Are you looking for motivation or the willpower to stick with an exercise program? Here are 5 reasons you may experience exercise maintenance challenges.
1. Worth of exercise. What will enable you to find the time, commitment, and energy to maintain an exercise program?
The typical reasons people exercise (lose weight, tone up; increase strength, lower blood pressure, etc…) is usually not worth an hour of boring cardio and strength training a few hours a week.
Ask yourself: Why do you want your goal? Why is this goal important to you? What will come out when you achieve your goals? Can you imagine accomplishing your goal? How will achieving this goal benefit you? What will happen when you get this goal?
If you can’t answer these questions about your goal, re-consider your fitness goal. It may not be a clear, motivating, or inspirational one. Therefore the exercise you do will never be worth your time, commitment, or energy.
2. Perceived ability to perform exercise. Do you identify yourself as an exerciser or a spectator? Do you see yourself as “not athletic”? If you believe you can or can’t you’re right.
If you have not exercised much before, you can always learn. Consider hiring a personal trainer, or join group fitness classes that are instructor-led.
Moreover, there are other ways to exercise besides gym exercise. Find recreational activities that you like to do, and do it. If you don’t know what you like, there is nothing wrong with trial and error. Try different things until you find what you like, or what makes you feel good about yourself and your body.
3. Self-concept. How do you feel and think about yourself, and why? What definitions from others have you accepted about yourself? Are you an exerciser? Are you a learner? Are you an achiever? Are you good enough? Are you worth taking the time to take care of yourself? Do you feel you’re beautiful, adored, lovable?
When you think and feel great about yourself, you want to take care of yourself. You find exercise “worth it” and valuable. You see it as a way to be your best self, always. You do it to experience joy in your body, your life, and even in the food you eat.
4. Readiness to Change. Are you beginning an exercise program, even though you are not totally committed? Do you feel you don’t have the ability to maintain a fit body? Maintain an exercise program? Or have the power to change?
Psychological readiness to change is important to build before you work on maintaining a structured exercise or recreational program.
Finding strong motivators to exercise, as well as strengths, resources, and abilities you can use to make lifestyle changes helps you to build the foundation and power to change.
5. Degree to which exercise becomes a habit. You don’t have to participate in a structured exercise or physical activity program right away. Shaping a habit is just as effective. What do I mean by shaping?
For example, start off by exercising (or just moving more) 2 days a week. Find and participate in movement-based activities that bring you joy, enable you to express who you are, and give you energy and relaxation.
When you create an exercise program that is enjoyable, fun, fulfilling, and challenges you, you are more likely to maintain it.
Summary
“External motivation isn’t enough without internal agreement”. In other words, beginning an exercise program to lose weight and tone up will kill your motivation if it doesn’t line up with what is really important to you.
Go through the questions in this post and overcome your exercise maintenance challenges today! What challenges with maintaining an exercise program do you want to overcome? Feel free to share your answers in the comments section below!
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References
1. Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology
2. “549 Powerful Coaching Questions ” from the Coaching Tools Company.com
