There’s nothing like the feeling of completing a fitness challenge to make you feel invincible… until you realize that you no longer have that routine to keep you on track. As soon as it's over, you may begin to feel as though you have lost the accountability, inspiration, excitement and momentum. Sound familiar? But that doesn't mean all of the hard work you've put in has to go to waste. It's important to realize that, within your own self, you have the capacity to keep that momentum going on your fitness journey.
So what happens next? It’s time to put a lot of the same factors that kept you so motivated during your fitness challenge to work in your everyday life. Keep reading below for some handy tips to keep you on track with your new healthy habits. Lean in, sis - you got this!
Schedule your workouts
Set the day and time for each workout throughout the week. Think of it as a meeting with yourself. When something is on your schedule, you’re less likely to blow it off. When you're doing a fitness challenge, you know you're going to have to incorporate specific sweat sessions or exercises into your routine—so you end up planning out when exactly you'll do them. Adopt this tactic in your everyday life too, not just throughout a challenge, and you’ll find it easier to stick to your workout.
Reward yourself
It becomes a lot easier to exercise when you know there’s a reward at the end of it. Set your goals, smash them, and reward yourself. Think: new workout clothes, a massage, new fitness equipment, lunch with your bestie or your fave treat. Placing an incentive on the line, that you LOVE, will be even more motivating!
Set another goal
When you complete a goal, in any field, you inadvertently immediately set the next one. It doesn’t have to be a big goal, it just needs to be something that motivates you. Perhaps your goal throughout the fitness challenge was to lose weight, now your new goal may be to maintain this weight. Or maybe you wanted to lift heavier, now you can try and smash a new PB!
Don’t be too hard on yourself
If for some reason you miss a workout, don't just abandon your fitness program altogether. Get back on track the next day. Remember: It's about long-term consistency, not perfection.
Sweat with your bestie
One of the most amazing things about fitness challenges is that you have other people doing them with you - you get to be part of a Sisterhood, whether it's virtual or in person. Finding a way to keep up that sense of companionship after you crush your challenge will help you keep your head in the fitness game and accountable to your goals. When there’s someone relying on you to your workout, you’re much more likely to do it.You’ll motivate and support each other through the sweat sesh!
Change it up
Sometimes you can get stuck in a plateau because you’re sticking to the same workout routine or you’re not listening to what your body wants. Try mixing it up with new exercises or shorter yet intense sessions. Remember to listen to your body. If you don’t feel like working legs, then swap your split and train upper body instead. If you’re feeling burnt out then go for a walk or take a rest day.
If you’ve managed to complete a fitness challenge recently, now’s the time to get back to finding the joy in exercise. Autumn is the perfect time to explore new activities, before the festive season comes and overwhelms us with commitments.
Remember, maintaining your results after a fitness challenge is all about being in the right mindset. A fitness challenge may be for six weeks, but leading an active and healthy lifestyle is forever. A challenge gives you accountability and specific targets, but it's important not to just look at those changes as temporary. ... Give yourself permission to make it a part of your life. You deserve it, GF.
Still looking for a challenge? Pop over to THE BOD App where you’ll find strength-based training plans for every level. And don’t forget to keep an eye on our Instagram for all the latest news about our upcoming Autumn Challenge!
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