"What motivates you?"
Usually after a few moments of thought (sometimes just a blank, unblinking stare) the client comes up with an answer such as:
- Seeing results.
- An upcoming vacation.
- Having someone to hold me accountable.
- Competition.
According to Google, motivation is "the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way". And while motivation is what keeps us striving to reach our goals, it is actually consistency that plays the greatest role in actually achieving these goals. I mean, even the most motivated individual will never reach his or her goal if he or she does not actual consistently work towards it.
I've been thinking a lot about consistency lately as I've started hitting a wall in my training regime. The whirlwind that I call August has kept me distracted from following any sort of routine. And while I spent the first week and a half of September re-evaluating my fitness goals, and attempting to hit the gym in full force, I've realized something: I'm friggen bored. (Yes, it's true, even trainers get bored!)
Let me start by telling you that at this point, since I'll be leaving for a visit to Poland (my homeland) in about 6 weeks, I don't have any ground-breaking fitness goals other than continually increasing my fitness level while maintaining my body composition. So I sat myself down the other day after a pretty sad, sad workout that left me frustrated instead of invigorated and really reflected.
I asked myself, "Why are you so sluggish lately?" And I've come to the conclusion that while I'm SUPER excited that business is picking up and I'm getting more and more clients, the responsibility of constantly motivating others is a little energy-sucking for me. Don't get me wrong. I love to motivate others, but at the end of a long day of training, it can feel a bit draining to then have to go motivate myself.
So I've decided to try something I haven't done in a long time: participate in group fitness classes at my local gym. While I've only just started this week, I can tell you that it is just the swift kick in the behind that I needed! I recently took a kickboxing class that left me panting in a puddle of my own sweat. HOLY. SHIT. Needless to say, for the next 6 weeks I'll be stepping out of my comfort zone and trying any class my gym has to offer. Not only am I getting an amazing workout, but I'm making some new friends, and learning a lot of great new exercises I can use with my own clients.
Here are a few ideas of how you can break out of your training rut:
- Do what I did and try participating in a fitness class. Group fitness has evolved SO much since the days of Jane Fonda.
- If you don't listen to music while you train, try it! And if you do, make it a priority to switch up your playlist every week to keep you pumped.
- Change locations. I'm not saying buy a new gym membership, but try training outdoors if you normally train indoors. The weather is looking good for this month so make use of that beautiful Vancouver sun!
- Find a workout partner. For about a year I had a steady workout partner. Her and I would train 3 times a week before or after school. Even on the days I dreaded going to the gym, I still showed up, knowing she was waiting for me in the locker room.
- Buy some new clothes. Okay, this one might be a little narcissistic, but whatever gets you moving, am I right? Sometimes all it takes is a brand spankin' new pair of colourful runners, or a flattering dry-fit shirt to get you out the door.
How do YOU stay consistent?
