Motivation Archives - Page 10 of 14

What To Do When Your Workout Motivation Runs Dry

I have a confession to make: I am human.

There are some days when I get up and the last thing I want to do in the entire world is work out.

There are days when my workout is going so crappy, when I feel like I’ve plateaued and know I’m not working as hard as I can, that I just want to give up.

There are days when the last thing I want to eat is yet another salad, another bowl of steamed broccoli, another plate of egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast. Days when I walk by the delicious smelling bakery on my street and want not only one pastry, but two. Days when I want an oversized chocolate chip cookie, a Belgian waffle slathered in whipped cream, a giant, carb-filled Italian meal. Anything but something healthy.

I am human. We all are. And that means that there will always be times when it’s really, really hard to motivate ourselves to do what we know we need to do.

And that’s OK. But if your end goal is to be a fit, healthy, badass human being, you have to find a way to push through it, even when it’s the last thing you want to do.

80 Years Old, Fit & Inspiring: Graham, the Adventure Seeker

If you had to ask me the one underlying reason I have for being fit and healthy, it’s not for appearance’s sake, or even athleticism, or being able to do 100 burpees in a row.

It’s so that as I get older, I can continue to do all the things I love so dearly: to have adventures, to always have new experiences, to pla, climb, swim, kick and punch to my heart’s content.

Living a long, healthy, active life is one of my biggest aspirations. And I strongly believe the key to accomplishing this is to stay young at heart—and body—for life.

Graham Sayer is the epitome of fitness, health, and adventure. New Zealand born and now living in Australia, he works out 5 days a week and seeks out adventure at life’s every turn. For his 80th birthday, Graham didn’t just have a party to celebrate—he opted to go skydiving instead.

I hope Graham’s story inspires you as much as it did me. His life is proof that if you stay active, pay attention to what you eat, constantly seek out new experiences, and have a sense of humor about life, you’ll never really be forced to grow old.

It’ll take work, and it won’t be easy, but it is possible.

Let’s meet Graham, my new hero.

19 Really Good Excuses NOT To Work Out

Most people know they should be making working out a priority, but most people are also really good at making excuses not to work out.

I’m no stranger to this, either. I used to be too unmotivated, too busy, too tired/weak/stressed out to work out. I would come up with excuses, and though I’d feel a little guilty for doing so, I’d always tell myself my excuses were good enough to justify my lack of exercise.

But while it’s easy to come up with really good excuses not to work out, those excuses are never going to help you reach your fitness goals.

Because the only way to reach your goals is to put in the hard work. You have to push past your own mental limits. There are no shortcuts.

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Gandhi

So here are 19 incredibly reasonable excuses not to work out—and how to bust through them every time:

50 Ways to Kick Ass at Working Out

Are your workouts feeling less than awesome lately?

Don’t worry—we all need a little extra motivation at times to push us to work out harder and more often.

You have to own your workouts. Crush them. Work harder than you ever thought possible and give them your all. Only then, will you progress as an athlete—and as a person.

And this list can get you there—so look through it, pick the tips that resonate with you, then go kick ass at your workouts (and life)!

How to kick ass at working out (in no particular order):

1. Push past your limits regularly. If you aren’t collapsing in defeat on a regular basis, you aren’t pushing hard enough. Train hard.

2. Have a mantra. Mantras help trick your brain into believing something is true, and can get you through even the toughest of workouts.

3. Gear up. While bodyweight training is awesome, a few pieces of equipment such as a jump rope and a kettlebell can push your training to the next level.

4. Master (or at least attempt) the handstand push up. Include these in your workouts and you’ll find yourself stronger, more coordinated, and more badass than ever before.

5. Show up no matter what. It doesn’t matter if you’re sick, hungover, tired, or just overly stressed, the key to kicking ass at your workouts is to always show up.

6. Take pictures along your fitness journey. There’s nothing more motivating than seeing the visual progress you’ve made from your workouts. Do it often, and hide them somewhere no one else can see them if that makes it less embarrassing.

7. Kettlebell swings are your friend. Do them often. You’ll get all the cardiovascular, strength and coordination benefits that go with them.

Why You Should Do Handstands On a Regular Basis

There’s no question that most adults, no matter how strong or athletic they are, are intimidated by handstands.

But just because you didn’t take gymnastics as a kid and are scared to death of falling on your head when attempting them doesn’t mean you should avoid handstands forever.

