Welcome to Wellness Wednesday where in-house nutrition coach, Coach Diana Leigh, answers YOUR questions about health.
Got a question you want to see answered here? Submit it on the AMA form.
Let’s jump into it!
Q: I’m struggling with motivation to get into the gym – any suggestions?
A: Ahhh yes, the classic struggle of missing the motivation to get into the gym.
What does it really come down to? Is it…
- Motivation
- Discipline
- Magic Powers??!!!
- A Habitual Routine
A little bit of A and B along with D can take you a long way (no magic powers needed). Here’s how you can harness the power to get yourself into the gym and get it DONE.
MOTIVATION
When it comes to wanting to follow through on an action, you need to get in touch with your WHY. Why do you want to go to the gym? Is it to get strong? Is it to lose weight? Is it so you can be healthy and keep up with your kids? Whatever it is, you need to have a reason beyond, “Because I should.”
A great way to do this is to also set some goals. You can set a big goal and then benchmark goals you want to hit along the way. Then create a plan of attack to reach those goals. This gives your why a bit more shape which can in turn crank up your motivation.
DISCIPLINE
I won’t lie to you, it does sometimes require some tough love. You cannot rely on feeling motivated all the time – you’re human and at times you’re going to feel like you just don’t wanna. In times like these you need to buckle down and follow through on what you said. All it takes is showing up – once you’re in class let your coaches help you from there.
I feel it’s important to note there needs to be a healthy amount of discipline but also self compassion. Living by the mantra, “NO REST DAYS,” is only going to eventually burn you out. Sometimes there are obstacles worth taking days off for – feeling sick, working late, feeling too sore, etc. Just be careful that self compassion doesn’t bleed into excuse after excuse and not enough follow through.
ROUTINE
I’m a habit coach, so by nature I’m going to always refer back to building some kind of routine or habit around what you’re trying to achieve (because I know it works). Your routine is what makes getting to the gym easy. It might take some time before it feels easy, but trust the process and you’ll get there.
First set your goal of how many times you’d like to get to the gym. Be realistic – how many classes can you fit into your schedule without feeling completely overwhelmed but still achieve your goals?
Next figure out what obstacles you may face and then ELIMINATE THEM. If you’re trying to make it to the gym in the morning, have your gym bag packed the night before and a quick snack to grab on your way out the door. If you’re trying to make it to the gym a lunch, block off your calendar so you don’t have any spontaneous meetings pop up during that time. If you’re trying to make it in the evening, drink a preworkout in the car to prevent fatigue (and the desire to go home and nap instead). These are just some random examples – you need to figure out what might get in your way and find solutions to overcome those obstacles. The more of an uphill battle getting to the gym is, the more you’re going to need to rely on sheer discipline to get there.
Finally, execute the habit consistently. The more consistent with a habit you are, the easier it becomes to follow through. Just like how you probably barely pay attention driving a route you’ve driven everyday for the last five years, that routine is going to become something you can do without giving it much thought.
IN CONCLUSION
Combine a little bit of motivation, discipline, and a solid routine to help make it easier to get into the gym. Give it a shot and let me know how it goes!
Coach Diana Leigh is a Precision Nutrition certified coach who uses habit-based coaching to help her clients get stronger and feel amazing in their bodies without the restriction and overwhelm of dieting. For more helpful tips, follow her on Instagram @coachdianaleigh.
How you can work with Coach Diana:
1:1 Nutrition Coaching
Get individualized guidance in developing healthy and sustainable habits to help reach your goals – whether you’re looking for weight loss, muscle increase, or improved performance – without the stress and overwhelm of dieting or macro counting.
Learn more + apply here – currently accepting 3 new clients in July
Nourish With Confidence Kickstart
An 8-week group coaching program that helps active individuals create a healthy relationship with food + ditch dieting for good through foundational nutrition habits, balanced strategies, and high-level support.
Learn more here – next enrollment period begins August 2