I can’t stand it when the clocks go back, I think mainly because It gradually dawns on me that when I finish my day job it’s going to be dark.I get sleepy early, feel lethargic and have no energy to do anything....as you can tell, I don’t do well at promoting this time of year!One thing I did want to share with you all is some tips on how to motivate yourself to continue exercising.Over the last few weeks I’ve fallen off the fitness wagon, I’ve been so busy that chilling out has taken top priority and of course with that comfort food has been the easy, lazy option in my reach.Alarm bells rang and I thought to myself, enough is enough...
When I wake up in the morning and feel drained, the one thing I know will make me feel better is a fruit tea and a nice shower. It’s crazy but immediately both things will make me feel like a human and I'll be able to get on with my day. The same applies with exercise assometimes after work when I feel lazy and ready for bed, if I train I can feel better and even have more energy.I’m not talking running marathons or anything but gradually building up your exercising can be super a great benefit to many areas of your daily life.
This is all fantastic information and in theory would be great, but what if you still just don't fancy it? How are you going to climb out of bed to train before work? Or is carting your gym kit to work really going to make you go when the clock hits 5pm...or would you rather just head home?! Many of us experience these constant mental battles, everytime we're confronted with the question of whether to exercise. It can be tough and I have had them too, some weeks I don't feel inspired at all... but you have to push yourself, If I can do it, you can.
Find yourself a training buddy
Something I've come to find is often the perfect ingredient to good exercise. Often if I'm training solo my mind wonders and I think far too much about how I don't want to be there and that I'd rather be doing anything else.... don't lie we have all had those thoughts! By having a good training buddy you can drive each other on. For me personally one of my exercise class buddies is the best partner in crime, purely as we spend the majority of the time giggling and I find no matter how hard the class is the pain you're experiencing is muted. It's a welcomed distraction from what you're actually doing and you're having fun instead of feeling like it's a chore. The only hiccup in this is that even though in theory you'll encourage each other, you can also talk each other out of it... prime example; My fitness buddy and me were off to do Saturday morning Body Attack, on the walk there we were saying how lovely it'd be for a coffee and the fact this was always a horrible class to do. Long story short we got to the door of the gym, giggled and subsequently went off for that coffee! Oh dear. We only have ourselves to blame... and I felt so bad I took myself for a jog later in the sunshine.
Be realistic
I'm 28 now and in my early twenties I thought cramming my day with exercise was the way to look fabulous. Firstly I had more time as I was a student, and secondly I became obsessed and was actually hurting my body. When I first got back into exercise after my knee operations I felt I had to do something 7 days a week and at full intensity... this isn't correct as your body needs time to repair, however it took me months for this to sink in. If you go from lying down to suddenly jumping around, don't you feel sick and confused? It's exactly the same with exercise, build it slowly, start by selecting a class of choice like Body Combat, add it in once a week then do some core work like pilates or some stretching with yoga, then you're burning calories and also stretching well and letting your muscles recover properly. Too much, too soon is a cocktail for disaster.
Variety
I tend to find if I fallen off the fitness wagon it's usually down to boredom. I do get stuck in a rut with certain exercise classes or types of sports and only after a while realize I've been doing the same type of exercise consistantly for over a month. Yawn...
I have now made it my personal effort to never book the same classes week in, week out. Show your body there is more to life than just weight training with Body Pump or that you don't have to just go running or cycling. For the best overall fitness, doing a combination of activities is the main target to success, why not add a bit of excitement to your schedule? See what latest fun ways to exercise are... have you tried Zumba? Maybe you don't like group fitness so why don't you try one of the Wii fit dance games? My fitness buddy and I did the other day and I giggled so much but really felt quite hot afterwards. Exercise should be fun, try getting out there and giving things a go.
Feel comfy
When you do your hair and make up and pop you're brand new dress on, you immediately feel fabulous and ready for your night out... right? The same sort of applies to fitness training. If I'm in the right gear and frame of mind I can nail whatever is in front of me. Wearing well made, comfy clothes designed for your choice of exercise can make you feel much more inspired. Trust me I don't always wear lycra hugging clothing for fitness class... I get bloated days too and don't really feel happy wearing a tight top to show it off. If those days happen I have a back up fitness top that I do feel good in regardless - thus still making me feel comfortable to train in.
