JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- You are the only one responsible for your own motivation. I love the way Dr. Mike Israetel put it "A good coach can support you, help you, and guide you to your goals. A good coach can even give you a kick in the pants or a cheer-up heart-to-heart when you're being sluggish. But a good coach cannot PROVIDE you with your motivation. That part is, and always will be, on YOU."
Now are there things you can do to help get you motivated or keep you motivated? Absolutely! Some things I like to have my clients do is write down SMART goals.
S - specific, significant, stretching
M - measurable, meaningful, motivational
A - agreed upon, attainable, achievable, acceptable, action-oriented
R - realistic, relevant, reasonable, rewarding, results-oriented
T - time-based, time-bound, timely, tangible, trackable
Writing down your goals and putting them in a place where you can see everyday is a great place to start and will help keep you motivated. Other things that I've found to help clients is meal prepping/planning, getting a workout partner to help keep you accountable, logging your food into myfitnesspal, trying a new type of fitness that you've always been interested in or go to one of the free fitness classes offered on base, posting motivational quotes on your bathroom mirror or refrigerator, throwing out all the junk food in your house so you're not tempted to eat it and don't even buy it when at the grocery store, etc. The list of ways to keep yourself motivated goes on and on but it's ultimately up to you to be proactive and get creative to maintain your own motivation. Lastly, hire a qualified trainer if you're really struggling.
We all see it happen every year. January 1 hits and the gym is packed and as each month passes the gym becomes less and less busy as people have fallen off the band wagon and settle back into their old bad habits and routines. I think this answer subsequently falls under the question about how to keep ourselves motivated. Routine is the enemy. Shake things up every so often! In addition to my suggestions above, having a structured workout plan will help combat boredom and prevent a plateau in your fitness. I personally love CrossFit for the simple fact that it is always different and I continually see physical and mental growth without ever hitting a plateau in my fitness. CrossFit is defined as constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. CrossFit aims to improve all 10 areas of fitness equally which are: Cardiovascular / respiratory endurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Power, Speed, Coordination, Agility, Balance, Accuracy. The other great thing about CrossFit is that it is literally for everyone! There is no age, fitness level, or gender limit. There are no physical or mental limitations in CrossFit as I personally help coach for CrossFit Overcome which is an affiliate for athletes with physical and mental disabilities. You don't have to be a world class athlete to join CrossFit, you come as you are, are welcomed with open arms into this uplifting and inspiring community and see yourself grow physically and mentally in a way that you never thought you were capable of. And I know what some of you are thinking, "CrossFit is dangerous!" Let's be realistic, ANY type of fitness can pose a risk of injury. I fully believe that good coaching can prevent injury and done under the right programming with very attentive coaches, CrossFit is NOT dangerous. The real danger we face is inactivity. People who are sedentary are at an increased risk for stroke, heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, cognitive decline, obesity, decreased immune health, bone loss, depression, back problems, an increased risk of orthopedic injuries, etc. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the top four largest PREVENTABLE causes of death. Get up and get moving! A good goal is to get in 10,000 steps a day, make healthy food choices, and aim to make this a lifestyle change and not a short term fix.
To learn more about what a sedentary lifestyle is and how it effects you, click on this link: https://www.lifespanfitness.com/workplace/resources/articles/health-risks-of-a-sedentary-lifestyle. Fitness has no destination, it is a lifelong journey.
In my opinion there is no one size fits all type of fitness. Everyone has different interests, different needs, and different circumstances which ultimately determines the appropriate fitness program for them. There are a ton of different factors that play into what the right type of fitness is for that person and that is very much different from individual to individual. Fitness is fitness so find something that you enjoy and you will be more likely to stick with it. Be consistent and stay persistent and the results will come!
Nicole Goss is a Certified Personal Trainer for the Elmendorf Fitness Center on JBER and a CrossFit coach in South Anchorage. She is from Omaha, NE and has been a practicing Physical Therapist Assistant since 2008 and a Certified Personal Trainer since 2012. Her qualifications include: Certified Personal Trainer, Physical Therapist Assistant, CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, USAW Sports Performance Coach, CrossFit Mobility Trainer, USA Powerlifting Club Coach, Founder/Former Head Coach of Warbird CrossFit, Team RWB Leader-CrossFit Instructor, ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist, CrossFit Weightlifting Trainer, and CrossFit Gymnastics Trainer