Master Your Mindset: Find Your Fitness Motivation

Welcome to “Master Your Mindset: Find Your Fitness Motivation.” Embarking on a fitness journey is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. The right mindset can make all the difference between reaching your fitness goals and falling short.

I think one of the biggest inhibitors to reaching your goals is finding the right FITNESS MOTIVATION. Lack of Motivation is the root for other reasons and excuses like, I don’t have time, I work too much, or I don’t like being uncomfortable. I do understand that sometimes it is hard to find what gets you going, but you just have to think about the future. Think about your health, family, think about your job, think about how you want to be seen.

Do you want to take your shirt off at the beach and be proud of your hard work, or keep yourself covered because your ashamed of what you look like? Just be brutally honest with yourself! If you think you’re fat then call yourself fat. Maybe that’s the motivation you need.

Yes, of course I know someone is going to mention “fat shaming”. And NO, its not fat shaming. Fat shaming is making fun of someone that is overweight. Ok, maybe it is a little, but there’s a difference between calling out someone that sits home all day ordering fast food, and someone that is busting their ass at the gym on the treadmill because they hit that point where they realized, “Damn, I need to get in shape!”

And yes, I fat shamed myself, because I didn’t like how I looked at one point. I fat shamed myself until I lost almost 30lbs, but it worked, it kept me motivated and I surpassed my goals. Everyone starts somewhere and everyone hits that point where they realize what they look like.

And its not just about how you look on the outside, its about your overall health. Your body works better and more efficient at everything when you maintain a healthy lifestyle. You’ll sleep better, wake up feeling more energized, be in a better mood, with improved focus and mental clarity, which results in being more productive throughout the day. Starting your day with a great workout is the best way to get your day going.

Everyday I see commercials on TV and ads on Social Media that praise this “magic pill” that will do all these things “if combined with a healthy diet and exercise routine”. Well you don’t need a pill to get those benefits, you just need to figure out your fitness motivation, follow a good workout routine, and you will naturally get these health benefits. Once you have your motivation and routine, you will start to realize that you now make excuses to go workout instead of excuses not to. That’s how you know when you’re in the right mindset.

Tactfully Honest?

Yes it is a sensitive subject these days with everyone getting offended so easily, but some people just need to hear the honest truth. And there are ways to go about it without being a total jerk.

I’m not sure if “Tactfully Honest” is an official term, but a simple “Hey, you look like you’re gaining some weight. You want to hit the gym with me?” could be the right way to go. Or maybe explain how your weight loss journey is going and how you actually feel healthier. You could even start working out with someone in a home gym or someplace more private until enough confidence builds to check out a big gym. Big commercial gyms are a bit intimidating at first, but once you learn the machines, get your routine down, and get your mind set on smashing your goals they just become almost like another workplace, without the pay and stress.

There is a large percentage of people in the world that are overweight and actually want to work out. They just don’t know how or where to begin. This is where you have to be honest with them, explain the health benefits, explain the process, and guide them in the right direction. You have to get that little spark of motivation lit and then just keep it going. Soon you will see the interest grow, and next thing you know they might be tagging along with you to the gym.

I guess in certain circles, a “WTF, you fat piece of crap, you’re coming to the gym with me in the morning!” goes a long way too and has a more effective response than using tact. I know the people I work with prefer the less subtle approach and I kind of prefer it that way. Its still a way of being honest, they just make sure you don’t forget it.

Find a Fit “Circle”

Get involved with others that have the same fitness motivation or same mindset when it comes to working out. Its easier to keep your motivation going when everyone you associate with is on the same track. Share ideas, make plans, challenge each other, and even eat together if possible. Working out in groups for example Zumba, crossfit, step classes, cycling, or even yoga is alot more fun when you have others to learn and laugh with.

Working out with others is also an easy way to keep yourself in check. Find someone that will challenge you and make you work harder than you normally would by yourself. Its usually that person that you workout with and you repeat, “I hate you, I hate you” over and over in your head.

