Important Questions To Ask Yourself
Posted on 7 August 2009
Sometimes a time comes when we start slacking, lack motivation and let our nutrition and workouts slip. This maybe due to boredom or a lack of the beginners enthusiasm you once had for a new workout or way of eating and living. Its something common that we all experience and can be corrected by asking yourself a few questions to keep things in perspective and make things fresh again…..
1- Have You Reached Your Goals
We all had some kind of goals in mind when embarking on a fit and healthy lifestyle. They may not have been a specific weight or amount of muscle, maybe they were simply to fit into clothes better or have a general sense of well-being from the new lifestyle. What often happens is that we lose touch with these hopes, dreams or goals as we progress. So take a step back and re-evaluate; If you have reached your initial goals then what new things do you want to achieve? They don’t need to be anything big it may simply be to maintain your current shape and live a healthy lifestyle. Or it maybe to add a bit more muscle to your frame…..
Who knows but its important we are working towards something when living a healthy lifestyle, even if that were to be something like being alive healthy and active in old age.
Goals don’t have to be specific they can be general, just so long as they keep your drive and motivation ticking……
2- Have Things Become Ridgid
Same breakfast every morning, same lunch at work everyday? sounds familiar doesn’t it? Its easy to slip into a routine which is so rigid that you don’t want to change what your comfortable with at the expense of possibly doing something wrong by trying some new stuff…..
I have become guilty of this by eating a very similar breakfast for the past few months. It was originally food I loved and really looked forward to but after constant repeats it lost its freshness and newness and didn’t produce the original excitement. Take a look around see what options you have and try something new, look at meals others are eating and work with your options. Take a look at other workout options; give Crossfit a try for a week or try a mix of only sprints, running and body-weight exercises for the summer months and take a break from the gym….
Whatever it is try something new, This goes for all areas of life not only fitness and nutrition. Too many of us get caught up in the comfort of familiarity and don’t experience new stuff. Change things up, keep life fresh!
3- Are You Working Hard
There was a time when I would constantly strive to push myself when working out taking workouts that I found online and copying them, they pushed my boundries especially some of the CrossFit WOD’s but recently complacency has taken over; I started creating my own workouts, taking longer breaks and not doing those final few sets, taking the easy way out.
This is only natural but sometimes its good to push ourselves. Try training with a friend or following a specific workout, even try setting a new record for running 5K. The feeling of being pushed and working hard gives an unbeatable sense of satisfaction whether it be a great workout or long day at the office. Hard work is something that makes life worthwhile and gives us pleasure in our time off .
4- Is It Making You Happy
Ultimately a your lifestyle should be making you happy. If your not getting satisfaction from eating right and working out then things need to be freshened up….Maybe asking yourself the above questions will be enough to do that for you maybe not. Try to look at the aspects of your lifestyle that make you happy and do them more, also look at what makes you unhappy and ask why. Its important not to look at others and compare yourself to them and how they do things, try things out and see what works for your, tweak things and make them right. Thats the great things about lifestyle’s like Primal, Paleo or Evolutionary Fitness, they all have a great base and premise but allow for individual tweaks and alterations to suit you and to bring out the best.
For me eating a nutritious diet gives me satisfaction as does going for a hard workout. Its also great to be able to give others advice and help when they ask for it, these are all perks of living a healthy lifestyle and should be for you too….
Comment by Greg at Live Fit
7 August 2009
The question about things becoming too rigid is very pertinent. Setting up a highly regimented, restrictive eating plan dooms most of us to failure…
Comment by Terry
8 August 2009
Good stuff. I especially like the advice to change things up and keep life fresh!
I’ve always loved variety but lately I find myself in a rut. That comment was timely for me. That’s what I need, a bit of change. Thanks.
Comment by Jeremy
9 August 2009
I view # 4 as the most important. It is why I am focusing so much on weight loss and fitness levels. When I am happier the possibilities are endless….
Comment by Jeff Sherman
9 August 2009
great article and very timely for me – I too have been eating the same breakfast for months now and need to change it up as it no longer seems to ‘satisfy’ me. Its a great reminder how important it is to push ourselves outside our comfort zone in all areas of our lives.
Comment by Kathy Garmus
10 August 2009
Good suggestions. I do think variety is the key to enjoying an activity and staying motivated. So many people I see at the gym keep doing the same old exercises for months and months (if they last that long).
Comment by Special K
11 August 2009
IS IT MAKING YOU HAPPY? In the last week, I’ve noticed that I don’t want to go to yoga..I “parent myself” and say “you have to go,” but I’ve allowed myself to skip it this week. Perhaps when I come back to it, I’ll appreciate it more.
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Comment by Vic Magary - GymJunkies
12 August 2009
Absolutely! you gotta have change, and new challenges. The body adapts and things become all to routine and bland. Spice it up.
Comment by Rob
12 August 2009
Good post. Sometimes the routine can be boring. It’s good to mix it up a bit by including other things in workouts. I do this by playing soccer with my brother one day a week.
Comment by Liam | EverythingZing
17 August 2009
I’m a great believer in changing things up and shaking up your workouts, but I also know how easy it is to find a routine you like and stick with it! A friend introduced me to a new sprint interval training and tabata workout on Saturday… loved it and can really feel the benefits of trying something different. For the fitness control freaks out there it’s worth reminding yourself that fitness gains come from challenge not familiarity.