1. The Buddy System. Get a workout buddy or partner to help you stay accountable. Having a partner, you can encourage and push each other to reach the goals you’ve set.
2. Pictures. Pick out pictures of fit people and put them in places where you will see them constantly. Choose images of those who have physiques you aspire to, but who also have similar body types as you do.
3. Keep a journal. It’s important that you track your progress so that you keep going.
A training journal is a good way to mark off your exercises as you do them. You can look back at them later and see what you’ve accomplished. This will help motivate you on days that you don’t feel like working out. Likewise, a food journal is equally as helpful for tracking your diet.
4. Small rewards. Every week you should reward yourself with what we call a “cheat meal.” Note that we said cheat meal, not cheat day. The idea is that once to four times a week you get to use one meal to eat anything you want. This way you won’t feel as though you are depriving yourself. But be careful that you get right back on track, so that you don’t set yourself back from all the progress you just made. Keep in mind that in the next week, you can look forward to another cheat meal.
5. Progress, not perfection. Many times when someone messes up on his or her diet or program, he or she will have the mentality that the entire program is blown. The thought goes something like this, “Well, I just messed up, so I might as well eat whatever I want and start over next week.” Keep in mind that your program is about progress, not perfection. You want to maintain a diet and program that can become lifestyle. Just get right back on track and keep going.
6. Set specific goals and target dates. It is important that you not only set realistic goals for yourself but, that you also set a specific target date in which you want to have it accomplished. “I want to lose 3 stones this year” is not specific enough. Try something like, “By June 30th, I am going to lose 1.5 stones and fit into a size 8 dress.” Pull out your training journal and keep marking off the days you work out, write down what you eat, and keep visualising your goal. You can expect to lose 2 – 3 pounds per week safely. Any more than that is not considered healthy.