Like I stated above, most of the people I workout with are brutally honest when it come to workouts, body weight, and overall fitness. In my current line of work everyone is ex-military and they don’t hold anything back if I decide to eat dessert or if I run slower than I usually do. I guess that’s one advantage I have over alot of other people. Judgements.

There are usually several different and unique people in Fit Circles. Each person has their own thing that they do differently, but it is great to workout with each of them every once in a while. Here are some examples:

The Twin– Is usually your go to gym buddy that likes to do similar workouts and is pretty much at the same fitness level. You share your workout plans with them and you get some great ideas from them in return. They have the same Fitness Motivation as you, so you don’t have to wait on them or worry about them sleeping in or being late. Your supplements and diet are usually similar and they don’t judge if you decide to cheat a little and have a brownie or four after your workout.

Its usually hard to find a Twin but when you do, all of your workouts will be awesome and you will end up smashing your goals as long as you continue to push each other.

The Topper- Your typical topper or “bigger fish” person, but fitness wise. Its usually good to workout with them every now and then because they will always challenge you. If you want to bench 135lbs, they want to do 225lbs. If you want to run two miles, they want to run 3. If you suggest doing legs, they will do legs until you can barely walk out of the gym. The whole time they remind you of how they used to squat 495lbs and bench 405lbs “back in the day”. Toppers are awesome to workout with, but you know, sometimes I don’t want to die so early in the morning.

You can usually find the Topper in the gym if you take your headphones off and listen for the grunting and moaning.

The Easy Goer- This person likes to talk alot when working out, and doesn’t have a strict plan, they just do whatever comes to mind as they walk through the gym doors. And its usually a light warmup walk on the treadmill, followed by thirty minutes of stretching. Then some light lifting, nothing too heavy to break a sweat. Finishing off with some ab work (40 crunches) and then a cool down on the treadmill again. They are usually open to whatever you suggest doing and aren’t really picky about anything.

You will look at them and wonder how in the hell they are in such great shape without working so hard. Great for when you just want to have an easy day and still burn a few calories with someone to talk to, or for your second workout of the day.

The Repeater- These people do the exact same workout every day. They don’t like to vary the exercises they do because they are really good at those specific ones. And they will always challenge you to beat them at only those exercises. Its fun to workout with them because sometimes I do need to work on one of the things that they are great at. I figure if this guy’s arms are that big then maybe I should try it too. You can usually get a Repeater to throw in a different exercise for one day, but the next day they will be back to what they were doing. They refuse to change. (You know who you are)

The Powerlifter- Every circle has one of these. Squat, Bench, Deadlift, that’s it. “I hate running” and “I don’t need abs” is their favorite saying. They are usually a little “thicker” than the others in the Fit Circle, but of course its all muscle. I like to workout with them because they challenge me to add more weight when deadlifting and benching. I do push myself harder when trying to keep up with them, but at some point I start to think that I want to still be able to walk when I’m 60.

They normally make a wide path around the cardio area and head straight for the Barbells. You can spot them easily because they will have a large gym bag containing another pair of shoes, a belt, wrist wraps, barbell collars, chalk, and the entire 2lb tub of Protein Powder. I do get jealous of them because they usually eat whatever the hell they want and manage to stay in decent shape. I eat a few brownies and feel like I gain 10lbs and feel like a slug when I run later.

The Disciplinarian- They follow a very strict workout plan and will not stray from it. Its great to start out that way, but you have to relax a little after a while. They will not take any suggestions for workouts, if you’re working out with them, then you are doing their exercises and that’s it. They have a strict amount of time for their warm up, stretching, weight training, and their rest periods.

For example, they will do exactly 4 sets of 10 reps, with exactly 1 minute of rest in between. And will actually count down the seconds until the next set. They are usually in excellent shape and on a very strict diet. They are cool to workout with because they’re usually very knowledgeable and are happy to answer any questions, as long as its during the one minute rest period.

