Dylan Celli Talks About How to Magnify Your Motivation to Reach Fitness Goals
The new year is upon us, and many people have set fitness goals. One of the biggest reasons people fall short of their fitness goals is a lack of motivation. In this article, yoga instructor and fitness expert Dylan Celli explains how to boost enthusiasm, and he gives practical suggestions like charting progress and successful self-talk.
Keep a record of your progress.
To feel good about your accomplishments, it is helpful to look back at a record of your progress. Keeping a history of the progress you’re making as you strive to accomplish your goals will help keep you motivated and honest with yourself. Knowing that you will be recording how well you do can give that little extra motivation needed to keep pushing toward your goal.
Many of us can fool ourselves into thinking we are achieving more than we actually are. Being honest with yourself is crucial, and a record helps you do that. If, for example, you don’t keep a record of how often you work out, it’s easy to convince yourself — and you may even tell your friends — that you work out five days a week. A written record may help you realize that you only exercise an average of three days a week.
Do something, even it’s only a little.
Sometimes you may feel like you don’t have it in you to complete an entire workout or yoga session. That’s okay. It’s completely normal and if the thought of an hour-long session keeps you from even beginning, give yourself the latitude to cut your workout short. You’ll probably find that knowing you have a choice to go only 10 minutes if you decide to will be enough to get you started. Once started, you may be motivated to keep going, so don’t defeat yourself before you begin.
Reward yourself.
No one likes a grueling taskmaster, even if it is them. Reward yourself when you do well. Learn what motivates you. If your goal is to drop a size or two at your waist, decide to splurge on some new clothes when you reach a milestone, and make sure you carry through on that promise to yourself.
Use positive affirmations.
We all have a nearly constant dialog going on in our minds. Sometimes this dialog can be accusatory and downright mean as we berate ourselves for perceived failures. Realize that you can’t change the past and stop “should-ing” on yourself. Treat yourself like you would someone you genuinely care about.
Talk to yourself about what a great day you will have today, and let your mind create a vision of the outcomes you want. Spend a few minutes every day acknowledging your virtues — everyone has them. The more you do this; the more your life will turn out as you plan.
Try meditation.
Meditation can help you accomplish your goals. Through meditation, you will learn to create space between what’s going on around you and your reaction to it. In that space, you can be intentional about your response. If you haven’t tried meditation, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much control you can gain over your negative thoughts and self-defeating actions. If you find yourself reacting emotionally and later regretting your behavior, meditation can change your life.
Break down your goals.
Standing at the bottom of your mountain-sized long-range goals and looking up can be intimidating. You may tell yourself, “How can I possibly achieve my goal of running a marathon? I can’t even run around the block without being winded.”
Break your goals down into bite-size and achievable short-range goals. If you’re new to running but want to run a marathon, start by deciding to run a half-mile without stopping and give yourself a reasonable amount of time to accomplish it. A slow and easy half-mile soon turns into a mile, then five, ten, and before you know it, you’ll be completing the entire 26.2 miles.
About Dylan Celli
Dylan Celli is a yoga instructor, fitness trainer, and life coach who specializes in leading people towards inner perfection by helping them achieve outward gains. Dylan primarily focuses on high-end clients: executives, athletes, and industry leaders by applying a progressive, goal-oriented strategy that improves self-confidence and inner peace.