Because not only are handstands fun (I mean, really, what’s more fun than being upside down and feeling like a kid again?), they’re actually really, really good for you.

I’ll tell you why in a second, but first, here’s how to get started with handstands:

Think You Can’t Get in Shape? Think Again

I used to think I was one of those people who could just never get into shape, no matter how hard I tried.

Although I come from some pretty good genes, I always figured I was the outlier in the family—the one who could never be in good shape, regardless of how healthy I ate or how often I exercised. And though I was never seriously overweight, there have certainly been times in my life where I was a little… chunky.

I remember that time (mostly during college) clearly…

I remember how difficult it was hard to buy clothes, because nothing fit quite right—and when I did, I’d try to buy things that would cover up my body, rather than show it off. I remember the feeling of having a muffintop, how it felt jiggly when I walked and spilled over the top of my jeans, and how I embarrassed and ashamed it made me feel. I remember feeling slow and gross and lethargic and sorry for myself. I remember how self-conscious and unconfident I felt, and how that lack of confidence translated to other areas of my life as well.

Less is More: Why Short Workouts Are Better Than Long Ones

I’m not crazy. I’m totally aware that when I first tell people about workouts that take only 12 minutes or so to complete, they look at me like I’ve gone nuts.

And they get even more confused when I tell them that these 12 minute workouts are actually more effective than spending an hour or more working out in a gym.

“How the hell is working out for 12 minutes better than working out for an hour?” most people ask me, puzzled and unbelieving.

See, most people are used to equating exercise with long, boring gym sessions that last at least an hour or more. And I’m no stranger to this mindset—I used to be a part of this “long workouts are better camp” too, back in the days when I’d force myself to run for miles and miles, followed by 20 minutes or more of abs-focused training or something similar. I absolutely hated it, but I did it anyway because I thought that spending more time exercising was the only way to get into good shape.

But just because you’re used to something being one way doesn’t mean you should actually accept that’s how it has to be.

How to Make Exercise Your #1 Priority

Every day, you’re forced to make a number of decisions about what’s important to you and prioritize them accordingly.

You decide if you’re going to work (most people decide yes).

You decide if you’re going to put pants on (again, usually a yes here too).

You decide if you’re going to walk/feed/play with the dog or make breakfast for your kid or pay your rent/mortgage/car loan.

In fact, for most people, their top priorities for an average day are pretty simple:

Family (including pets)
Work
Sleep
Eating
Entertainment/relaxation
Friends
Finances

The order will vary of course person to person, but you get the idea.

And for most people, these are no-brainer priorities. In fact, if you’re like the majority of people, you don’t even have to think about these types of responsibilities—you just accept them, and take care of them. And of course, over the years, you learn to prioritize—if you don’t, you’ll be fired, lose your house, force your dog to pee on the carpet, let your kid go hungry, etc.

So why is it that exercise isn’t on this list?

7 Convincing Reasons to Work Out Outside

Summer is officially here, and that means means long, sunny days, fewer layers and warmer temperatures. Yet despite the beautiful weather, if you’re like most people, you’re still taking your workouts indoors.

And unless you’re a runner, tennis player or an ultimate frisbee star, you’ve probably spent most of your life exercising inside, whether it’s in a stuffy gym, a tiny apartment, or in random hotel rooms.

But the truth is, exercising indoors can be a bit… uninspiring. Seeing the same thing day after day may make you feel like you’re a hamster in a wheel—plus, it’s pretty boring at times.

The simple answer?

Try taking your workouts outside!

All you have to do is head to your backyard (if you have one), or even to a local park, beach, or playground—and get sweaty.

Sure, you’ll feel silly at first, and don’t be surprised if you get a few strange looks from curious bystanders (don’t worry, they’re only jealous of your incredible strength). But ultimately, working out outside packs so many benefits you’ll soon forget you’re feeling uncomfortable at all and start working even harder than normal (you don’t want strangers thinking you’re a total wimp, do you?).

How to Push Through the Pain of a Tough Workout

No matter how motivated you are or how good of shape you’re in, there are undoubtedly going to be times during your workouts that you’ll feel like you can’t push any harder.

Because during the very toughest of workouts, your muscles will feel like they’re literally on fire. Your heart will feel like it’s going to thump right out of your chest. Your lungs will feel like they’re going to burst into thousands of pieces.

You’ll feel like you want to take a break. To quit. To give up.

And the truth is that no one would blame you if you did. In fact, most people—99% of people in fact—would say that you’re crazy if you did go on.