The Eccentric- These are the ones I like. They keep the workouts interesting, but you’ll want to die at the end. They usually suggest a 10 mile run, a 40 mile bike ride, or “Hey lets push the sled until we throw up!” But I get it, you have to keep the workouts fun and challenging. Its great to find out where your body just quits every now and then. I like doing different exercises other than the basic workouts with dumbbells and barbells inside the gym.

Exercises like pulling and pushing a sled, tire flipping, using sledge hammers, battle ropes, and sandbags are great for varying your workouts. I worked out with a guy that wanted to drag truck tires using nylon straps almost half a mile, of course I said SURE! It was close to 110 degrees and it sucked. My whole body was sore after that but it was awesome. I might do that again soon.

Like I stated above, everyone you workout with should challenge or teach you in some sort of way. Varying your workouts and trying different ideas will keep your workout motivation going strong. And its also good to have that gym partner that will give you that side eye when you drop the weights too soon, start slacking on your cardio, or reach for that dessert later on.

Visual Motivation

I hit that point in my life a few years ago, I worked out maybe once a week, ran a little, and I felt like I was in decent shape. I wasn’t in horrible shape, but a few years on night shift at the PD had taken its toll on me. With the only places to eat at midnight being Denny’s, IHOP, and Whataburger, I had put on some weight. And unless you want to experience running to the bathroom while trying to unsnap your keepers and removing your gun belt, I wouldn’t try the salads.

I never really noticed how big I was until I saw a picture of myself. I was like “DAMN, I am fu**ing fat!” That pic was the motivation I needed to get back into shape. Just that ONE pic did it for me.

I keep that “before” picture around and I look at it often, probably every day especially those days when my alarm goes off and I’m lying in bed thinking of a reason to not get up. I show it to others so they can see how I used to look a few years ago. Yeah I get alot of laughs, but hey it keeps my fitness motivation going because I never want to look like that again.

Find a picture that just makes you cringe and keep it handy, it will definitely make you get your ass up in the morning. Make it the background on your phone, or better yet, print it out and put it on the fridge. That way its staring back, and judging, every time you get the urge to start rummaging around for snacks.

Another great idea I came across is to find a suit or nice button up, or for the ladies, a nice dress or swimsuit you want to fit into and hang it where you can see it every day and tell yourself. “I’m gonna wear the hell out of that in a few months!” Sometimes you need that visual reminder to keep you going.

Another thing that works for me is writing my workouts for the next week or two on a large 4’x6′ whiteboard and hanging it where I can see it everyday. That way its easier for me to plan ahead, figure out what I’m going to wear, and I can make changes, add to, and write down specific goals. If you have a large visual list of goals written down that you can physically cross off once you achieve them it makes working out more fun and you will push yourself harder just to have the satisfaction of drawing a big fat line through it.

You can also write down a specific date, for instance an anniversary, birthday, wedding, or any type of event that you plan to attend where you will be wearing something nice. Just seeing that date every day, along with your workout plan and list of goals helps motivate you to stick to your plan.

Its better than having a date marked on a small calendar page that’s hidden behind a few other pages, or on your tiny phone calendar, because at some point it will get lost and no longer in your mind until you finally flip to that page and then its, “Oh crap, its only 2 weeks until the event and I have to lose some weight to fit into my outfit!”

I just feel like having some type of visual reminder you can see every time you look at your phone, every time you walk into your room, or every time you get ready to open the fridge, that constantly reminds you of what you’re trying to achieve will keep you in that fitness mindset and help you stick to your workout plan. Yeah some days its hard to wake up and go for a long run, but when I look at my “before” picture, I’m up getting dressed, and out the door in 15 minutes.

Just think, starting your day out with one of those long sweaty runs where you feel like you’re about to die, early in the morning when most people are still sleeping, is a great way to make sure your day can’t get any worse.

