If you feel like every workout is punishment and eating healthy is the price you pay for overindulging, you’ll spend every minute getting fit miserable and probably won’t stick with it long. Celebrate every movement, appreciate how good you feel, and reward yourself when you’ve achieved a goal. The reward can be for reaching a goal, completing a tough workout, or sticking with a plan of healthy eating for a month. The celebration can be for accomplishing something hard for you to do, even if it’s easy for everyone else.
Enjoy an afternoon lounging.
Whether it’s taking a long bath, a visit to a spa or sauna, or binging on your favorite TV show, give yourself a break and do something you love, but never have time to do. It should be a guilty pleasure, but not one that involves unhealthy food, especially when you first start. You might play hooky from chores at home and take a walk in the park.
Get a new workout outfit or buy clothing that’s now a size smaller.
You don’t have to love shopping to appreciate how good it feels to get clothing that’s a size smaller. If you can’t afford a new wardrobe or want to wait and purchase an outfit after you make more progress, just trying on clothing can be a reward. Getting yourself a new piece of gym attire, whether it’s just a headband or an entire workout outfit, can give you a boost and reward you simultaneously.
Don’t skip your next workout, do it somewhere else or differently.
Make your reward a workout that’s a change of pace. If you love to go dancing, make that your reward and replace our workout with a night on the town, but make sure you dance the night away. Go to the pool and do laps or take a walk in the park. You can alternate your speed between a fast walk and a recovery pace to turn it into a HIIT workout. Go for a bicycle picnic, peddling your way to a location with friends and sharing a healthy meal.
- Share your accomplishment with a few friends who understand how hard you’ve worked. Sometimes just the recognition of your efforts is enough.
- Keep a workout jar to save money. Every time you do your best, pay yourself to do something special. Pay more when you’ve worked extra hard. When you’ve saved enough, use it for your special joy.
- Go out to dinner at a place that serves healthy food. Many restaurants now offer healthier options. You can normally find their menu online and choose the meal that fits your eating plan.
- A picture is worth 1000 words. Track your progress by taking a photo every week in the same place and in the same outfit. When you reach a goal, share your progress with friends and family or just enjoy it yourself.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness