Re-Finding Your Motivation

Danielle FrostThe recent snow storm in the Northwest caused many people to experience a big setback to any health and fitness goals they may have set on January 1st! You may have decided to start training for a 5k or 10k and then found you couldn’t run with the streets covered in snow and ice. Or maybe you decided to start lifting weights and then the gym was closed or you couldn’t make it there. Or perhaps, you enrolled in the new specialty studio classes only to find classes were cancelled all week.

So now what?! Sometimes it’s challenging to get fired up again so here’s some ideas to refocus and get right back on track! Just remember, don’t let setbacks set you back! 

  1. Register for a race then you’re committed and that will help put purpose back into your training! Locally, we got the Couve Clover 3 Mile, 7 Mile or 10 Mile Run/Walk on March 26th that you can set your sights on at whyracingevents.com or the Blooms to Brews Marathon/Half Marathon/10K on April 9th at GetBoldEvents.com
  2. Sign up for a few training sessions with a Personal Trainer. There is nothing like having a coach overseeing your whole program to make sure you’re doing what you need to be doing to reach your goals.
  3. Enroll in a new program, club or activity.  For example, maybe start running with the local Clark County Runners Club or Vancouver Run, Grub and Chug club. Perhaps start riding with the Vancouver Cycle Club. Look into some hiking or snowshoeing treks that you could join. Take up indoor rock-climbing. Consider signing up with some friends for a BallRoom, Latin or Swing class. Take a scuba-diving class together. There’s nothing like trying something new to spark your motivation plus being part of a group will increase your accountability!
  4. Find a buddy. Do you know someone else who set some aggressive goals and hasn’t been able to commit to them? You may be able to help each other get back on track! A workout buddy can often help with exercise adherence and you may be able to encourage each other to try out new activities together.
  5. Set some type of goal. For example, you might challenge yourself to workout 20 times per month and then check off on your calendar or post 1/20, 2/20…to social media. Or maybe establish that by the end of February you will be able to run for 20 minutes non-stop. Or that you will commit to walking 5000 steps per day or expending 500 active calories per day or completing your rings on your new apple watch. Setting some form of goal that motivates you will help re-excite your energy!
  6. Knowledge is Power. Learning about your body can get you really interested in ramping up your health and fitness program. Attend lectures, purchase exercise, nutrition or motivational books or DVDs. The more you know, the easier it is to convince yourself to stick to your program. Because of the time of year, there are a lot of health and fitness workshops hosted around the community right now so look for something you’re interested in and then go for it! We are actually hosting a free workshop on January 31st on Slowing Down Cellular Aging. Here’s the details.

Practicing a few of these tips should get you right back on track towards your goals!

Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan

couve-2016Join us for the….
COUVE CLOVER RUN – 3, 7 & 10 MILES – March, 26th 2017 RUN, GIVE BACK & PARTY AT MAIN EVENT AND OTHER DOWNTOWN PUBS! We will make you earn your post-event party by running or walking 3, 7 or 10 miles, but it will be off the charts hosted by Main Event and other downtown Vancouver Pubs & Breweries.

Note: As an avid Columbian reader, you can redeem a 2 week pass at her world-class training studio to help get you started. Contact 360.574.7292 for more details. 

Sherri McMillan

Sherri McMillan

Sherri McMillan, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for more than 33 years. She has received numerous industry awards including 2010 CanFitPro International Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Fitness Director of the Year, 1998 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, 1998 CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year and 2005/2006 ACE Fitness Educator of the Year - Runner up. She is a fitness trainer, fitness columnist for various magazines and newspapers, author of five books and manuals including "Go For Fit - the Winning Way to Fat Loss" and "Fit over Forty" and the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs. She has presented hundreds of workshops to thousands of fitness leaders throughout Canada, Australia, Mexico, Jamaica, New Zealand, Germany, England, Spain, South America, Asia and the U.S. She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver, the founder of WHY Racing Events & WHY Community, participates in various community fundraisers and can be found running, biking, or hiking around the community. Find more information at nwpersonaltraining.com.

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