The high you get after is better than any drug you can take. Your confidence is off the charts, and your determination to do more is stronger than ever! Remember that feeling when you feel like you don't want to workout- let that motivate you.

6. Focus on your health beyond the gym    It's a total downer and very demotivating to bust your butt at the gym, and not see results.  It could be because your eating habits and sleeping/resting habits do not compliment your workout.  Good health and fitness are the result of paying attention to all needs physical and mental. Be sure to keep your motivation going by nourishing your body with clean natural goodness and getting the proper rest.

7. Find a Workout Partner  Help a friend get into shape by making him or her your workout partner. Go to the gym and compete with each other to push yourselves further. When you feel like quitting, your workout partner will be there to push you. A gym buddy will also act as an accountability partner. If you skip a gym session without good reason, you’ll not only have to answer to your own guilty concsience, but also your friend. Transforming your body is not an easy task and having friends to help you along the way will go a long way to keep you exercising.

8.  Read success stories   There are thousands of weight loss success stories out there.
Find success stories from people who were in a similar situation to you and get inspiration from their struggle. These people are regular people like me and you. . They all experienced struggles throughout their journey. Remember, if these people could do it, despite problems at work, home or issues with emotional eating – you can definetly do it too!

9.  Change your routine   Doing the same routine over and over again, is very demotivating, and BORING!  Be sure to keep your routines fresh, I suggest changing them out every 4 weeks. "After a certain period of doing the same workouts over and over again, your body will adapt to the routine and hit a plateau. Try to avoid this by basically throwing your body off-balance and keeping it from getting used to a certain routine. Mix in low-intensity days with high-intensity ones. Look online or around the gym for new exercises to try." -AskMen.com

10. Reward yourself.  Everytime you workout put a dollar in jar- at the end of the month use what you saved for a new shirt, manicure/ pedicure , shoes, or some type of fitness equipment. The rewards should be something you'll really appreciate, and preferably a non-food reward.


It can be tough to keep up an exercise routine, but it’s not impossible. A little willpower can go a long way. Next time you need some motivation to keep up your workouts, practice those 10 tips. They can inspire you to hit the gym, push through moments of doubt, and help you get the body you’ve always wanted.



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