TeamFLEX Newsletter

Weight Loss Spotlight

Motivation

Motivation & Weight Loss

January is the big month for the New Year resolution diets and a beginner to start a workout program. With the holidays behind you and most likely a couple of pounds added on over Christmas it's easy to be motivated and enthusiastic about your fitness goals. The fitness centers are packed with new members every year from January to April.

Three months down the line, what happens? You only see a third of the original group of people that are still coming in to workout. Why? The other two thirds of them have lost their motivation by now. The workout in itself is not half as hard as it is to justify why you would go and physically exhaust yourself three times a week, if you don't have to?

This is where personal trainers come into the picture. A personal fitness trainer is not only there to show you the practical part of working out, he or she also helps motivating you and keep track of your progress and change your workout accordingly to your improvements.

It's in a personal trainers best interest to keep the workout fun and interesting so at some point you actually will look forward to the hour spent in the gym. Not only is it very hard to motivate yourself it's even harder to get yourself in gear if you are the only one in the family dedicated to this new lifestyle. If you can get other friends or family members to go with you, you can hold each other accountable if they don't show up. Unless you have all the knowledge about physical exercise and nutrition yourself it is strongly advised that you start out with a personal trainer for the first 8-12 weeks.

If you want to continue working with a trainer is up to you but at least the first two or three months. Doing that will get you over that hump where it is so hard to find the motivation to get there because you haven't started to see any results yet. Once your body starts to change and you start getting closer to your fitness goal it gets a lot easier. Then at least you can see for yourself that the hard work pays off.

If it is easier for you to have a personal trainer come to your house that might be another option. If you have weights, a stability ball or some kind of equipment at home, that would be an option and home training appointments are almost impossible to get out of.

Make up little games for yourself with rewards like if you go and workout three times this week you can treat yourself to a manicure or massage or whatever it is that is considered luxury for you kind of like a carrot.

You can also use your diet as a reward program. If you manage to stick

to your diet Monday through Saturday you are allowed to pick one meal on the seventh day when you can have whatever you desire within moderation of course. Mentally this will make you strong enough to pull through the week when there is light in the end of the tunnel.

Don't be too hard on yourself though. If you fail to stick to your diet one day, just pick it up on the next meal and keep going. We all have our weak moments however you need to train your mind not to get weak too easy or you won't be able to stick to the diet-plan nor the fitness program. Try to work on your self-discipline to gain control of your own actions and desires. Don't give in for the smallest craving because you will have good days and bad days. It's always easier to be disciplined on the good days.

The real test is upon you when you have a bad day. If you can get through a stressful bad day without giving in, you are a good step on the way to a healthier lifestyle and a longer life.