Even the most enthused athletes must fall back on additional motivational techniques in order to fulfill their goals. There is always plenty of effort involved in working out, and our brains sometimes look for ways around it. It's all part of being human.
Here are 10 motivational techniques and tips to keep you coming back for more.
1. Workout With a Partner or a Personal Trainer
Sometimes, one of the key elements that prevents us from going ahead with that scheduled workout is the fact that we do it alone. Having a partner to exercise with maintains a certain camaraderie, a fun spirit, beneficial competition or even just accountability. It can also make the workout a lot more fun and go a lot quicker.
2. Create Weekly or Monthly Goals
It can be far too easy to get lost in the whole vision of why we workout. By following smaller goals, weekly or monthly being ideal, you can track and see progress much clearer. This tends to keep us much more motivated in keeping with it when other factors are present pulling us back.
3. Go to Bed Early, Workout Early
Take our word for it: when you workout early, you can get in a better workout, get through it easier, and feel better throughout the rest of your day, knowing it's done. Subsequently, you may also feel a desire to go to bed a little earlier. Don't fight it. Many studies concur that this is a much better routine once you're in it.
4. Spend Time With Active People
So often, the saying is true: You are who you hang out with. Yet another study-backed fact holds that when we surround ourselves with a certain type of people, we are surrounding ourselves with their attitudes, habits, lifestyles, and so on. This is also quite likely to have some effect on us. Spend more time around highly active people and you just may find the concept rubbing off on you.
5. It's Only 20-Minutes
Sometimes, motivation is best found through a little mental trickery. When having a hard time getting going, tell yourself that youíll only be working out for 20-minutes. It may come to pass that you only do workout for 20-minutes. Or, you may find the going not so bad once you're there and moving, and subsequently put in an hour-long pump session. Either way, you got yourself moving, and that's all we wanted. Consistency in working out is key to success.
6. Stage a Challenge
Create a cool challenge for just yourself, or for the whole workout gang. This can be a very fun way to get and stay motivated. Make the challenge as intricately planned as you want; include prizes, punishments, or some other fun goal. This can also be combined into point number-two above.
7. Use Music to Your Advantage
Some of us really get psyched when the music we love is heartily fed to us. Setup an mp3 player, radio, or similar apparatus, and keep the motivational tunes coming. A power playlist is a great way to jam through your workout. If your playlist starts to become ineffective after some time, make a new one that you will love.
8. Plan to Attend an Important Event
Instead of straying away from them, plan to attend some important event or events. You have now put yourself on the spot to get to the gym and stay there. Imagine how good you will look and feel when you can attend in exactly the way you imagine yourself.
9. Identify Your Weakness
If you really think about it, you may be able to pinpoint certain things that can kill your motivation and get you off track. This can be any number of things like eating at the wrong time, alcohol consumption, self-defeating thoughts, or even keeping cynical company. Become aware and take action.
10. Know Your Motivations
Along with knowing your weaknesses, you should take time to understand and acknowledge your real motivations. This can mean either being for something, or against something. I don't want to be overweight. I can't wait to put on that bikini.
Green Apple and Macadamia Quinoa
This dish tastes like health and summer. It can be eaten as a side dish or on its own.
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 small green onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup seeded diced cucumber
1 cup diced green apple
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 red Serrano chile, seeded and thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
Agave nectar
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Maldon or other flaky salt
1. Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions. Put the drained quinoa back into the pot and stir it over low heat to remove some of the moisture.
2. In a small dry skillet, toast the macadamia nuts over medium-low heat until evenly browned, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often to keep them from burning. Crush the nuts lightly with a knife.
3. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, macadamia nuts, and the remaining ingredients. Toss and check for seasoning; add more lemon juice and salt if necessary. 
