A little Motivation (Workout Series Part 2)

1. Set realistic goals.

Start by setting small achievable goals. It can be very overwhelming if your only goal is to lose 50 pounds. This could be a great long term goal but you should start with a small, short term goal. It won't be discouraging this way. When setting goals you should also brainstorm on how you are going to work and make changes in your daily life to reach this goal. Losing 50 pounds won't happen automatically, so you need to plan on how you are going to make your goal a reality.

:)

2. Find motivational quotes.

I love this

Print them out, hang them up, set them as your desktop wallpaper or screensaver. Do what you gotta do! You can find my motivational running quotes that I posted earlier. I also posted a two part motivational quote series. Here is part one and part two.

3. Take a before picture.

This is pretty explanatory. Save this and when you reach your goal take an after picture and admire how all your hard work has paid off. This is also a great way to track progress if you want to take a picture every 30, 60, and 90 days or whatever. You can also get the free Pic Stitch app from iTunes that will allow you to set your before and after pics together side-by-side. Not only will you be proud of your obvious progress, but this is a great way to brag about it to others.

4. Buy a goal clothing item before you start your regiment.

Gap Jeans

Before I started my fitness kick, I purchased a few motivation clothing items from some local thrift shops. I LOVE THRIFTING OKAY?? Anyways I bought myself a pair of basically new Gap jeans, some vintage white Levis cutoffs, and a crop top from Urban Outfitters. I think that I should be able to fit into them all by Thanksgiving or Christmas. The jeans and shorts can be put on but not buttoned and the crop top fits but its just not very flattering with my current belly. Just remember when you're buying your goal item be practical, buy an item based on the goals you set up (see number 1.) If you are unsure what size you'll be, you could try just starting a fund for a new outfit (see number 6.)

5. Keep a workout log or a food journal. Or both!

This is a good way to remind yourself of where you started and how you've made progress. If you track all your workouts including the time on the machine or working out plus the distance if you have ran or biked, it's a great way to see how your splits and endurance have improved. Map My Run is a great free resource that allows you to map out your workout routes and it tells you the distance. You can then go back and select which route you did and how you did it (walking, running, biking, etc) and your time. Map My Run then gives you your split. You can also add notes and include how you felt and the weather. Map My Run also offers a food log. Finally they have a free app. You could also just write your food log and workouts in a journal but if you do it this way, you can't find out calories, distance, etc. 

6. Reward yourself with a new outfit when you reach your goal.

Is there a better way to reward yourself than buying a brand new outfit that works with your new body? I doubt it! You could try different ways of rewarding yourself. Some people add a quarter or a dollar to a jar for every workout they do and once the jar reaches X amount of dollars they buy themselves something new to reward their dedication. Others prefer to go and buy a new outfit once they reach their goal entirely. They don't buy their new clothes until them have reached whatever long term goal they set out for. I wouldn't suggest buying new clothes after reaching short term goals because then you are just buying something that you don't want to fit in down the line.

I hope these 6 tidbits of advice help get your fitness ball rolling!

Part One: Five Tips for Losing Weight at School
Part Three: Dining Hall Tips
Part Four: Let's talk Food
Part Five: Working Out