Happy middle of March to you all! Since my last blog I've managed to lose an extra half a stone (even though my gym going has been rudely interrupted by trips to Iceland, birthdays, interviews, new job achieving, getting engaged, and well a huge case of CBA). I'm feeling a lot slimmer (and more people have noticed, well done, previous blog), I bought another pair of jeans AND during ski jumps and the ladder move in Body Attack yesterday I couldn't feel my stomach moving independently to the rest of my body - GET. IN.
Also luckily enough I started this get fit regime a good half a year before I get engaged so if you see me at the gym or ordering salads it has nothing to do with wanting to be a little bit smaller for my wedding dress. HONEST.
(Disclaimer: I will never order salad. Unless in involves bacon. But even then it's unlikely).
This blog is aimed to give some of you some advice on how to improve your gymotivation. I, like many people, cannot afford a personal trainer, nor do they need the humiliation of having someone monitor how fit you're getting (I'm quite happy assuming I'm improving by myself thankyouverymuch) and I, like many people, am easily distracted and need something to keep me running, swimming, cycling or just generally not leaving the gym class half way though. So here are some ways I try to keep myself going at (and going to) the gym.
1. Go to gym CLASSES
They are free with your gym membership so you might as well, plus you get the benefits of a fully trained professional sports-type person, without paying for the one on one treatment. They are not only motivating but they advise you on how to do things safely (even things like squatting and planking) so you can take away knowledge and try it yourself. Also you are there for an hour and therefore guaranteed to exercise for a full hour. Winning.
2. Write down your gym trips in your diary.
The written word is a powerful thing. By writing that you will go to the gym somewhere you are finalising it, and it becomes part of your weekly routine. Simples!
3. Run by songs, not minutes or distance.
Distance and time are both very set things. Songs, however, are not. It's much more satisfying not knowing exactly when you will finish running, or walking, because if you say "Oh I'll run for a minute - maybe you have energy for more and this method will bore you, or maybe a minute is too long so it would be hugely demotivating. I tend to go for "Two lively songs running, one slow song walking". The songs come up at random and sometimes they are three minutes long, sometimes they are six minutes, so it's a bit of a gamble. Also because it's not set you feel freer so if you need to give up a sprint halfway through a song you don't feel guilty.
4. Don't be afraid of your limits
Don't push yourself further than you really know you can. And don't be ashamed when you can't live up to your expectations. I booked gym classes for 9am on Saturday and 8am Sunday. In the end I stayed up late Friday and Saturday nights. I made it to the Saturday class but I welcomes the sleep on Sunday. I haven't become obese or unfit from missing one morning, booking the class meant I knew it was available if I happened to wake up early, but I'm not missing out if I haven't gone. Also on occasions I've tried to run when I'm either too tired or too full from eating and end up feeling sick, dizzy and not working out half as well as I wanted to - very demotivating.
5. The Rainbow Effect (C)
This is my self-coined phrase which never fails to motivated me. Historically I used it to help motivate a friend of mine who was struggling with work and teacher training. I likened the process to a rainbow, because the first half is tough and uphill, and the second half is a beautiful downhill slide. Moreover the rainbow metaphor works twofold because rainbows are beautiful - so even if things seem uphill and difficult, what you are working towards is worth it and beautiful in itself.
So yes at the gym this is how it works:
Work out how far or long you want to work out for.
Divide that distance or time in half
Spend the first half counting up
Spend the second half counting down
Simple huh? I do this every time I swim. I aim to do 32 lengths. I swim 16 counting 1-16, then I swim 16 counting 16-1. This means I'm never reaching any scary high numbers which psychologically make me feel I'm doing more than I can handle, plus zero is a definitely number. 32 is open and incomplete feeling whereas after zero, I can't go any further, so not only have I achieved my aim but I feel like I have really accomplished something.
So - give them a go and happy gym-going everyone!
