“Emily, are you always 100 percent motivated? You must have to eat clean all the time and spend hours every day in the gym to keep maintain your physique.”
I lose my mojo sometimes, too, and no, I do not only eat fish and vegetables and spend hours in the gym. I am just like you. I am human also.
I have been training very hard and competing in shows for almost four years now. I love the lifestyle and I am very driven to succeed and extremely self-motivated. The key to keeping my fire going has always been staying positive.
You bring about what you think about. So being positive is a no-fail way to bring success into your life. Does it mean that I feel that way every single day? No. Does it mean that I spring out of bed at 4 a.m. excited to train? Not at all. Does it mean that I never grab something to eat that is faster rather than smarter? Nope.
I have times that are more difficult than others. I get off track, too. But getting right back on is what counts. The key to getting my mojo and keeping it? Seeing, hearing, writing, speaking.
Seeing
I have found that having an image board helps to keep me on track. Having a visual reminder of what you want will help lift your spirits on those down days. Cut out pictures of people that you look up to, workouts that you aspire to accomplish with ease, and quotes that inspire you. Place these on a fun and colorful board that you jazz up with your style so it has your own personal flair. Post this board somewhere you will see it often. That may be your bathroom mirror, so you start your day off right; your work station where you spend most of your time; on your fridge to help ward off temptation; or even in your gym bag to push you to get in your daily workouts.
Hearing
Listen to your coach; but first, you must make sure you find a good coach, and “good” will be different for everyone. You need to make sure you get a trainer or coach that understands you, your body and your goals. Once you have found this, you need to listen to what they tell you – but really hear what they say. You two are working together to devise a plan that will help you succeed. Ultimately, it’s in your hands to do the work. Knowledge is power, so use the knowledge your coach gives you in order to makes things happen in your life.
Writing
Journaling is not just for 7th grade girls. When you log your food, you are 100 percent aware of what you are ACTUALLY eating. When you write down your workouts, you are less likely to skip one. When you start a chart to log your weight and measurements, you can expect to watch the inches come off. Take some responsibility for your life and start to hold yourself accountable!
Speaking
Tell three people that are closest to you what your goals are and how you plan to achieve them. You want these people to be fans of yours; people that want you to succeed and people that will help hold you accountable. Here are a few recommendations on who those people could be: best friend, significant other, parent, coworker or even Facebook friends! (Don’t laugh!) Facebook is the way we often communicate these days, so by posting on Facebook, you are telling everyone that you are going to do it! You can post your workouts, meals and progress to share with others. You may even inspire someone to follow in your healthy footsteps.
So when you lose your mojo from time to time or if you feel “stuck,” don’t panic, just revert back to the steps above, and get right back on that horse and ride!