We have all experienced in one way or another, the dreaded fitness wall. For those who set New Year's resolutions, this wall comes around February. For those who set goals, to work out everyday this wall usually creeps up around the third week. Even though you will not physically see this wall, believe me it's there.
There are several things that we can do to motivate us past these barriers. Tony Horton from P90X always uses the phrase, "Keep Pushing Play!" or "Do your best and forget the rest." He knows that for those doing his program, the biggest wall is pushing play. I am sure there are not a lot of people who push play on the DVD player and think, "Today, I will just watch... no exercise." But there are a lot of people that think, "If I don't start the video, maybe my trainer (Tony) won't find out." If you have seen the P90X program you know exactly what I am talking about.
So what motivates us past those dreaded fitness walls? Why do we let our minds control what we know is right? We have to deal with a roller coaster of commitment. When we create our fitness goals we are pumped, we are unstoppable. As we work on our goals, we allow doubt and frustration into our heads. When we hit our so-called 'wall', we think, "What's the point, or why am I doing this."
The key to successfully pushing through these barriers or fitness walls is to remember that fitness and patience are joined at the hip. Give your goals some time. For me, I use visuals to keep myself focused. I love watching motivational videos and hearing about success stories.
What motivates you past these dreaded fitness walls?