Tips for Staying Motivated and Loving Your Workouts Through the Holidays!
by Lee Labrada
Here are some things to keep yourself motivated and loving your workouts through the Holiday Season (or any other season for that matter!):
1) Variety is the spice of life. Try a new exercise for each bodypart every week. That doesn’t mean that you need to totally blow off the structure of your workout. That just means, “try something new.” Using different exercises is not only fun, but will also help you develop your physique more evenly.
2) Work out with a new friend. Have someone join you for your workout if you train alone. If you train with a partner, ask him/her if they would mind that you brought in a third person for a change. The third party could inject new energy into your workout. If you’re smart, you’ll invite someone more experienced than you, and you may learn all sorts of new exercise techniques/variations.
3) Remind yourself why you are working out. Get a clear mental picture of what you want, and associate the pleasurable image with the workout you are doing.
4) Enjoy your breathing and sweat. You are alive! WOW! What a gift and blessing to be able to draw in breath and feel your muscles and limbs strengthening. Live today. You can never be sure about tomorrow.
5) Try a new gym. Don’t leave your old gym behind.But working out at other gyms as a guest occasionally freshens up your environment and can be very motivating. I remember back during my competitive days I would train on the road a lot, and invariably I would draw an audience. I would carry on with the crowd, talking and laughing with them in between sets of exercises. During the actual exercises, I was extremely motivated to impress them. I got some of my best workouts training amongst people I didn’t know. I always tried to make a good first impression amongst my new friends. Celebrate your workouts with new friends.
6) Challenge yourself. These days, I often train by myself. I like training with others, but it’s not always possible because I have a very demanding schedule. I find that it takes a little extra discipline and soul searching to go it alone. Especially when it’s 9PM, and I would rather be eating dinner and relaxing with my wife Robin. That’s when I have to challenge myself. I set a mental goal of sets and reps, and then I dive in. I keep a good rhythm going, never resting more than one minute in between sets. I find that if I rest any longer, I get derailed. I just have to plow through it.
You can do it too! Train extra consistently this week. With the Holidays here you’re going to need some momentum to get you through the parties, get-togethers, and “environmental hazards” (HUGE spreads of Holiday food!)
Also, with the weather getting cooler, don’t forget to take care of your joints. Cold weather means it takes longer to warm up your joints, and this opens you up to injuries. Using a product like ElastiJoint, you can easily provide nutritional support to your joints, keeping them as elastic as nature intended them to be, and helping speed up post-workout recovery.
Until next time, I am
Lee Labrada
Your Lean Body Coach™
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