Some people say, “Well it’s your job to be in shape, it’s easy for you.” Hell no it’s not easy for me! I get my ass up at 3:30 in the morning and drag myself to the gym by 4:00 because that’s the only time I can go without anything or anyone getting in my way. If I slept in until 8:00 am and then started my day, there’s a very high probability that something will come up that needs my attention and ruin the time I had allotted for the gym. And we all know that its even harder to hit the gym in the evening after a long day at work.

My advice…wake up early, make your bed, chug your coffee or your favorite pre workout drink and knock it out. Get your workout in and you’ll feel better throughout the day.

Plan Your Routine

Another way to keep your fitness motivation pumping is to plan your routine. Know what you’re going to do when you get to the gym. Like I stated above, I have my workouts written down on a large whiteboard that I can see every time I walk out the door. I’m a visual person and having a large board with everything written down boldly makes it alot easier for me. I also have a picture of the board on my phone so I can refer back to it if needed. But usually after walking by it about 20 times a day I have most of it memorized.

Having your workout planned keeps you from sitting in the gym looking at Youtube on your phone trying to figure out what you’re going to do. Then once you finally find something, you realize someone else is using the equipment or machine you need, then its back to your phone for another idea. Save yourself some time and stress, just have a plan before you get there.

You can be the Disciplinarian in your Fit Circle for a little while until you get your workout routine down to a point where coming up with alternate exercises and varying your times is easy. Start out with a specified amount of time for your warm up, stretching, weight training, ab work, and cool down. For example:

• Monday: 9/3/2023 Chest Day
• Warm Up: 20 Minutes- Walking on the treadmill. Incline at 5.0 and Speed at 3.5
• Stretching: 10 Minutes- Upper Body Dynamic Stretching (Arms, Chest, Back, Neck and Shoulders)
• Training: 40 Minutes- 4 Sets of 8-10 Reps on the Incline Bench/ 4 Sets of 8-10 Cable Flys/ 3 Sets of Pushups- 20 Close Hand, 20 Wide Arm, 20 Regular
• Ab Work: 10 Minutes- 50 Hanging knee Raises/ 100 Crunches/ 50 Obliques (Each side)
• Cool Down: 10 Minutes- Light Stretching or Walk on the Treadmill at 3.0 Speed
• TOTAL: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

This is just an example of how I write down my workouts. Not everyone has an hour and a half to spend in the gym, but you get the picture. And you can be as detailed as you need to when starting out. Once you figure out your strengths and weaknesses you can add in the specific weights, number of reps, adjust your times, and add your goals for the month.

Keep in mind that sometimes you won’t be able to use the equipment in the order you want due to other people using them, but just be flexible and patient. I used to workout with a guy that would get angry and feel like his entire workout was ruined if he couldn’t go in a specific order….don’t be like that! His entire fitness motivation was ruined just because he couldn’t use the only Incline Bench in the gym when he wanted.

Find a workout routine that you can follow and use it as a guide so you know what to expect. You don’t have to do the workouts in the same exact order, just have an idea of what you want to do.

Some gyms are smaller and have limited equipment. Or if you go at a time when its super busy you might not be able to use what you want. Just be patient and wait until they’re done or find an alternative exercise.

And this is another reason why I go so early, there’s less people. I love getting to the gym and there’s hardly anyone else there. Because I have the freedom to use anything that I want and I just like being around other like minded people with the same motivation and discipline to wake up early and get your work in. The people in the gym at that time are usually in shape, happy, and are in the right mindset. They weren’t out late at the bar, partying and drinking all night, or maybe they were but still had the discipline to drag themselves to the gym.

Get Over Your Insecurities

For some people its simple insecurities that ruin their motivation to workout.

“I don’t want to walk/run around the neighborhood because people look at me”.

“I’m already too fat to go to the gym.”

“I don’t want to look like I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“I don’t want to look weak.”

“People will stare at me in the gym.”

Who cares what everyone else thinks? What does it matter who’s watching you run around the neighborhood? Maybe they’re watching you and wishing they could get the motivation to run too.

