It's been just about six years since I found out about calories. Six years ago, I "cut the crap," so to speak, and made a consistently conscious effort to eat healthier and work out regularly. Refusing bad foods became a reflex, and getting my ass to the gym was a routine I had down pat. By the end of 2010, I'd lost 25 pounds. Boom...byeeeee.
Since the beginning of my "fitness journey," a lot has changed: boyfriends, apartments, class schedules, full time work, getting a dog (now having two). It's always been really easy for me to find an excuse not to work out, because I've
always had a lot going on. Doesn't everyone? Thankfully, I've always kept up with my health enough to maintain my lost weight, give or take a few pounds.
Over the last year, my motivation to eat well and work out regularly dwindled. The treadmill just wasn't doing it for me anymore, and if I found a workout I liked on Pinterest, I'd find a reason to quit halfway through. I didn't challenge myself, and in turn, I felt frustrated when I wasn't seeing results anymore.
Sigh.
Flash forward to now, and I'm working out 5-6 days a week. I stopped making excuses for myself and just started going, and I've continued to keep going. I've found my motivation, and that motivation is results. Because if you work hard and often, the results
will come.
While most of said motivation has been "from within" and all that, it helps to have a reason to get there. For me, this is what's been working as of late:
A fun, doable program
A friend of mine sent over
Kayla Itsine's BBG workouts around this time last year, and I didn't do a damn thing with them until November.
Kayla's programs include 12 weeks of three 28 minute high intensity resistance work outs per week, plus the incorporation of Low Intensity Steady State training & High Intensity Interval Training. Her workouts require no or minimal equipment, which is great for me considering my apartment complex's gym only has so much. Her program works for me because I know exactly what I need to complete and how long it's going to take me to do it, and I don't leave the gym until it's finished. Baddabing. I use her eBooks, but you can pay weekly (or monthly) for her iPhone app which includes weekly workout challenges as well!
Pre-workout
Pre-workout is a game changer for me. On days when I have quite literally zero desire to even look in the gym's general direction, it kicks my butt into high gear and I'm ready to take on the day. I try to only use it 3 days a week, as I don't want my body to get too used to it. I use it on my resistance/circuit training days, because 28 minutes high intensity training can get exhausting pretty quickly. Right now, I love
Cellucor C4 Pre-Workout Explosive Energy in strawberry margarita. I'm almost out of this particular flavor, and will probably give
icy blue razz a shot next.
Cute workout clothes
You hear this all the time, but it's so true. Looking good = feeling good, which means a better workout. An old, scratchy t-shirt and ratty shorts just doesn't do it for me. I recently raided Tampa's new premium outlets and found a bunch of great deals. It also helps to have workout clothes that not only look good, but actually fit well. No one likes pulling up their leggings every other burpee. I got
these leggings for free during one of Victoria's Secret's sales (buy a sports bra, get a sports pant free), and I'm obsessed. I'm constantly checking to see if they're on sale, because they don't budge and hug me in all the right places.
Instagram inspiration
Whenever I'm feeling lazy or uninspired, I scroll through some of my favorite fitness related accounts for a little extra pep in my step. Since I do the Kayla Itsine's workouts, I'll search #BBG, #KaylasArmy, or #BBGcommunity on Instagram to find inspiring transformations, recipe ideas, and overall motivation. Just a few minutes of scroll time is enough to get me going!
What's your go-to strategy?