With so many people wanting to improve health, change body composition or improve performanc (and in honor of my new book Athlete to Triathlete), I’d like to give you a few tips on how you can get the most out of your exercise or training journey without being all or nothing.
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The sport of running, swimming, biking or triathlon isn’t reserved only for the elite or as a means to an end to lose weight. It’s much more than clocking the miles. It’s part of your lifestyle. It’s who you are. It defines you. Training for a race adds purpose to your every day exercise regime. As you physically prepare for an event, you also improve health, boost self-confidence, overcome fear, stretch physical limits and become a role model for others.
When motivation is high, it’s easy to envision yourself crossing the finish line with a victorious fist-pump. It’s the follow-through, action-part of training that can be difficult to sustain. That’s why motivation is important. When you are tired, busy, or dealing with a setback, you need purpose and direction to drive your actions. Every human being has a different source of motivation. For some, it’s a goal or incentive, like reaching a personal best time. For others, internally you are motivated by your health, a personal cause, or mental well-being.
If you find yourself struggling with motivation, you are never alone. Even professional athletes, who train for a living, often struggle to find the drive to train. Here are a few tips to help you be "all in" without being all or nothing.
- Know your “why.” At times, training may feel repetitive and boring. If a personal challenge is greater than your why, triathlon will feel like an unnecessary sacrifice. When you know exactly what you want to achieve and why, it’s a lot easier to put in the work, even when you don’t feel like it.
- It’s ok to fail. When something doesn’t go as planned, it’s easy to give up. When you experience a setback, learn from it. Mistakes and failures provide you with valuable feedback—lessons you can use to improve.
- Change up your training environment. Freshen-up your music playlist, explore a new training environment, or invite a friend for company. Because repetition can become mind-numbing, give yourself a mental boost by revitalizing your workout regime.
- Body image - Athletes come in different shapes and sizes. The perceived ‘athlete’s body’ is not something you need to strive for. Success looks different on everyone. If you watch any race – The full triathlon distance to marathon – you’ll see all different body types celebrating across the finish line. Your body is amazing. Exercise because you love your body. Instead of bashing your body, thank your body. Be proud of the function of your body and all that it’s capable of achieving. learn to embrace the unique traits and qualities that enhance your athletic journey. Not every athlete body is going to look the same. The process of developing a positive body image takes time but to love your body in motion is worth the patience and hard work. Sport doesn’t care what you look like, it just cares that you take good care of your body.
- Train for those who can’t. If you are struggling with motivation, tap into something that really matters to you. Think of someone who is going through a difficult time or a cause that you are passionate about. There’s great power in dedicating a workout to someone/something.
- Re-energize yourself in a group setting. Not only are you more motivated to train when others hold you accountable, but nothing is better than the comradery of physical suffering.
- Don’t be all or nothing. Routines and plans are helpful, but not if they are overly rigid. Being a self-proclaimed perfectionist can cause frustration and burnout. Put your energy into what you can control, recognizing that something is better than nothing. Manage your expectations and focus on progress, not perfection.
- Love the journey, not the end result - Anytime you are overly focused with an outcome or an end result, you will quickly find yourself losing joy for the journey. When you love what you are doing, the end result doesn't hold as much weight. Thus the journey to reach your goals should in some ways, exceed the goal itself. The journey to achieve a goal is built from; the person you become, the skills obtained, the obstacles you overcame and the inner growth that took place.
- Have fun - Many experience great stress from constantly needing to prove something in every workout. Fitness improvements come from what you do most of the time, not what happens occasionally. Keeping your training fun is the most important way to foster fitness improvements. When you perceive a workout as enjoyable - something that makes you happy - it will have a positive impact on your entire workout experience. While many workouts will be challenging, you can only push yourself harder and feel a greater sense of satisfaction when you are enjoying what you are doing.
- Love the grind - Not every training is going to be fun, enjoyable or smooth sailing. There will be setbacks. It may feel like there is never enough time in the day to get everything done. The weather will not always be perfect. Your body and mind will play tricks on you, telling you that you are too tired to train. It’s good to dread some of your training sessions or to struggle through some workouts. Elevating your fitness requires hard work and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. It means being willing to fail, go easier than you'd like, show up when you are tired and grit it out, even when you want to quit. Make every session count.
- Patience - Performance improvements, body composition changes and fitness improvemnts are never linear. Many times, a breakthrough occurs right after a serious of subpar workouts. To take your fitness to the next level, you can't rush the process. Your best performances are still within you. Stay patient. Real results require effort and energy. Patience is the combination of persistance and time: it is a process of growth, hard work, failures, and eventually, reaching goals.