Are You Stuck In a Fitness Slump?

Struggling With Your Diet and Workout Plan?

 

Healthy living isn’t always easy. Even the most enthusiastic people lose their motivation at some point. Things are even harder for those trying to lose weight.

Believe it or not, fitness is a state of mind. If you really want to stay fit and healthy, you’ll find a way to do it. It all comes down to the choices you make every day

 

Why You Can’t Stay Motivated to Lose Weight

 

Most people are excited when starting a new diet or exercise routine. They eat clean and stick to their workouts for one week or more. Soon after, they begin to find excuses to skip their workouts and overindulge. (Sound familiar?)

 

Sometimes it happens right after they start to lose weight. You might be telling yourself: “I’ve already lost five kilos. One piece of chocolate won’t make me fat.” Or you may fool yourself into thinking that exercise is a free pass to eat whatever you want so you don’t have to confront your nutritional choices.

 

Every person trying to lose weight or eat healthier has faced these challenges. Athletes and fitness models lose their motivation too. Some actually use weekly cheat meals as a strategy to help them to stay motivated with eating plan.

 

According to researchers, the root of the problem is neuroscience, not willpower. When your weight drops below a set point, your metabolism slows down. Additionally, your body begins to produce more ghrelin and other hormones that increase hunger. As a result, you burn fewer calories and feel the need to eat more. This process is known as metabolic suppression. It’s a normal survival mechanism that keeps your body within a certain weight range.

 

This is just one of the many reasons why dieters hit plateaus and lose their motivation. Some habits, such as starting off too fast, setting unrealistic goals, eating too little, and exercising too much, only make things worse.

Sleep deprivation, stress, hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and depression can affect your motivation too. When you’re stressed out, eating healthy is the last thing on your mind. However, a balanced diet and regular exercise can actually relieve stress.

 

Try these 5 strategies to reignite your fitness motivation

 

1. Set Specific Goals

 

Set S.M.A.R.T goals to increase your chances of success.

 

S.M.A.R.T stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based.

 

Yes I know, you have probably heard this before about setting goals but have you actually done it correctly?

 

Unrealistic goals are a recipe for failure. Change will happen, but don’t expect overnight results. It takes time and commitment to build up your fitness and reach a desired weight loss goal. Goal setting can make or break your motivation.

 

Focus on what you want to accomplish, write down your goals, and come up with a plan. Break larger goals into smaller goals that can be achieved in a short time.

 

For example, when your goal is fat loss instead of focusing on losing weight on the scales (which is not just a measurement of fat but also a combination of muscle, water and glycogen just to name a few) focus on losing cms around your targeted areas like your waist instead.

Your goal could be to lose 12cms around your waist in 12 weeks which gives you a target of losing 1cm per week. That’s a realistic goal.

Remember to always set a time frame for reaching your objectives and reward your achievements with something that is in line with your overall goal. For example instead of a food reward which would most likely not be in line with your weight loss goal you could instead reward yourself with some new clothes to celebrate this achievement.

 

2. Get in the Right Mindset

 

If you get your head straight, the results will follow. Although important, weight loss isn’t all about calories in versus calories out.

Fitness means more than just working out a few times a week. Fitness is a way of life.

Your attitude is one of the most important factors that will influence your progress.

 

First of all, understand why you’re doing these things, whether it’s exercise or clean eating. Write down the benefits and highlight those that mean something to you. Identify the factors that keep you from reaching your goals, such as a busy schedule, stress, or binge eating. Avoid your triggers and focus on the outcome.

Imagine what it would be like to be fitter, learner, and healthier. Practice positive self talk and embrace your weaknesses. Drop “diet” thinking and instead commit to making lasting lifestyle changes.

 

3. Have a Plan

 

One of the best ways to boost your fitness motivation is to plan things out. Prepare and plan your meals ahead of time, schedule your workouts, and set deadlines for your goals.

 

Exercising randomly won’t help. Before hitting your workout, decide what muscles you’re going to train and how you will do it. Write down the number of reps and sets for each exercise, come up with new routines, and keep your workouts varied.

 

Don’t forget to track your results. Use skin calipers to measure your body fat levels. Take before and after photos to see how much your body has changed from one month to the next. Keep track of the reps and weights used in your workouts to assess your strength.

 

4. Eat Smart

 

The next step is to build healthier eating habits. Nutrition has a direct impact on your mood, body weight, and workout progress. Start your day with a healthy breakfast that’s high in protein and slow digesting carbs. Opt for eggs and cottage cheese, oatmeal, Greek yogurt with strawberries, trail mixes, almond milk and bananas, or omelette with veggies.

 

 

Protein fuels your muscles after an overnight fast, keeps your metabolism up, and supports the proper functioning of your body. Complex carbs, such as those found in vegetables and whole grains, provide lasting energy and regulate blood sugar levels.

 

Research indicates that skipping breakfast increases the levels of hunger hormones, such as ghrelin, causing you to overeat later in the day. This may trigger insulin and blood glucose spikes, which increases diabetes risk.

Other studies have found that eating breakfast supports cardiovascular health, enhances memory and attention, promotes fat loss, and boosts your energy levels.

Bottom line… Don’t SKIP Breakfast!

 

5. Try Group Training

 

Group training might be exactly what you need to reignite your motivation. Nowadays, most places offer classes that consist of full body circuits and HIIT workouts for small groups of people who share common goals.

A revolutionary program, such as our I.C.E Group Fitness Program, can help you get the most out of your workout time. These 30 minute workouts offer a full body workout in less time and are based on high intensity and short duration, leading to faster weight loss, greater endurance, and improved athletic performance.

 

This style of training has also been shown to increase strength, mobility, and stamina, boost metabolic rate, and improve body composition.

It’s the perfect choice for those who want to build lean muscle and shed fat.

Additionally, you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people who inspire and support each other. Not to mention that group training is fun!

 

So to summarise here are your 5 Strategies to get you out of a fitness slump

1. Create a CHALLENGE to achieve

2. Get into the RIGHT MINDSET

3. Have a PLAN to follow that is in line with your goals

4. Eat Right

5. Implement Group Training into your workout schedule

 

Sources:

https://topachievement.com/smart.html

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2016-09-19/10-ways-to-shift-your-mindset-for-better-weight-loss

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/10/why-eating-the-right-breakfast-is-so-important/index.htm

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis11.htm

https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/circuit-training