Hi everyone! If you are reading this, then you
are probably searching for some information to help you stay motivated with
your training. No matter who you are, whether you are a beginner just starting
out or a seasoned gym veteran, everyone has reached a point where they have hit
a wall (metaphorically, that is).
My Story
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is
Greg Wilson. I am a new strength & conditioning coach at the
Mashpee Fitness Center (a division of Cape Cod Rehab). After a very successful
high school and collegiate track and field career as a shot-put, discus and
hammer thrower a few years ago, I was tipping the scales at a whopping 265 lbs.
Needless to say, I was a bit stout.
As time went on and my knowledge of training
and nutrition began to develop, I started applying it to myself. My training
became a lot smarter and my nutrition was getting better.
To make a long story short (and I mean long),
after five months, I lost a total of 60 lbs. Now, as you can imagine, there
were many ups and downs along the way and losing those 60lbs wasn’t easy. There
were plenty of times when I wanted to give up and throw in the towel, but I
managed to keep myself motivated and I kept moving forward.
Here are some strategies that I used to keep
myself motivated…
Goal Setting
Goal setting is really important to me and
should be important to you too! Setting a goal is a great motivator and
successfully completing that goal is an even greater measure of success. Here
are some important points to think about when setting goals:
- Small Goals: Setting small goals allows you to generate more success for yourself. When you keep reaching your small goals, step by step, you gain motivation to keep going towards your biggest goal. Always set attainable goals.
- Be Specific: Identify exactly what your specific goal is. If you want to improve your max bench press, don’t just say “I want to improve my max bench press”, give yourself a specific weight like, “I want to increase my max bench press by 10 lbs”. This will help further measure success.
- Deadline: Sometimes you need to give yourself an end date to really get you going. If weight loss is a goal, tell yourself, “I am going to lose 10 lbs by October 31”. Make that your deadline and stick with it.
- Measurable: This point can be related back to the Be Specific example. If you set a goal to improve your max bench press by 10 lbs, and you meet that goal, then that is a measure of success. Another example would be if your goal is to lose 1 lb in 1 week and you are successful, then that is measurable.
Other Strategies
Here are some strategies to keep you moving
forward if goal setting isn’t working for you, or if you just want a little
extra motivation.
- Positive Attitude: I think the number one problem for most people is that they are always down on themselves. You can’t put yourself down. Always keep a positive attitude and block out the negativity.
- Collaborate: If you know somebody who has similar goals to you, or if they have already done something that you are trying to accomplish, talk to them. They might be able to give you advice on something you’re having an issue with.
- Keep an Open Mind: It is always important to try to keep an open mind, especially when beginning a new training program or diet. Always give it a chance, because you never know what could happen.
- Remove “Can’t” from your vocabulary: People use the word “CAN’T” too often. Instead of “I can’t”, try saying “I will”.
- Never Give Up: No matter how hard something gets. Never give up. Keep chipping away at it, because eventually you will break through your wall.
I hope that some of this information helps you
to stay motivated and to never stop pursuing your training and nutritional
goals, no matter how long they take! I think Arnold Schwarzenegger said it
best….
“Strength does not come from
winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships
and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Blog
post by Greg Wilson.
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