There’s no such thing as too fat for the gym. The reason the gym is there is for you to work on your body. I think its awesome when someone overweight walks into the gym. That means they’ve made up their minds and want to be healthier. They hit that point in life and said “Ok, enough is enough, I need to fix myself”.

If you’re worried about looking like you don’t know what you’re doing….join the club. I’ve been working out for over 20 years and there are new machines in the gym that confuse the hell out of me.

But that’s part of learning, and once you figure it out you can explain it to the next person that looks completely lost when looking at it. It might be me.

If you’re one of those that are worried about going to the gym because you don’t know how to use the equipment, find someone that will go with you to show you around. Its easier to go with someone you know, rather than the front desk guy that gives gym tours to new members.

And like I said, everyone has to start somewhere. There’s plenty of resources online to find a workout to start with. There are even apps for your phone that explain your workout and videos to show you how to properly do them. There’s alot of learning when it comes to fitness, just don’t expect to be an expert in the first few weeks. And you know those happy motivated people that are in the gym early in the mornings? Alot of them will gladly help you with any questions, advice, or quick spot on the bench. Just be a sponge and soak up all the experience and knowledge provided.

Another guy that I used to workout with was really hardheaded when it came to other’s advice. He was the, “Well I’ve been doing it this way and it works fine” guy. Don’t be like that either, try new things. You might find that just simply turning your hands or arms a certain way will target the muscle your working on alot better than how you’ve been doing it. I’m not saying that all advice is good advice, but try something new and if you don’t like it, go back to how you were doing it. Don’t just rudely blow it off because you think you know better.

That’s just part of Gym Etiquette 101. Don’t think your way is the only way.

Tracking Your Progress

I think one of the best ways to keep your fitness motivation running at full speed is to start writing down everything you’ve done. Keep track of your weight, your diet, and your workouts. I use an Oxyline Smart Scale, a Samsung Galaxy Smartwatch, and either the Samsung Health or MyFitnessPal App to help me with this. I can easily estimate the amount of calories I’m consuming, track the amount of calories I’m burning throughout the day, and the scale records my body metrics like overall weight, BMI, hydration level, and muscle mass, which it then sends to my phone.

I’ve stated this before, alot of people get discouraged early on in their workouts. At the beginning their total body weight was for instance 180. And after a few weeks they step on the scale again and are heartbroken because now its says 178. “I’ve only lost 2lbs after all that work?!” Well several things will affect your total weight.

Water intake can make your weight fluctuate, the foods you’ve been eating, the time of day that you weigh yourself, and a big factor is muscle weighs more than fat. You may have lost 6lbs of fat and gained 4lbs of muscle, depending on what type of routine your focusing on. Don’t get discouraged by the scale, write down your results, and just keep at it.

See my list of favorite Fitness Apps on my other post: Counting Calories: 4 Best Food Scales and Apps.

When you start tracking your progress and you start seeing improvements it becomes much easier to keep your fitness motivation going. It almost becomes a personal competition to get to a certain point in a period of time you set for yourself. And that’s kind of the best way to think of it, you have to beat your last run time, your last rep count, or your last max benchpress if that’s what you’re going for.

Recap

• Discover your fitness motivation.
• Visual reminders: Find a pic of yourself that makes you cringe. Or an outfit you want to fit into.
• Whiteboard your plan and goals so its easy to see everyday.
• Find a Fit Circle. Vary your workouts.
• Have a workout planned ahead. Don’t show up and say “Well, I’m here, now what?”
• Be honest with yourself! And find someone that will be honest with you.
• Focus on yourself. Get over your insecurities. Don’t let random people keep you from doing what you need to do.
• Have someone show you around and workout with you until you get familiar with the equipment.
• Listen and learn from those who’ve been in the game for a while.
• TRACK YOUR PROGRESS!

You are the one that needs to wake up and get going. Its nobody else’s responsibility. Fix your Motivation, plan your routine, get over your insecurities, and conquer that workout.