5 Keys to staying motivated

Planning out your training schedule is extremely important. Don't forget to add your weight training workouts, your cardio sessions, or your running or cycling outings, to your weekly planner. Don't cancel them on the excuse of drinks with co-workers or a meeting that dragged on for ages. Stay focused on your goals, and keep moving forward. And if you work out during the lunch break, don't forget to take your sport bag and water bottle as you head to work in the morning. Also make sure to prepare or plan balanced snacks that give you the energy you need for your workout.

Often, we set ourselves very high goals. Losing a lot of weight in a short period of time, a body-building competition that requires bulking up and then cutting, a marathon, a long-distance trail event with some tough climbs, etc. In short, we sometimes underestimate the difficulty of reaching our goal.

Our advice? Set yourself intermediate goals. Could be 2 or 3, or even more, depending on how much time you have for your physical preparation. For example, if preparing for a marathon, sign up for a 10K run, then a half-marathon, etc. It's easier to do long runs when they're part of official events, as the group participation and competitive atmosphere is great motivation in itself.

Every time you reach one of these objectives, you get a boost that helps you reach the next one, until you reach your final goal.

In short, to stay motivated, we suggest you get organised, work out with others, get the support of your family, set yourself intermediate goals that are easier to reach, and show your body respect by listening to it. You'll make progress, enjoy yourself, share without feeling guilty, and stay ultra motivated. And that's exactly where you want to be!

A healthy lifestyle plays a very important role in staying in shape, not injuring yourself, and staying highly motivated. So remember to get enough sleep (7 to 8 hours a night), stay hydrated, eat a balanced diet, and moderate your alcohol consumption.