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THE KEY TO SUCCESS
MOTIVATION
In any area of life that you want to make progress in or goals that you want to conquer it starts with motivation. When it comes to weight loss or becoming healthier in general the list of motivational factors to get started is endless…. (to become healthier, enhance your quality of life, set a good example for your children, look good in a swimsuit, or to show off your body at a reunion...etc.) but where the problem lies is after that initial motivation wears off. The problem is that one day you are so hyped up about the changes you intend to make and excited about the possible end results but as each day passes most people do not remind themselves of why they started nor do they seek additional motivation.
GOAL WRITING
Before you embark on any fitness or health plan or lifestyle change it is important to write down a few short term goals and long term goals. Make these goals measurable and rational but be sure to challenge yourself. Along with the goals also write down the factors that are required in order for you to reach your goals; write what you need to cut out of your life or what you need to add in order to reach your goals. By each goal write out a specific date in which you intend to complete said goal. Many people have heard about goal writing but figure that just thinking about it once will do the trick and that is a huge mistake - take the time to sit down, think about what you want, how you will get there, and literally write it down. These goals should be written down in a place that you can and will revisit on a daily basis and definitely on days that you can’t seem to find your motivation. You should also answer, "Why do you want to make this change?" This is the reason behind those goals you wrote down.
FOLLOW SOMEONE
When I first began my fitness journey I spent hours watching guys like Kai Greene and Jay Cutler on YouTube. I found bodybuilders that I wanted to be like and watched how they trained and what they ate and why they did what they did. I would watch 1-2 videos before every training session of these role models of mine training the body part/s that I was getting ready to train and then I would go and replicate the exercises as best I could. Now, I watched all of these videos when I was playing baseball at Maple Woods where I spent my time focused on baseball and weight training so I had plenty of time since I didn’t have a job or kids or other responsibilities that the average person has. But…. when you want to change your life you have to absolutely consume yourself with the lifestyle you want and “fake it til you make it”. So my advice to you is to find somebody on social media or YouTube that you enjoy, that you respect, and most importantly - somebody that teaches you.
FIND SOMEONE TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE
Some people have it within them to hold themselves accountable every single day without breaking down or losing sight of their goals. In my personal opinion, nobody works harder than when they know that somebody is watching. Having that fiery internal motivation is untouchable once you attain it but until then having somebody to hold you accountable can be crucial in your success. One possible option for this is to find yourself a workout partner that you mesh really well with, where you push each other and when one of you feels sluggish or says “Not Today” then you slap them with some external motivation. Another option is for you to get yourself a trainer at your gym or an online trainer.
POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA
You may be thinking… “How in the hell would posting on social media be beneficial to my success?”. I used to get so annoyed when people would post fitness pictures and their workouts online but now I understand it. When you post on social media you are making a statement that this is you and this is what you are working towards; at this point all of your friends and family have seen what you are working for and knowing that others are watching you succeed or fail should help light a fire under you to keep moving!