Motivation

How to Start a Workout Habit

January is the month that most people decide that damn it, this is the year they’re finally going to get in shape.

So the gyms get really crowded with people trying to start a new habit and get their health on track once and for all.

The only problem is, most of those people are doing it all wrong.

They get an expensive gym membership, then proceed to go to the gym 3-4 times a week for the first two or three weeks. And they feel good, they feel like they’re making progress.

But then—something happens. Maybe they get discouraged that they haven’t made as much progress as they would have liked in that two weeks (haven’t lost two pant sizes, gained 5 pounds of muscle, etc.), or maybe life just gets in the way.

Whatever happens, by the end of the month, the gym is nice and quiet again, and those people who said they were finally going to start a workout habit give up until the next New Year rolls around.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are a few simple—and very doable—ways to start a workout habit that results in long-term success.

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Read This if You Need a Kick in the Pants

You are more impressive than you think you are.

And you can do more than you think you can.

Way more.

More than other people tell you is possible. More than even you can imagine. More than every New Years resolution you’ve ever made, more than every dream you’ve ever had, every seemingly pie-in-the-sky goal you’ve ever made.

Because here’s what most people won’t tell you: you haven’t been dreaming big enough.

Everything you’ve ever thought possible for yourself was based on thinking of yourself as an amateur. Based on the feeling that you aren’t good enough, that you’ve hit your upper limit and you can’t do any better because this is who you are, an amateur, a pretty-good-but-never-quite-amazing athlete/dreamer/person.

But here’s what you have to realize: you’re the only one holding yourself back.

You. Not your genes, not your unathleticness, not your age, not your weight, not whether you’re male or female, you. Your own fears and doubts are the only things holding you back from being the athlete—and the person—you were meant to be.

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Why You Should Celebrate Your Achievements

I’m the first to admit that nothing I do is ever good enough for myself.

I constantly have goals, meet them, and immediately move on to the next thing without taking even a moment to acknowledge my success.

For example, for a long time while practicing double unders, I could only do 15 in a row. There was something about that number that no matter how hard I tried, I just could never get past it. This went on for a couple of years.

So when one day I finally got 28 double unders in a row, I should have been ecstatic. Instead, the first thought that went through my head wasn’t one of happiness—it was of disappointment.

I didn’t congratulate myself. I didn’t even take a second to allow myself to break into a smile. Instead, I told myself I wouldn’t really be good at double unders until I could do 50 in a row—an arbitrary number mentioned once to me by my boxing coach a couple of years ago.

So despite making a major achievement that day, rather than ending my workout feeling happy, I felt depressed.

28 wasn’t good enough. I had to get to 50.

Was this mindset helpful? No. But it’s one that I’ve dealt with my entire life, that feeling of being a failure not because I am one, but because I never take a moment to celebrate all that I’ve accomplished.

But it’s time for both of us to change that.

Take a moment to celebrate

If you never take a moment to celebrate what you’ve accomplished, you will never, ever feel good enough. Instead, you’ll feel like a failure—for life.

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Reasons to do adult gymnastics

8 Reasons Why You Should Do Gymnastics As An Adult

Reasons to do adult gymnastics

When was the last time you did a cartwheel? Swung upside down on the rings? Or jumped on a trampoline?

If your answer is not since you were six years old, I can relate.

I did gymnastics up until I was probably in first grade, at which point I decided they were too “girly” and promptly stopped going (it probably didn’t help that even back then, it was obvious that I didn’t have a gymnast’s build). But until that time when I decided I was too cool for it (a decision I very much regret), I thought gymnastics were awesome.

All that flipping, and being upside down, and the jumping around, and the foam pit—what could be more fun than that?

Fast forward to a few months ago, and I decided it was time to try it all over again.

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Why You’re Not Getting Results

There’s no question about it: most people just aren’t motivated to exercise. I’ll even go as far as to say that most people hate to exercise.

In fact, if there really was a magic pill that would instantly make you lose weight, get stronger and get in incredible shape with no effort at all, the majority of people would take it, and be ecstatic at the thought of never having to exercise again (I hope this isn’t you).

That’s why people buy things like the Shake Weight, the Thigh Master, and the ‘Ace Power,’ a horseback riding-inspired tool (yes, this really exists)—because they’re marketed as an effortless way to exercise. But they’re effortless because they don’t actually work.

And I’m going to tell you a secret, one I’ve learned by personal experience over my years as an athlete, personal trainer, student and fitness blogger: there is no real shortcut to getting results.

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27 Things I’ve Learned About Life and Fitness in 27 Years

 

This upcoming Sunday is my birthday, and somehow I’ll be turning 27 years old.

Seriously, where does the time go?

And while in all honesty I feel no more than about 15 most of the time, I have to admit that I’ve learned a lot so far on this journey I’ve had.

I’ve grown as a person in so many ways, and pushed myself past countless mental and physical challenges.

Whereas I didn’t used to be able to do a single push up and thought pull ups were impossible, these days, I can do both and so much more.

I used to eat mac & cheese, sugar cereal, and candy on a near daily basis. Now I can’t go a day without mounds of fresh veggies without feeling like crap.

And the most important thing I’ve learned is that I’ve learned that health and fitness is a lifestyle—and once you embrace it, you never go back.

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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.

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