I’ve been struggling lately to stay motivated. It’s so tempting to skip a workout and work on my website and blog instead. I justify it by telling myself that I REALLY need to work on my sites so that I can quit my day job as soon as possible.

So I’ve had to come up with some new ways of motivating myself, and thought I’d share them. Maybe one of them will work for you!

1. Put Yourself on Autopilot

I was struggling, trying to decide WHAT my workouts should be, WHEN my workouts should be, HOW OFTEN my workouts should be, etc. That indecision led to inaction.

So I removed the decision-making element. I signed up and paid IN ADVANCE for a Boot Camp class that meets Monday night, Wednesday night, and Friday morning.

By signing up for this class, I put myself on autopilot. I don’t need to think about what to do or when, I just go to my classes as scheduled and “follow the leader.” I’m feeling stronger after one week, and maybe because of that, I’ve added one short cardio/sprint workout and one overall strength training session a week. And on weekends I try to play tennis or go for a walk or bike ride.

So one little tweak has been just the kick in the butt that I needed!

2. Push Yourself

All too often I’ll do a cardio workout and find myself just kinda “coasting” along. What, out of breath, moi? No…

Somewhere along the way, gasping for breath just somehow became a no-no. A nice easy jog? No problem. A hard run? No way.

At the boot camp class, we do short intervals of high intensity activities, then get a brief (very brief – can we say 10 seconds?) rest, and then we’re right back at it. As the instructor is calling out the next move (”Fifteen jump squats. Go!”) I’m thinking “No way!” But guess what? I just do it.

And I don’t die, I don’t pass out, and I don’t puke. And at the end of class, I’m feeling pretty darn good. So go ahead, give it a try. Push yourself. Run faster. Left heavier. You’ll be surprised at what you’re really capable of.

3. Just Do a Little Bit

Wow, sort of contradicts #2 above! But we’ve all had days where just getting out of bed is a monumental task, let alone getting your butt out the door for a workout. On days like those, think small and just do a little bit.

Tuesday morning I was really tired and worn out from Monday night’s class. I had planned on going for an early morning run, but upon waking, I quickly changed my mind.

Instead of doing NOTHING, I did just a little bit. I did my favorite boot camp exercise, one that I had heard of plenty of times but had never given a try – hindu pushups.

Not as difficult as a regular pushup, and involving just about every muscle in your body, it’s a great way to warm up and get energized. Watch the video below for a quick demonstration.

It takes about 2 minutes to do 25 hindu pushups. That’s it. That’s all I did. BUT, it was enough to wake me up, to get me feeling energized, to get me in tune with my muscles, AND it got me to rethink my exercise plan and instead of doing nothing, I went for a long walk.

So, I went from going for a run, to doing nothing, to doing just a little bit – 25 hindu pushups – to DOING SOMETHING – going for a walk. So the next time you’re about to dis your workout because you’re too tired or too sore or don’t have enough time, DO JUST A LITTLE BIT. You’ll never know where it might lead you!

4. Find an Objective Third Party

If you just can’t seem to motivate yourself, let someone else do it for you.

I’ve always shied away from having a workout partner. Mainly because I know that sooner or later I’ll miss a workout and disappoint my partner.

I started thinking about this last night when one of my fellow boot campers invited me to join her and a few others on their twice-weekly bike rides. My first thought was to politely decline, because I know I should spend the majority of my evenings working on websites.

But then I thought, you know, it’s almost September. We’ve only got about another month or so before the snow starts to fly here in Minnesota – why not join them for the next month? It’s only 30 days or so – no long-term commitment – and it would probably help with the “kick in the pants” I’m trying to give myself. So I’m in.

And if a training partner or group doesn’t float your boat, what about a personal trainer? I know they are a bit spendy, and may seem like an indulgence in our current economy.

BUT, you could find a trainer who’s willing to meet with you twice a month or so, just to get you focused and on track, or find one that works with small groups so that the payments are diffused a amongst a small group of people.

Either way, make sure that you find a trainer that is willing to work with you and who REALLY MOTIVATES you!

5. Inspire Yourself with Words and Pictures

Maybe you’ve heard the term “vision board.” Essentially, it’s a collage of images and words that inspire you and remind you of your goals and dreams. Why not create one to remind you of your fitness goals on a daily basis?

It’s pretty simple. Go through some magazines, and cut out pictures of people with bodies that you admire and aspire to, and images of people working out. Then cut out some motivating words or phrases – “move it,” “get strong,” “feel the energy” – for example.

Arrange them on a piece of poster board and glue them on. Or stick them on your refrigerator with magnets. Or to the inside of your cupboards, so when you reach for those double chocolate chunk cookies in the middle of the night, you’re always reminded of your goal.

Another option is to design a vision board electronically, using a page layout program to arrange the images and phrases, and then saving it as a pdf. Use that pdf as the desktop image on your computer.

How do you motivate yourself to work out?

Photo by DrJimiGlide

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Today’s Menu

• Scrambled Eggs with  Salsa
• Coffee with milk
• Archer Farms Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage
• Chop Chop Salad
• Two Oreo Cookies
• Coffee with milk
• Kiwi
• Archer Farms Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage
• Chop Chop Salad
• Grapes
• Yogurt

Today’s Workout

• 50 situps
• 25 hindu pushups
• 25 squats

Today’s Weight

• 177 lbs.

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I’ve been slacking. Launching this blog and website has taken more time and manpower than I realized, so my weight loss and workout effort suffered – a little.

But today is a new day. I’m baring my soul and my body (most of it!) on this blog as well as on the homepage of Little Black Dress Fitness Tips.

