Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Sticking with Your Workout Plan

By Caleb Lee

One thing all fitness enthusiasts and body builders face from time to time is lack of motivation. It takes staying power to get to the gym after work when you would rather go home and zone out in front of the boob tube. Of course you know that when you do work out it always makes you feel better, and sleep better, too.

How can you stay motivated when you feel like skipping one workout, which sometimes leads to another and another, until we quit going altogether? We know we get great benefits from exercise, not only for our physical well being but mentally, too. Here's some helpful tips to get you up and moving.

Set Goals:

It's hard to achieve success if you don't have a clear goal for yourself. Tell yourself "By next week, I want to be able to do 5 more reps". This way you have a plan to work towards and hopefully make it to the gym to meet that goal!

About Burning Out:

Sometimes we get so excited at how good we look and feel we work out everyday. Your body really doesn't need this; in fact, it's good to rest between workouts. 3 times a week is a good schedule. Your body needs recovery time. Most muscle injuries occur when you don't let your body rest between workouts. Working out everyday or too often can lead to burn out fast-trust me, I've seen it more than once.

About Progress:

Make sure to measure your progress from time to time. There is nothing to keep you motivated like knowing that your hard work is getting you somewhere. If you are trying to lose weight, weigh yourself once a week. If you're trying to lose fat and build muscle, measure your BMI. If you're just trying to build muscle, go ahead and measure your biceps. The excitement you'll get from making progress will keep you on track with your fitness plan.

Next time you get in a rut or don't feel like like facing the gym, try out these tips. Stick with it and remember, it's Progress Not Perfection!

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