Fitness Motivation - Just Do It!

There is more to trying to lose weight than just the physical. More often than not, the key towards losing weight lies in the level of commitment and motivation of the person trying to shed those excess pounds.

Whenever I don't feel like working out all I have to do is look down at my feet. There, on my shoes, I see a little swoosh and immediately I hear the words 'Just Do It'. Nike's catchphrase is my workout mantra and fitness motivation, and it helps me shift my focus to do what I know I need to do.

Another item that works for me is my yellow wristband with the simple words 'Livestrong' on it. With my shoes and my band I feel that I am unstoppable - I will do my workout because I want to live strong.

There is an old saying: the hardest muscles to shape are those between your ears. And where getting/staying fit is concerned this saying is really the truth. I know because I have slacked off many times, putting off workout after workout 'till tomorrow', because I let my brain tell me I had more important things to do [than take care of myself].

If you are trying to lose weight for someone else you will not be as successful as when you want to lose weight for you. Are you motivated or just trying to please someone else? If your 'fitness motivation' is personal - you want to do it for you - you will be better at sticking with your exercise program. Studies show that people who are highly motivated are more proactive and enthusiastic in what they do that they end up reaching their goal well ahead of the others.

How Fitness Motivation Can Work For You
When it comes to losing weight and staying fit, having good fitness motivation is imperative. Motivation is a powerful thing and if you can harness the power of fitness motivation, you will be able to achieve a lot in just a short period of time.

Try this motivation technique: find something that inspires you and focus your attention on it. For instance, if you desperately want, or need to lose weight, picture your ideal body and focus your mind on it. Keep that slim and fit image of you in your mind continually and tell yourself that you can achieve that in a given period of time. Maintaining that image can be tough, especially with long term goals. So to keep you going, you need to use a short term fitness motivation strategy.

Sign up for your own Frequent Fitness Program
Feed your inner child with a treat. What I mean by that is reward yourself regularly. You can treat yourself to some new clothes if you lose a certain number of pounds in a month, or get a manicure if you burn a certain number of calories in a workout - whatever treat you think is 'reward' for your hard work.

Giving yourself some perks and treats every now and then will help you keep your eyes on your longer term goal of staying fit and healthy. A couple of years back when I had trouble losing weight I thought about what could motivate me a little better. A statement from my credit card had just come in and I noticed a reference to frequent flyer points. The idea popped into my head then and there to create my own 'frequent fitness points program'.

With a redemption plan in mind I set up various levels of achievement and different types of rewards. I could redeem my points each week or accumulate them for even better 'prizes' down the line. It was exactly what I needed to keep me going, and then some. Do you need to sign up for your own Frequent Fitness Program?