I’ve got my weight posted for all to see, and I’m in the process of adding a photo gallery that will record my weekly weight loss progression.

My meals might seem a little redundant, but I’ve learned that the fewer options I have, the better. And when I know EXACTLY what I’ll be eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I just sort of follow through on auto-pilot.

I attended my third Boot Camp workout tonight. I skipped a day last week because I could hardly walk 48 hours after the first class. The second class didn’t leave me nearly as sore, but I know I’ll be feeling this class tomorrow morning!

All of this means that I’ll be posting on a more frequent basis. If nothing else, I’ll get my workout and food intake on a post. So check back tomorrow for a new post!

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Today’s Menu

• Homemade Yogurt with Granola and Kiwi
• Coffee with milk
• Archer Farms Spinach and Garlic Chicken Sausage
• Chop Chop Salad
• Coffee with milk
• Archer Farms Spinach and Garlic Chicken Sausage
• Kiwi
• Chop Chop Salad
• Archer Farms Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage
• Glass of Chocolate Almond Milk

Today’s Workout

• Boot Camp Class

Today’s Weight

• 180 lbs.

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Here’s where it all begins – my plan of attack for getting into my Little Black Dress!

First things first – we need a goal. “Looking Good in a Little Black Dress” is not specific enough. “Losing Weight” is not specific enough. “Getting Into Shape” is not specific enough. None of them are measurable. So let’s find something that is SPECIFIC and MEASURABLE and set a GOAL.

“I will weigh X pounds by X date”  is specific and measurable. “I will run a 5K in October” is specific and measurable. Take a minute and think about some specific goals that you want to achieve, then read through the information below and do the suggested steps.

Long Term Goals

Long term goals give us specific, concrete targets to aim for. Without long term goals, you’ll never truly get what you want out of life, because you haven’t decided WHAT you want out of life. Instead of CREATING the life that you want, life just kind of happens TO you.

My long term goal is to weigh 125 pounds by the end of January 2010. How did I come up with the goal?

Well, 125 seems like a reasonable weight for my 5′4″ frame. It’s also a weight that I spent a number of years at in my twenties, and it was not difficult to maintain.

A good rate of weight loss is 2 pounds a week. That leaves some room for fluctuation, say for “that time of month” or when the holidays roll around. So at that rate, I should reach my goal in about six months.

Short Term Goals

Short term goals take what may seem to be a monumental task and breaks it down into smaller, manageable chunks. They are the daily, monthly, and weekly goals that, once accomplished, guarantee that you reach that long term goal.

My short term goals are:

• Add 5 posts a week to this blog to keep me (and you!) motivated.
• Work out six days a week, with a good mix of cardio and strength training.
• Eat healthy 90% of the time.

Daily and Weekly Activities

What activities or steps do you need to take on a daily basis in order to reach your short term and long term goals? Make a list, updating it as needed, on a weekly basis if that works for you. Plan your week so that you’re doing activities to help you reach your goals. Here’s my list:

• Make sure I have adequate healthy food in the house so that I don’t reach for crap when I get hungry.
• Monday Night: Go to Spin Class (I’m not a big biking fan but I know I can burn a TON of calories).
• Tuesday Morning: Body Pump class.
• Wednesday Night: Go for three mile run with my roommate.
• Thursday Night: Lift weights at the YMCA.
• Friday Morning: Go to TRX class.
• Saturday Morning: Lift weights. Go to farmers market for fresh veggies.
• Sunday Night: Pack lunches for the week.

Fixed but Flexible

You’ll notice that I’m keeping my short term goals a little more flexible. Rather than making it a goal to go to Body Pump class three mornings a week at 5:45 a.m. (which I would love to do!), I’ve chosen a more flexible goal (work out six days a week) because I know that I’ll sleep through at least one of those Body Pump classes and feel a sense of disappointment. NOW, if I choose to go to those classes, great; if I sleep late, I can still make a 5:30 p.m. class, or just lift some free weights at the gym.

Write Down Your Goals

Very few people take the time and effort to write down their goals. But writing them down makes the goals more concrete in your subconscious mind. Writing them by hand makes the connection to your goals even stronger.

Details, Details, Details

Write down as much detail as possible about your goals. Why are your goals important? How do you plan to reach them? How will you feel when you reach them? How will it affect your family? What will you do differently once you reach your goals? Answering those questions – in writing – will make your goal seem more real and will give it weight and form, rather than being just an abstract thought.

Put Your Goals Where You Can See Them

Once you’ve completed the step above,  make photocopies and place them where you’ll see them throughout the day. They don’t have to be visible for anyone else to see: put one in the drawer in your bedside table, tape one to the inside of your closet door, put one in your desk drawer at work. Take a break a couple times during the day and slowly read through your goals.

Visualize Achieving Your Goals

After you read through your goals, close your eyes and picture yourself going through the steps you need to achieve your goals, and then finally achieving them. I picture myself at the gym, lifting heavier and heavier weights, running longer and faster, and finally sitting by a pool in a bikini. I’ve got a smokin’ hot body that’s strong and fit, and I feel happy, strong and proud.

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Today’s Menu

• Canteloupe
• Coffee with milk
• Trader Joe’s Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage
• Chop Chop Salad – chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onions and avacodos drizzled with Trader Joe’s balsamic vinegar and olive oil
• Steak
• Baked Potato
• Salad
• Glass of Red Wine
• Orange Sherbet

Today’s Workout

• Three mile run/walk on a glorious August afternoon

Today’s Weightt

• 176.5 lbs.

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