Feel Like Giving Up?! READ THIS for MOTIVATION!
Happy Wednesday Squadies! We have all gone through a point in our lives where we feel a lack of motivation. When life gets tough or things aren’t going the way you had hoped, it could seem super easy to give up on your fitness and nutrition journey and go back to some old unhealthy habits and routines. Today I am here to tell you that if you feel that way, that is NORMAL! You are not alone! To understand WHY we feel like giving up, let’s look at some common reasons why we feel this way, to begin with:
Lack of time
This is the TOP reason I ALWAYS hear from squadies who feel like giving up or have ALREADY given up. You don’t have enough time to work out or prepare nutritious meals every day!
Lack of funds
Another common reason I hear is a lack of funds to get going. You don’t have enough MONEY to purchase a gym membership, equipment, or fresh foods.
Dealing with change
CHANGE is something that can throw anyone off the lean horse, no matter where you are in life. Change can happen in all areas of life at any given moment. Especially with COVID-19 around, many of us are still dealing with job loss, even the loss of family or friends. Following all the new rules and strict guidelines can be another source of change that can often cause us to feel stressed.
New to working out at home or working out in general
Whether you used to work out at the gym and are getting used to working out at home, or if you are a complete newbie, getting used to a new workout routine can be tough. Sometimes so tough, it drives us to give up!
Low motivation or energy
When we are feeling tired, lethargic, and unmotivated OF COURSE it will be difficult to want to get up and jump into a workout! Do any of these WHYS describe you? Have you ever been put in a situation where you had to deal with one or more of these things?! No need to worry! All these things CAN be changed, fixed, or rearranged to get you back on track. It all starts with your MINDSET
MINDSET
Before moving onto the next section of this blog, take a second to think about your current mindset and how you can begin to change it. If you are reading this with a negative or unwilling mindset, then you WILL NOT find what you need! When you read this, try and think POSITIVELY through every situation, through every sentence, and use this to help push you to make a change! Once you begin to do this, the words will become more meaningful and hopefully instill some motivation to jump back on the lean train and NOT GIVE UP!
Lack of time → MAKE TIME!
You have probably heard it before, if you want to do something, you will MAKE time for it! There is no other way to put it! Of course, it can be difficult to find the time when you have a busy schedule! My best advice would be to look at your schedule, can you wake up 30 minutes early? Can you workout from home to save on travel time to the gym and back? Can you take something out of your schedule? Another important note to mention is that you don’t NEED a ton of time to be able to fit into a healthy lifestyle! You can find a workout plan that is made up of short and effective 30 minute workouts! You can find quick and easy nutritious recipes you can prepare in no time! Wherever there is a will, there is away!
Lack of funds → you don’t need it!
Many of us believe that you need lots of money to get started in fitness and nutrition - this is not the case! Yes, gym memberships are expensive, but you don’t NEED one! All you need is a little bit of space and some good bodyweight workouts! You can even purchase a light set of dumbbells or 2 for a low price! Not sure what workouts to do? There are a TON of at-home workout programs you can purchase for around $100! At leansquad, we have programs for $100 and up, all offering different levels of customization and options. With the leansquads NEW 6 week challenge, you can get 6 FULL weeks of workouts for under CAD 200! You can even find simple recipes that require a small list of ingredients that can be easily purchased at a reasonable price! Getting started into ANYTHING new is of course going to require SOME kind of investment. Although this is the case, INVESTING IN YOURSELF IS ALWAYS WORTH IT!
DEALING WITH CHANGE
As humans, we are always facing change in our lives - some facing more change than others. This is NORMAL, and depending on the situation, it can take some time to deal with it. The top tip I can give you for dealing with change keep your head up, try to understand that things happen and we can only move forward from here! A great way to deal with change is to commit to a healthy lifestyle. Working out regularly can have AMAZING effects on your mental clarity and can help you feel more level headed. Keep yourself busy, rather than feeling bad about yourself or your situation, start finding ways to get to a better place!
New to working out → Practice makes perfect!
There are 2 types of people who fall under this category:Complete newbies:This is you if you are just beginning in your fitness journey! A problem I see a ton with new squadies is their expectations. Many squadies jump into it expecting to see big changes in just a few weeks or even ones who get discouraged if they can’t learn or complete an exercise fast enough. Trying ANYTHING new takes time. Yes, it is possible to start seeing changes in a couple of weeks BUT, more likely then not, you will need time! Over time, you will begin to see changes in your mental and physical health, and you WILL improve! Consistency is key! Gym goers transitioning to home workouts:It may seem weird at first, but working out at home and seeing great results is possible! Sometimes we get used to the atmosphere, the routine, the machines, the trainers at the gym - you name it! It can be difficult to start from scratch in a sense and figure out a new routine. Like the newbie’s advice, consistency is key! Try it out, stick to it, and next thing you know, your home is your new gym! 
Low motivation and Energy → Find Some!
Many people don’t work out or give up because they don’t have the energy for it. The funny thing is, although it is commonly believed that working out is EXHAUSTING, it can GIVE you energy! When it comes to motivation, there are some tactics you can use to help you gain so motivation. What I like to do is think about the things that mean the most to me such as my family. Will working out and eating healthy enhance my time and relationships with them? The answer is YES! Once I realize how much better I will feel, mentally and physically, it pushes me to do it. You can also find TONS of motivational content on Instagram or other social media platforms if you need a boost! I hope this blog helped you find what you needed to move forward with your lean journey. Say NO to giving up and follow these tips!