Finding Fitness Motivation
Health and fitness are an important part of life, especially when you are in the Army or any other branch of the military.
I know for me, staying in shape in order to pass the Advanced Physical Fitness Test (or APFT, for short) is especially important to me. Although it has now changed to the Advanced Combat Fitness test (or ACFT) as of Oct. 1, 2020. However, the ACFT that is for the record will not count until 2022. For more information on the ACFT go here or here.
That means that it gives soldiers more time to train and prepare for the ACFT, and that’s great for me as I am in the Reserves. For my Reserve unit, up until recently, we did not have access to the equipment needed to train. Now that I do have access to equipment, I am lacking the motivation to train and workout. So what do you do when you have lost motivation and don’t feel like working out?
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who struggles at times. Most of us have roadblocks here and there, but there are ways to overcome them if you are willing to try.
Here are a few things I found work for me when I run into roadblocks in my fitness journey:
1. Plan your workouts.
I’ve found that if I set time aside on Sunday afternoon to plan my workouts for the week, then I am more likely to actually work out each day. I can’t make the excuse that I don’t know what I’m doing for my workout because I’ve written plans out for the week. It’s also satisfying for me to cross another workout off my list because that means I’m making progress.
2. Find your why.
Why do you workout? That is a question that I ask myself from time to time, and it’s a question you should ask yourself as well. My “why” changes depending on my workout plan and whatever else I have going on in my life. Right now, my “why” is to prepare for the ACFT. I currently have the time to prepare, and I want to be able to do my best when I have to take it for the record. Having a reason or a “why” to workout helps because you have a purpose for what you are doing.
3. Keep yourself accountable.
For me, keeping myself accountable means checking in with the workout group that I am part of on Facebook. We check on each other daily, encouraging one another to workout and cheering each other on when we accomplish one of our health and fitness goals, no matter how big or small. Right now, I find this especially important to do.
I have been working out at home more often due to COVID, and that’s where I lose my motivation. I tell myself that I will do it later since I’m at home and sometimes I find a million other things to do instead of working out. When I check in daily with my workout group it holds me accountable and pushes me to workout on the days when I just don’t feel like it. Find a friend or a group of friends and keep each other accountable—it really does help.
4. Don’t give up.
Some days I know that I just want to give up, so I make excuses:
“It’s too hard, I can’t do it.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“I don’t have time.”
“I should just give up.”
There are millions of excuses out there, so eventually I had to change my mindset. Now I get to challenge myself and I get to workout. I may not feel like it, but I know that I always feel better after I complete my workout. Now I make time because it’s one hour a day that I get to better myself. I won’t give up because I know that I’m getting better with each workout.
5. Do workouts that excite you.
If I have workouts that I look forward to, then it makes me want to workout. I know that I enjoy doing yoga, so I make sure that I include it in my workout plan. I also enjoy Karate and being able to help others learn Karate, so I make time in my week to attend classes. When you enjoy your workouts, whatever they might be, it’s so much easier to accomplish them, and it always leaves you feeling better when it is completed.
Staying on track with health and fitness is important to me because I’m doing my best to get ready for the ACFT. I know that I hit roadblocks along the way, but I have ways to overcome those roadblocks. I’m just a girl who’s doing her best to continue on her fitness journey like so many others.
