Bodybuilding is a lifelong
lifestyle, and you need to find a way to achieve that in
every way possible by increasing your motivation to stick
with it.
For some people motivation comes
natural, but for others, it is
what separates the true bodybuilders from the "posers."
Bodybuilding is a sport that requires 110 percent of your
focus, if one part is lacking then your whole plan will
become a failure. If you are wanting to improve your
motivation or would just like to learn why it is important,
then keep reading.
Being motivated is very important in bodybuilding, only the
motivated will survive and that is no lie. Bodybuilding is a
sport driven by motivation. How do you keep
from eating junk food while preparing for a contest? How do
you keep training day after day while only seeing little to
no improvement with your body? If you are serious about
achieving your fitness goals, being motivated is the only
way of obtaining them.
Small, steady steps will lead to progression, which will
lead to results, which will increase motivation, which will
again increase results, which in turn will lead to long-term
change.
Here are some quick 10 tips to
help you stay motivated:
1. Have a workout chart and
write down when you complete a workout. Here is the exact
workout calendar chart I use
and recommend printing out and to use for yourself. On this chart you
can use a multi colored pen to write down different workouts
so you can keep it organized. The boxes are small, but
simple numbers to represent the amount of weight you did for
like your first work set is all you really need, and then a
smaller number next to that to represent how many reps you
did with that weight. And simple things like check
marks and Xs to represent cardio workouts etc.. These
charts have dramatically improved my motivation to allow me
to continue bodybuilding year after year.
2.
Make everything convenient for yourself! This is
important! I noticed over the years what made me quit over
and over again was the simple fact that things were not
convenient for me. For example I personally did not
like going to the gym on a continuous basis, so I bought a
weight set for my basement and I started doing all my
workouts in my basement, this dramatically improved my
motivation to continue working out. But over the years
I started to get less motivated even with that because with
that one bench I had to setup incline bench, flat bench,
sitting shoulder presses, standing squats, etc.. all with
one bench set. It made me not want to go down in my basement
to workout because I was too lazy to setup my "station" for
the day. So after I made some money I bought 3 more weight
sets and more workout equipment for my basement overtime,
and now that problem is solved. Remember workout
equipment is a lifelong investment!
Eating 5+ healthy balanced
meals a day can also be very inconvenient. A simple way
around this for myself was to make a big pot of food and
then separate them in plastic containers and then eat one of
the containers every 3 hours through out the day, this
decreased my food preparation time dramatically. Bottom line
is use common sense and make everything convenient for you
as possible!
3.
Make your bodybuilding food tasty. Add condiments, spices,
herbs, seasonings to your salads/meals so that you look
forward to eating them. If you do not like the taste of the
food you eat you will most likely quit altogether.
Experiment with different foods to find the ones you like
the best while still being healthy for you and your goals.
4.
Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule. Going to sleep at the
same time every night and waking up at the same time every
day will allow you to get "stuck" in a healthy rhythm for
yourself to allow you to keep doing your best. So get
an alarm clock and use it every day so you don't oversleep.
5.
Don't over do anything. In other words don't think you have
to workout all the time or even eat all the time. Take
breaks to relax and keep your workouts short and intense to
allow you to enjoy the other real aspects of life, such as
having .. you know, fun! And don't be upset if you
miss a meal or a workout for a day or even a week, just get
right back on it when you can. Usually a week off can be
beneficial for you from time to time. And missing meals
occasionally will not hurt you at all, if anything they can
be very beneficial for you. for example, I have been
experimenting with fasting on water one day a week and
experiencing dramatic results in my health and appearance
because of it.
6.
Take pictures of yourself from time to time. By doing this
you can monitor the progress you make and it will allow you
to see what you are doing is actually working and will
motivate you to continue doing your best. If you don't want
to take pictures at least spend some time looking in the
mirror and admire yourself and your hard work.
7.
Randomize your workouts. Don't keep doing the same workout
routine week after week. Switch things up by doing different
workouts to target the same muscle groups. Do different
forms of cardio and eat different types of food. Sometime
getting stuck in the same routine month after month year
after year things start getting repetitive and will decrease
your motivation to continue. By changing things around will
allow different adaptations for your body to adjust to which
in turn equates to more GH and testosterone production for
yourself.
8.
Keep things fun for yourself. Listen to the music you like
when working out, go outside and go for a nice relaxing jog
instead of inside on a treadmill. Workout with friends, and
simply find ways to enjoy the lifestyle as a bodybuilder,
because remember your in this for the long run and not a
short run.
9.
Don't be upset and quit if you do not increase your lifts
all the time. Most of the time in my bodybuilding life, I
stay at the same weights for LONG periods of time and that
is completely normal. Remember we are not taking
steroids here and maintaining a good healthy, sharp, good
looking appearance is what is most important, and not just
"increasing" your lifts continuously. For me personally
right now, I have been on a "cutting" phase for about 2
years now and do not really have a desire to bulk up anytime
soon, simply because I enjoy doing cardio, I enjoy having a
six pack, I enjoy not making sure I have to eat a TON of
food, I enjoy the fact that my muscles are not overly huge
and packed with carbs all the time. I enjoy the extra health
benefits from not over eating all the time. So remember
bodybuilding is about your appearance and not just how much
you can lift.
Now if you have a specific
goal of increasing muscle mass and weight, then that is a
different matter. In this case you will need to adjust
your daily caloric intake to make sure you keep progressing.
It all depends on what your goals are here!
10.
Get an idol or mentors!
I have found through out my life what the best motivation
that can spark your bodybuilding efforts up is an idol,
somebody you see in real life (and not necessarily on TV)
that has a good body, you say to yourself. "man, I wish I
looked like that", this can motivate you into trying
harder and staying focused on a specific goal. Even you
yourself can be an idol for yourself, I know that sounds
strange, but after making significant gains from
bodybuilding after awhile, that alone can motivate you in
keep on doing your best!
Arnold Schwarzenegger is probably one of my biggest
inspirations for many bodybuilders, he has probably done the
best job in my opinion of getting people to start
bodybuilding.
"WHETHER YOU THINK YOU CAN OR THINK YOU CAN'T, YOU'RE
RIGHT." --Henry Ford
Arnold Schwarzenegger is probably one of my biggest
inspirations for many bodybuilders, he has probably done the
best job in my opinion of getting people to start
bodybuilding.
