When you first make the decision to take charge of your health, your enthusiasm soars as you embark on that fitness journey. What many people do not realize when they make that decision is that in order to get fit, the road ahead is a long journey instead of a quick trip. You can expect roadblocks that threaten to thwart your efforts by squashing your motivation. Knowing the motivation crushers that lie ahead and how to deal with them is essential in empowering you to achieve your goals.

1. Plan for the Routine to Get Old Quickly

You made it through your first month of working out at the fitness club on three to six days a week. Now, the monotony of the treadmill may be starting to wear your motivation down. No matter how much you love working out, routine gets old quickly, and once something becomes tedious, it can result in apathy. You need to find ways to keep that 30 to 90 minute block of physical activity new and exciting. Consider the following ideas to combat the boredom:

• Download a another playlist of new or favorite tunes to listen to while you workout.
• Buy yourself a new pair of sneakers or some new workout clothes.
• Add another type of workout to your routine. For example, if you have been spending most of your time on step machines, consider joining a circuit fitness class to mix up your workout activity.
• Seize additional spontaneous opportunities to engage in physical activity. If your friend routinely goes out to cycle, jog or hike and invites you along next Sunday, go for it. It will be a welcomed change of pace.

To keep the routine new, change up your menu of specific exercises on the first of each month.

2. Ignore Those Other People

When working out in a gym, you are going to encounter a range of body types. It is a natural tendency to notice what others look like and to observe their progress. Unfortunately, there are individuals who can only boost their own emotional self worth by flaunting their success and scoffing at others. Close your eyes, focus on your breathing, listen to the music and, with the exception of your trainer, tune everyone else out. When you enter the gym, it is imperative for your motivation to assume the following mindsets:

• Worry only about yourself. Do not concern yourself with what others are up to, and do not worry about what others may or may not think.
• Believe in yourself instead of depending on others to believe in you.
• Every person is an individual with his or her own unique body. Never compare yourself and your progress to others around you.

Even when you are not in the gym, surround yourself with others who are motivated and generally positive about life. Positivity is infectious. Avoid Debbie downer and the negative Nancy. Negativity is also infectious, and these defeatists will likely bring you down as well, which can derail your pursuit of your goals.

3. Expect a Long and Tough Road

When you decided to get fit, you may have had a body image in mind that you hope to achieve. Goals are necessary in order to stay on track, but expecting too much too soon will destroy your motivation. The action film hero with the bulging biceps and defined abs was not born with that physique and did not wake up that way one morning. Be realistic in your expectations, and set smaller goals that will lead toward your ultimate goal. Progress is going to be slow and gradual, and that progress is only going to result from dedication to long and hard work.

4. Apply What You Learn

Learning what to do to become fit and stay fit is not the same thing as doing. If you learn how to determine the amount of weight that you should be lifting and then do not follow through with applying that knowledge, then you will not achieve, and frustration will give way to diminished motivation. Whether you learn new fitness moves, are instructed how to get more out of your workout or are given nutrition advice, you need to take these tidbits of knowledge and apply them to your lifestyle as your work hard toward your goals.

5. Do Not Wallow In the Plateau

Accept that initial progress happens more rapidly. During the first several weeks of your fitness plan, the workout will feel like a challenge to your strength and stamina, and some of your weight will seem to melt right off. The rate of gains will slow down at some point, and you will likely find that you are no longer achieving by doing what has worked thus far. This is commonly known as a plateau. Once you hit a plateau, the workout has become too easy. Although you are physically going through the motions, your body is no longer working hard. Wallowing in the plateau will only drain your motivation. Leave the plateau behind by bumping up your workout intensity.

6. Do Not Be Afraid to Work Your Body

As long as you are not sustaining muscle or ligament injuries, no pain really can result in little to no gain. Do not stop your fitness journey because your muscles are sore, and do not be afraid to push your limit. If one muscle group is sore from your last workout, simply work out another muscle group. When the workout becomes easy as you build strength, then it is time to work out harder, longer and farther. You are stronger than you know, and as you realize that with each workout, you will remain motivated to keep pushing toward your goals.

7. Keep Your Eye On the Finish Line, Not On the Road

Do not fixate on the length of your journey ahead to reach your fitness goals. Doing so can make it seem daunting, monumental and out of reach. Instead, take the journey one week at a time, and your day of rest represents the rest stop for your body to recover. You should, however, keep your eye on the prize of your ultimate fitness destination. Remind yourself consistently about the end goal. Visualize that new body and think about how much more energy you will have, how much better you will feel and how much more you will be able to do physically as a result of your hard work.

By practicing these tips, your motivation will endure throughout your fitness journey. There are bumps in every road of life. Pat yourself on the back for the gradual progress that you make along the way, and do not beat yourself up over the occasional setback in your progress. By staying motivated, you will experience fewer of those setbacks and cruise your way to the finish line for the healthier body that you deserve and worked hard to earn. Talk to a gym, like Aspen Hill Club, for more.