A few weeks ago, I had an epiphany when it comes to maintaining motivation for an exercise program. Instead of setting “idealized” goals that I’d periodically fail to meet, I’ll be much more consistent in the long run if I set my sights a bit lower.
While this might sound a bit backwards, it actually works – at least for me. Like many people, one of my big problems when it comes to fitness programs has been consistency. It’s not that hard to get started on a new fitness program, but keeping at it is a different story.
In the past, I’ve set goals like working out at least three (or four) times per week, or never skipping more than one day in between workouts. The problem with this approach has been that, once I fail to meet that goal, things unravel quickly.
If my goal is to workout at least three times in a week and I don’t make it this week, it’s that much easier for me to throw in the towel next week. If my goal is to never skip more than one day in a row, I eventually do, and then it all breaks down.
My recent solution to this has been to reduce my goal to a minimum of two workouts per week, which is actually quite easy to achieve. In fact, that’s the whole point. Once I build up a string of successful weeks, it’s that much harder to let things go.
Interestingly, this strategy has not translated into fewer workouts during good weeks. I’m still averaging 3-4 fairly intense workouts per week, but when that inevitable bad week comes along, I can always find time for at least two workouts to keep the string alive.
This strategy has motivated me to work out nearly every Sunday just to get a jumpstart on the week. Beyond that, it’s quite hard for me to dodge the situation at the end of a bad week when I only need one more workout to make my goal.
Sure, it would be better to exercise more every single week, but it’s also important to keep the big picture in mind. I’ll gladly trade a lighter week here or there in the name of keeping myself motivated and on track in the long run.
And yes, I do realize that this is little more than a head game, but… Whatever works, right? If you’ve been having trouble with occasional lapses derailing your fitness program, why not follow my lead and see if adjusting your goals downward will help keep you on track?
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