Consistently Crush your workouts

We all come into the new year hard. Get The gym membership, download the fitness app or join the challenge. We're all hyped and the first few weeks we crush it. You're afraid for when you get tired, or to fall into habits of excuses. But you're sick and tired of that always happening. You want this year to look different. You're just not sure how to change it. What are you doing wrong?

One thing to acknowledge. There is nothing wrong with you. There is no one who wants to do all the fitness things everyday. There are people who don't want to get up and go to their job everyday. I'm sure there are moms who would love to not have to cook for their families everyday. I don't have kids yet and I get tired of cooking for just me and my husband. BUT we do anyway. We do the things we don't want to do. Because it's for our boss or our kids. It can be harder to get up and do the fitness things when we’re doing it for ourselves. because we’ve disappointed ourselves before. But we can shift the perspective. You can look at it as still doing it for your boss, for your kids or your spouse. And you. Because when you’re taking care of yourself you show up as a better mom with more energy able to play with her kids. You show up as a better employee because you know you can reach goals outside of work. You'll be more motivated to hit those goals at work. You’ll be able to be a better spouse because you will have more energy and confidence to show up as you are. Doing the fitness things is so much more than doing it for yourself. It's changing your now and your future for you and your family.

SO it's not about motivation. You will not want to do it every day. You won't. So get that out of your head. It's going to take a deeper discipline. Which brings me to my first point of how to accomplish the title of this blog.

Know why. Sure you may want to lose a few pounds. But why? Why do you want to get healthier? A mom I worked with said she wants to feel healthier and lose weight. Her why was because she wants to feel comfortable taking pictures with her kids. That's a huge why. You don't want your kids to become teenagers and then you have no pictures with them from the ages of 1-13. She recognized that and is changing things, for that purpose. So have that greater why behind why you want to get to the gym and get in shape.

The day starts the night before. Get to bed at a reasonable time, have a good night time routine! Some things that I have been implementing lately are dimming the lights by 8pm ish in the house. Then I try to finish my water for the day by 9pm. I'm trying to get it done sooner but that's what's happening right now, so I don't have to get up and pee a million times. I will stop answering texts and going on my phone between 9 and 10pm. I’ll look to read or watch a movie or something of that nature in the last few hours of the day if Peter isn't home from work yet. Also no coffee or caffeine after about 1 does wonders for me. Even though I don't have more than one cup of coffee a day. These are some things that i have incorporated that have helped me. I would recommend trying to find things that relax you and wind you down before going to bed. Also i have found i like to be intimate with my husband earlier in the day or evening rather then right before bed. That has helped with sleep and made the whole experience more enjoyable because I'm not half asleep. A Lot of these ideas I got from the book “the power of when”. It's been great for me figuring out different things that help me. But to have a successful day it starts the night before. So be sure to be getting enough sleep and making sure it's quality sleep. The last thing that has helped me is going to bed and getting up at the same time. Different hormones get released at certain times when you wake. Getting them in rhythm can also do wonders for you. I’ll usually go to bed around 11 and get up at 7. If we go to bed later or i’m feeling tired i will let myself sleep a little extra but not past 8. And sometimes i'll take a little 10 min nap in the afternoon. Again, these are things I have implemented over the years. Try some, or none. But sleep is huge in giving you energy for those workouts. It will help you want to go!

Get yourself a gym buddy! This can be someone you meet at the gym or someone you go to the gym with. Peter and I recently started going together twice a week. We don't even workout together but I love it. It also holds me accountable to going. I have made some gym friends where I will work in sets with them. That is great for me because it pushed me to lift heavier. I get comfortable by going through the motions. So having someone push me is great. If you can't get a friend to go put yourself out there and meet people there. It takes one conversation to change your whole gym experience.

If it's tough putting yourself out there in that way, take classes. There are a lot of class style gyms like orange theory or Crossfit. You can join a gym like that that will help you meet people easier and hopefully make you want to go. My girlfriend goes to orange theory and she said if she misses a class she signed up for she has to pay. She said it's the most motivating thing. So if you can't get yourself to the gym. Make it hurt you in more ways than one if you don't.

Along with why you have specific goals you're working towards. Maybe you want to be able to do a certain amount of pull ups (me) or pushups. Maybe you want to run a marathon or a 5k. Have a certain goal you are working towards. A goal that you actually want for yourself. And create a plan to get you there. Or follow a program that someone else has created to get you there. A program is beneficial. It will get you progressing at the gym when you’re tempted to go through the motions. It's great to track your weights or reps so you can make sure you're at least doing that if not more every time you go to the gym. ThaT way you can see yourself getting better which is more motivating.

Get a good pre workout! Don't get the crap stuff. This is the one I use on occasion. But utilize this on the days you're not feeling it. Along with a post workout shake. This will help with recovery and soreness. This is the one my husband and I use. Use ones that taste good and help you feel good. Please don't go by a Walmart brand. Use the good stuff for great results.

Last but not least, buy yourself some gym gear! Get cute leggings or shorts. Get the matching top or sneakers. Help yourself feel good about yourself in your new fit. This is a great way to get you up and moving. I know it helps me, even though I majorly lack in that department, I'm working on it!

I hope these help you get motivated and crush those workouts. Don't give up on yourself. Do it for you and those around you.