*Editor’s Note: The following is a guest post from Cat Smiley, a professional Health & Fitness writer based out of Whistler, Canada. Enjoy!
Kickstart Your Workout Routine
The best friends in life are the ones that keep you on your toes. They’ll fight you like a sparring partner if they find out you started smoking again…..and bluff compliments when you go bikini shopping in Spring, before enrolling you in their hot, new exercise class.
Facing the fitness world alone can be daunting to the best of us. Three kilometer runs can seem like thirty when each step is heavy and all you can hear is yourself panting. And strangely enough, hard work seems more bearable if someone else is suffering with you.
But in reality, if you have to be dragged to workout sessions you’re almost guaranteed to fall off track sooner or later. Taking charge of your health is something that has to come from within – there is an athletic mind in all of us, just some act on it and become athletes in their own right. While social support is a fantastic motivator, at the end of the day you have to be able to count on yourself to stick with it.
Far too often we beat ourselves up for deviating from our exercise intentions, instead of looking to the source of what steered you off track. Was your workout challenging? Did it fit in with your schedule? Were you getting the results you were looking for? If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions, it probably wasn’t the right workout for you.
There are lots of great exercise options out there, and finding activity that you look forward to, will keep you motivated through times of temptation. Keeping variety in your workouts is key, as is doing the activities that you enjoy. Sticking to something because it is the ’right’ choice will back fire when the rebellious nature kicks in…the same theory of craving chocolate when it is on the forbidden food list.
Stumbles along the way are all just part of the package – allow for occasional set-backs along the way but turn these set-backs into positive experiences. Make aching muscles work for you – they’ll seem somewhat worth it if you start to see results in your strength and body composition!
Remember that recovery is an important factor of your workouts, and taking care of your life outside the gym will build the emotional base needed to stick to your program. Be productive between training sessions, integrate all aspects of physical success; read fitness magazines, talk to other sports enthusiasts, think often about how great it feels to be in shape.
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Cat Smiley is a renowned fitness personality and has been named Canada’s top trainer three times by the International Sports Science Association. She is the owner of Canada’s leading weight loss retreat for women, located in Whistler, B.C. You can connect with her on Facebook by clicking here.
What about you? How do you stay motivated and kickstart your workout routine? Post in the comments and let us know!
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